CURRENT EVENTS FINAL REVIEW

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

• A: Example: "Ohio lawmakers clear bill critics say could expand religion in public schools"

• B: Example: "Column: Do Ohio students need additional legal protection to practice their faith? No"

Read the example and identify the type of bias it represents. 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

• Neutrality bias

• "Big story" bias

Read the example and identify the type of bias it represents. 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

• Neutrality bias

• "Big story" bias

Read the example and identify the type of bias it represents. 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

• Neutrality bias

• "Big story" bias

Read the example and identify the type of bias it represents. Scenario: Climate Caution 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

• Neutrality bias

• "Big story" bias

What is the very first thing you should do when you believe that you have discovered news media bias?

• Tell the reporter via tweet, email or comment that they're biased.

• Confirm that it's a straight news report, and not opinion, advertising or something else.

• Identify the type(s) of bias present and the way(s) that bias may be manifesting itself.

• Do a web search for "Why is the news media so biased?"

• Vow to never read, watch or listen to that news outlet again.

 The way that journalists approach and organize a story.

• framing

• sourcing

• story selection

• tone

1.  All of the people, organizations, documents and other providers of information that are used to put together a news report. 

• absence of fairness and balance

• framing

• story selection

• sourcing

1. In journalism, the use of words and phrases that affect the audience’s perception of the issue or event being covered. 

• story selection

• sourcing

• tone

• framing

1. The failure of a straight news report to present a fair and balanced representation of the event or issue. 

• absence of fairness and balance

• framing

• tone

• story selection