Monday, June 29, 2009
Chapter 11. The Media and Structural Bias
Briefly summarize a story in a newspaper (either printed or on-line) that is current (within the past 24 hours), and describe how the story illustrates structural bias in the media. Make sure you give the title, author (if it has an author), date, and source of the story. You will not get full credit unless you do so!
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ReplyDeleteSummary of "Court Rules Franken Has Won Senate Seat" By Kate Phillips
ReplyDeleteJune 30, 2009, 2:27 pm
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/court-rules-franken-has-won-senate-seat/
This story, found on the home page of the New York Times website, declares that the Minnesota Supreme Court has finally named Al Franken as the victor in the run for U.S. Senate against incumbent Norm Coleman. The court was unanimous in their opinion that the state should certify Coleman's victory. However, the Minnesota Court did not directly order Governor Pawlenty to sign, and there is a rehearing period of 10 days during which Mr. Coleman has the possibility to appeal. If Mr. Coleman decides to concede the battle, however, Mr. Franken will become the 60th member of the Democratic Caucus in the U.S. Senate, possibly giving them that "filibuster-proof majority."
This story illustrates structural bias in the media because the author has taken something that might be considered moderately dramatic (Franken being declared the winner after a 7-month-long battle) and has tried to make it even more dramatic by adding "fuel to the fire" so to speak: mentioning that there might be opportunity for Coleman to appeal the decision. Another way that this story illustrates structural bias is that by mentioning the possibility of a filibuster-proof majority, the author is (presumably) trying to reach a wider target audience, since such a majority is something that could possibly affect the entire nation, and not just the state of Minnesota.
--Jessica Moore
Wow. Right after I posted this (and took the dog out), I looked again and this story had an *update* posted (one of the advantages of web-based news!). Coleman has conceded!
ReplyDeleteI chose a story on today’s Aiken Standard website titled Sanford 'crossed lines' with women other than wife, Chapur. This was reported by the Associated Press and listed no author. This story illustrates structural bias in many ways. It details Sanford’s confessions which are dramatic. He professes his love for this “other woman” and states she is his “soul mate”. Has this ruined his political career? He was thought to be a consideration for the 2012 presidential nomination for the Republican party. It goes on to detail how he has confessed to crossing the lines with other women as well, but not to the extent he did with Chapur. It talks about their emails and letters and gives some details of these items…..interesting. Another article on the website posted for today indicates how ‘private’ his “other woman” is…..and they again repeated the statement she had given….any information on or about her is valuable…..we all want to know about her. What does she look like, what does she do, where does she live……her kids, her family, details of her first husband….it is all newsworthy…..It is controversial, morally complicated, dramatic…..it maximizes audience size which in turn will generate advertising revenue for the company…..
ReplyDeleteAshley Wheeler
Jackson Will From 2002 In Spotlight
ReplyDeleteBy Ethan Smith
Posted June 30, 2009/Print July 1, 2009
Wall Street Journal/ http://online.wsj.com/article
Articles of the famous pop singer, Michael Jackson have consumed the airways, websites and newspapers for six days. Stories of his death and biography are very newsworthy. They have often taken precedent over other important issues. Important stories such as the Yemeni plane crash that killed 153 people seems to be less newsworthy than anything related to Jackson. The article posted by Ethan Smith tells the world of Jackson’s person finances. This story, as well as many others, in different newspapers appears in the most popular article section. Smith’s story held bits of controversial topics. He included in his piece the likelihood that Jackson did not have a will. He also wrote that his father, Joseph Jackson, possibly being excluded from the will. This gave a very dramatic effect. It kept the interest of the reader from being to end. Because of Jackson’s popularity, any stories related to him will hold the attention of many people. The target audience for this article would be fans, business affiliates and curious people. Jackson followers were from all over the world. This has increased revenue for many radio stations, television stations, and newspapers.
Shelette Johnson
Title: SC gov's future uncertain as more details revealed
ReplyDeleteDate: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 2:21 pm
Associated Press
Link: http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/latest/lat_530651.shtml?v=1711
I chose this article because it gives more insight into the Gov. affair. People love gossip, and the media knows they will pay to get the news. This particular article discusses the affair in further detail, and it includes the number of meetings with his said mistress. This event has filled the news stands and tv for days. The article explains certain concerns such as "I think the more he talks, the more folks are interested in entertaining that," he said. "We wouldn't necessarily like the disruption but we're also concerned about his ability to keep faith with the state if he can't keep faith with his wife." Concerns such as this is the reason the media is making so much money off of this event.
