ShmoopTube

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We're beginning to get a sense of how easy it is for bias to creep into writing, so it's [Someone watching TV]

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worth asking: is there bias in the media?

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Spoiler alert: totally.

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When we talk about the media, we're talking about a whole lot of stuff: radio, television, [Coop pointing at a blackboard]

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newspapers, magazines, and the Internet – all means of communication that can reach or influence [Dino pointing at a blackboard]

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people widely.

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And when we say "influence,” we mean it. [News program on the TV]

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What's said (or isn't said) in the media can have a huge impact on how people think and [Man runs away as he sees scary new story]

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feel.

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The clearest example of bias in the media is in advertising.

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The name of the game is getting people to buy stuff, so advertisers are totally okay [Old TV ad plays]

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with displaying bias, whether it's through loaded words, overly broad statements, or

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leaving out important information.

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Is it crazy to say that a certain teeth-whitening strip will make you rich, famous, and popular? [Teeth whitening advert]

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Yes.

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But if it sells strips, they’ll say it. [Customer walks up to the counter to buy one]

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The more subtle form of bias in the media comes when important information is being

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left out.

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This usually has less to do with teeth and more to do with the various pressures that

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exist across the media landscape. [Hand takes away a page from the important information folder]

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Say that the staff of a news show is deciding what stories are going to be in their half-hour [Staff in a meeting]

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broadcast.

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They can’t exactly cover everything that happened in the last day.

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As much as they might want to report on what Fluffy the Siamese Cat’s most recent hairball

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looked like, there’s just not enough time.

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So they have to decide what stories are going to be important enough to cover and which [Fluffy's hairball is crossed out]

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aren't going to get covered at all.

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Once they choose the stories, they have to decide how the story will get covered. [Shmoop news van arriving]

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They only have so much time to commit to each story, so they have to decide what they'll

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write about it, what images and video they'll show, and who they'll interview about it. [Shmoop news presenter holding up a microphone]

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Each choice means choosing some information instead of other information, using one expert

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with certain biases instead of another one with different biases, one image that conjures [Arrows point to the different expert]

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certain feelings instead of another one that conjures different feelings.

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In other words, no matter how well intended the reporters, their news will end up with [Newspaper is stamped with 'bias']

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a heavy dose of bias.

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It’s like choosing your partner in science lab.

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You have to make a choice, but your choices are going to leave people out. [Kid holding a flask which explodes]

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That’s just how it is.

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So yeah, the media is swimming in bias, but that's okay. [Pair of students in the chemistry lab]

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The more you know about bias, the better you'll be at spotting it and making judgments for

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yourself.

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Just don’t turn your brain off the next time you watch TV and you’ll be just fine. [Advert for cookies on the TV]

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We know, easier said than done. [Alien appears behind the man watching TV]

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