Understanding Bias Lesson

Open Ended

Before getting started: Give a definition of bias in your own words.

Multiple Choice

Read the examples below and select the one that is straight news — in other words, the one that aspires to be impartial or unbiased.

• “Religious freedom has two edges”

• “Ohio lawmakers clear bill critics say could expand religion in public schools”

• “Column: Do Ohio students need additional legal protection to practice their faith? No”

Multiple Choice

Scenario: More air time

The producer of a morning news show inadvertently dedicates more air time to coverage of her preferred presidential candidate’s platform than to the platforms of other candidates who are polling equally well.

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Rural representation

A journalist who spends most of his time in a metropolitan area travels to a nearby rural community to report on an environmental hazard there. In his report, the journalist describes the community as “a simple, God fearing slice of America.”

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Missed story

Senior editors at a local news outlet decide that allegations of corruption by their publication’s parent company are not newsworthy enough to warrant extensive coverage or to be featured on the front page. They decide, instead, to publish a short report in the business section. On the same day, national news outlets put this story on the front page of print editions and featured it on their website’s homepage.

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Lopsided experts

In a year of covering advances in cancer research, a health reporter quotes dozens of doctors and other experts. Only two are women.

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Climate caution

The social media manager at a national newspaper posts a story about a U.N. climate change report. So that the coverage isn’t perceived as biased, she posts a graphic with this caption: “Is climate change man-made? Click here to find out.” However, the report’s findings present overwhelming evidence that climate change is, in fact, the result of human activity.

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Secret sympathies

A journalist is writing a piece on U.S. immigration policy - a topic on which he has strong opinions. So that his personal views don’t influence his reporting, he includes in his article several interviews, studies and other citations that promote the position he doesn’t agree with. He includes only one interview with a spokesperson who supports the position he favors.

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Milk dud

A journalist at an online news publication sees early results from a new study that found a brand of chocolate milk might help athletes recover from concussions. The journalist quickly concludes this is an important finding and writes a story with the heading “Groundbreaking study proves chocolate milk cures concussions.” After the story is published, however, it becomes clear that the research was deeply flawed and had been funded by a milk company.

• Partisan bias

• Demographic bias

• Corporate bias

• Neutrality bias

• Big story bias

Multiple Choice

Scenario: More air time

The producer of a morning news show inadvertently dedicates more air time to coverage of her preferred presidential candidate’s platform than to the platforms of other candidates who are polling equally well.

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Rural representation

A journalist who spends most of his time in a metropolitan area travels to a nearby rural community to report on an environmental hazard there. In his report, the journalist describes the community as “a simple, God fearing slice of America.”

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Missed story

Senior editors at a local news outlet decide that allegations of corruption by their publication’s parent company are not newsworthy enough to warrant extensive coverage or to be featured on the front page. They decide, instead, to publish a short report in the business section. On the same day, national news outlets put this story on the front page of print editions and featured it on their website’s homepage.

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Lopsided experts

In a year of covering advances in cancer research, a health reporter quotes dozens of doctors and other experts. Only two are women.

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Climate caution

The social media manager at a national newspaper posts a story about a U.N. climate change report. So that the coverage isn’t perceived as biased, she posts a graphic with this caption: “Is climate change man-made? Click here to find out.” However, the report’s findings present overwhelming evidence that climate change is, in fact, the result of human activity.

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Secret sympathies

A journalist is writing a piece on U.S. immigration policy - a topic on which he has strong opinions. So that his personal views don’t influence his reporting, he includes in his article several interviews, studies and other citations that promote the position he doesn’t agree with. He includes only one interview with a spokesperson who supports the position he favors.

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Multiple Choice

Scenario: Milk dud

A journalist at an online news publication sees early results from a new study that found a brand of chocolate milk might help athletes recover from concussions. The journalist quickly concludes this is an important finding and writes a story with the heading “Groundbreaking study proves chocolate milk cures concussions.” After the story is published, however, it becomes clear that the research was deeply flawed and had been funded by a milk company.

• Framing

• Absence of fairness and balance

• Tone

• Story Selection

• Sourcing

Open Ended

What are the three most important things that you learned in this lesson?