-Morgan Lockett
Title: Duke University official offered adopted son for sex
ReplyDeleteDate: June 30, 2009
By: (Washington) CNN
A Duke University Policeman has been accused of offering his five year old adopted son for sex over the internet. The accused is Frank Lombard who was arrested at his home in Durham, North Carolina. During an online chat, Lombard offered his son for sex to the man in which he was chatting. This man happened to be a task force officer from Washington's Metropolitan Police force. The reason I chose this story as an example of structural bias is because people are intrigued by such crime stories. For example, not only are two officials involved in this matter, but the son of one of the officials as well!
Katherine Edmonds
Title:"Sanford Acknowledges Other Flirtations"
ReplyDeleteBy: JIM RUTENBERG
Date:June 30, 2009
Source:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/us/01sanford.html?_r=1&ref=politics
This newspaper article of the New York Times is about the infamous Gov. Mark Sanford and about other flirtatious acts he had with other women other than with the woman he had an affair with. He stated that those flirtations had "crossed the line" and he let his "guard down". This is an example of structural bias because the title was used to draw more dramatic affect and draw the attention to Gov. Mark Sanford. The title misleads the audience into thinking that he could have possibly have more than one woman he had an affair with.
Nancy Mills
The Wallstreet Journal's article from Tuesday June 30th by Gregory Zuckerman on Madoff illustrates structural bias. The article tries to make Madoff actions seem as horrible as possible. The article uses highly negative words and calls him "evil" and a "monster". It also highlights how "victims cheer through sentence," and how Madoff was uncooperative with the investagators. The article dramatizes his actions and it is written to make one seem him in the poorest light possible.
ReplyDelete-Michelle R.
Title: Ex-CIA officer Charged with Sexual Assault
ReplyDeleteAuthor: Associated Press (no specific name for author)
Date: June 30th, 2009
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31669485/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/#storyContinued
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/30/national/main5126060.shtml
A CIA officer was charged with sexual abuse and drugging in his duty station of Algeria. Two Algerian women reported being sexually assaulted by officer warren with out approval. The story reports that warren threw a party and invited the two women over to the house. It was reported that Warren served them alcoholic drinks that were laced with drugs. Following the drinking, both women were incapable of declining sexual intercourse, but Warren proceeded anyways.
This is an example of "structural bias" becasue first off the title is verying catching by putting a bad image on our CIA agency. In the article, the reporter was very thrifty with his/her words for example, "The alleged victims told a Diplomatic Security Service investigator Warren served them drinks apparently laced with drugs and then forced them to have sex." The reporter uses the word "apparently" laced the drinks with drugs. So first off it is not a for sure thing that we can convict Warren of drugging, and the word apparently not definite and is very subtle, but we use the word drugging because it is appealing to the public eye. This gives a bad image on our CIA agency which in reality does a great service for our country.
The title of the article is Ruling Offers Fodder in Sotomayor debate. The article was published on June 30, 2009. The source of the story was from the Chicago Tribune in the Aiken Standard. Sotomayor ruled against the white fire fighters because she wanted to treat everyone fairly. Sotomayors ruling brought about questions because the article is stating that she is siding with African American fire fighters, but in actuality she is not. This is an example of structural bias because Sotomayor ruled the way she did because she wanted to treat the case by the standards of the law. However, the article states that it was “fodder” because it was more of her opinion and not what should have been the actual ruling.
ReplyDeleteNoemi Bauer
Title: SC Governor Mark Sanford: There were other Women.
ReplyDeleteAuthor:Associated Press
Date: June 30, 2009
Source:www.nypost.com
This article states that our Governor Mark Sanford admits that there were other women other than his Argentina mistriss. But he says that he never had sex with any of these women but it did get physical. But he would never cross that line. Although he did with his mistress. He also says that he wanted to break it off with her. But that he wanted to do it in person and not via email. So that is why he went down there. It also states that his wife Jenny knew about the affair and wanted him to end it so she sent a trusted chaparone with him to meet her but we see where that ended us (all knowing about what is happening).
This is an example of structual bias because not only did the title catch my eye because it makes you think that he has more mistresses. It also says that a "trusted spiritual advisor" was sent with him as a chaperone. Which makes us assume that this man or woman could not be trusted at all and leaves me thinking that something is up now with the preacher.
Lets just hope thats not the next title "Southern Preacher in on Sanfords Affair." cause that is all this man needs right now.
