When analyzing media content, it is important to be on the lookout for bias. Bias is prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, group, or way of looking at an issue compared with another. Bias is usually unfair and does not present all sides of a situation.
Sometimes content from one person can favor or discriminate against someone or something, and sometimes an entire organization or publication can do that. Be on the lookout for bias with these tips:
1. Determine who the author is and how are they connected to the content. Did the content come from a company trying to sell you something or an organization trying to get you to donate or join?
2. Look at what kind of advertisements are on the site. Does the content appear to direct people to what the ads are trying to sell?
3. Examine the tone of the writing. Is the wording neutral, or does it seem mean? Does the author present information without emotion, or do they put someone or something down?
4. Do some fact checking. Does the author provide information that can be verified?
5. Look for balance in the writing. Does the author offer both sides of a story or just one?
6. Determine if the author is stating facts or opinions. Opinions sometimes include words like "I," "we," or "you" in the content and often play on emotions to get readers to see things the author's way.
7. Note whether or not the style of writing seems to feel like a friend chatting with you rather than a professional journalist reporting a story. Does the author stay professional, or do they use jokes, puns, or other informal writing techniques?
8. Carefully craft your online search terms to avoid returning biased results. For example, when searching for facts on climate change, avoid using terms like "Is global warming a hoax?" Search engines match words, not context. The results will likely be filled with global warming hoax conspiracy theory sites rather than scientific sites explaining that global warming is not a hoax.
Not only can media contain bias, but media consumers can also bring bias into the equation. Confirmation bias is a type of bias where the person reading, listening to, or watching information purposely seeks out information they already agree with, or they interpret new information in a way that fits into their current beliefs and theories. Below are some tips to help avoid confirmation bias:
1. Take an honest look at your own beliefs and theories. Why did you come to those conclusions? Could your conclusions be based on partial information?
2. Purposely seek out credible information that offers different points of view.
Many newspapers and magazines have a political slant. Some are more liberal, some are more conservative, and some seem to hover more in the center. As a result, reporting on various topics -- even by credible sources -- is often biased. Below is the Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart®, which shows both the political slant and reliability of various media outlets.
