2.11 The Media and political communications

2.11 The Media and political communications

Bias, symbolism, propaganda

Bias

Bias is a preference, opinion or attitude that favors one way of thinking or feeling over another. Bias affects how people see events and people around them.

           

Open Ended

Summarize bias in your own words.

Bias

Bias in media or political communication can occur in various ways.

A journalist or politician can choose to select or leave out certain information in order to persuade the reader to favor one opinion over another.

Bias also occurs through the placement of information. If information is featured in large or bold type or in very small type, the author is sending a message about how the information should be viewed. This technique often occurs through headlines and titles on websites.

Another way that bias appears is through word choice and tone. If a news story, advertisement or campaign pamphlet contains mainly positive or mainly negative words about a subject, this will persuade the audience to think or feel a certain way.

Finally, bias occurs in the way data and statistics are used. For example, during a campaign speech a candidate may share only positive data about their accomplishments rather than the negative in order to convey positive messages to the reader. 

Multiple Choice

Which option

presents a clear point of view?

• Propaganda

• sybolism

• bias

• metaphor

Multiple Choice

The passage below is from a U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has for many years imposed …a

“fairness doctrine,” requiring that public issues be presented by

broadcasters and that each side of those issues be given fair coverage.

Source: Red Lion Broadcasting Co., Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission (1969)

Based on the passage, what is a goal of the FCC regulation?

• to limit bias in

  political communication

• to promote bias

  in political communication

• to limit

  symbolism in political communication

• to promote

  symbolism in political communication

Poll

Does the image represent

• bias

• propaganda

• symbolism

Open Ended

This poster was originally supposed to be a magazine cover during World War I. In your opinion, what is the purpose of this poster? Who is the audience? What feelings might this poster provoke in its viewers?

Open Ended

What is the message behind this image? Is this an example of bias or propaganda? Explain your answer.