Sarah Cartrett
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ReplyDeleteOn CNN's international website, there is a story on a train wreck that killed at least 14 (latest number). The article is grisly, bordering on graphic, quoting extremely dramatic statements and phrases like "motionless, charred bodies". The accident sounds horrible, and the three accompanying pictures (which are cell-phone camera quality) are very gritty and shove themselves at you with their flames and charred metal. This is an extremely dramatic, negative event, some 14 cars exploded, and the article is appropriately dark, but this is a good example of structural bias, it's got a violent tragedy, and it's uncertain how it will end or the extent of the damage.
ReplyDeleteTitle : Italy Train Explosion Kills At Least 14
Author: Hada Messia
Date: June 30th
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/06/30/italy.train.explosion/index.html
Title: local legislators call for Sanford's resignation
ReplyDeleteauthor(s): JENNIFER MILLER and HALEY HUGHES
date: 7/1/2009
http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0701-Sanford---delegation--WEB
This story speaks of Aiken county legislatures wanting Mark Sanford to resign. This all began when Stanford was in the news concerning an affair he had and the govenor practically going awhol. Severl legislatures have contacted him acknowledging his mishaps and their opinions about the ordeal. Many feel that Stanford need to resign because he is an embrassment to himself, family, and the state of South Carolina.
The story consistently acknowledge how unstable, worthless, and shameful Mark Sanford should feel. How other legislatures feel he should resign and that will benefit the people more. The story continually discussed Sanfod's issues and the issues legislatures have with him and how they are going to resolve the Sanford problem. The story revealed the undying conflict that is taking over the SC republican party, State legislatures vs. Govenor Sanford. This story is targeting Sanford and the republican party, and it is spread throughout the news from CNN to yahoo! news.
~Dretecia Pearson~
Jessica – the Minn Senate post election battle has nothing to do with a governor resigning. I do not think this one had drama (the uncertainty of the outcome) and novelty and well-known personalities (Comedian Al Franken) all there! No pumping up really needed by the author on this one.
ReplyDeleteAshley?Morgan – and Gov Mark S just keeps the drama unfolding – other relationships with women with whom he crossed some line but did not have sex?!?!? Nancy-- Good observation about the headline, which often exaggerates the story as an attention getter. Did you know that headlines are not written by the author in most cases. Editors do that.
Sarah – and it also turns out that the other women were before Sanford became governor! At least that is what he is saying now?!? The headline implies that all this was going on at once. Beware of headlines!!!! Dretecia – you are right that this is brewing a secondary story about conflict – conflict within the Republican Party. That will be an ongoing conflict that gets embroiled with conflict over the next nomination for governor among Republicans, since so many of the leaders have announced intentions to run.
Shelette – the Jackson death is also one that fits all the criteria. We pay a lot more attention to this than to the details of the energy bill that just passed the US House, yet the energy bill is far more important. Personality over substance!
Katherine – what makes this one unusual is the accused was a law enforcement officer at a well-known university and the victim was someone he presumably should love. Had the sex been offered for sale by someone other than the boy’s father and had that person had a checkered past to start with, one doubts that it would have made CNN at all. Andrew’s story about misbehavior by a CIA official is a similar kind of story in the sense of the background of the accused and the nature of the institution associagted.
Michelle – the Madoff sentencing is another natural. He has become well known (notorious), and the amounts of money involved (something like $60 billion) certainly make it unusual. That the regulators totally missed him and that he had money from many well known people and institutions also adds interest. The drama was how many years he would get – and the words used by the judge were also unusual in any sentencing proceeding.
Noemi – the headline seeks to add conflict, just as you say. The New Haven ruling does overturn existing law. And as you say, all the Sotomayor did in her ruling at the Appeals level was to uphold existing law. I suspect that she will make the argument that she was just going with precedent, exercising what we know as judicial restraint, while the Supreme Court acted in a judicial activist way. Ironically, her opponents in the Senate want to characterize her as too much of an activist. I suspect there will be less conflict here than the headline implies – nice job!
Joshua – the more bleeding and the more the carnage, the more something leads. But because this was far away, it gets less coverage here in the US.
Nice job by all – I hope that my comments have been useful in helping to illustrate important ideas in the course. I hope that all of you do well on the final and will consider taking another Web based class again – Bob B
Correction! I misread what Jessica said and then put in a NOT when I should have said it DID have the drama, etc. Jessica said SIGN, not RESIGN. So what she was talking about was whether the governor had to certify Franken's election. Turns out he did not because Coleman conceded. He did not want to anger voters who wanted it to be over, and he is thinking about running for governor in the next election. I also meant to say that this example DID have all the drama and well-known figures to make it newsworthy -- it has gone on for so long that everyone in the country knows about it, so it certainly would attract an audience! My apologies to Jessica! Bob B
ReplyDelete