MEDIA BIAS: A HARDER LOOK AT OBAMA AFTER SNL SKIT
NEW YORK — Life imitating art or just a coincidence? A study of campaign coverage found the media took a sharper look at Barack Obama the week after "Saturday Night Live" spoofed journalists enthralled by his candidacy.
The NBC comedy show on Feb. 23 opened with a mock debate where journalists were rough on Hillary Clinton while being starry-eyed about Obama. It matched complaints the Clinton campaign had made _ and she even referenced the comedy skit during a real debate last week.
During the week, Obama was the dominant person in 69 percent of presidential campaign stories, according to a study by Project for Excellence in Journalism. That's the biggest percentage one candidate had received in any week this year.
Many of the stories took a tough look at Obama, such as a Feb. 25 ABC "World News" study on his Illinois legislative record and a "CBS Evening News" report on his career three nights later.
It's hard to say whether "SNL" acted as a de-facto assignment editor, since some of the stories were probably being prepared before the NBC show aired, but it did seem to crystallize a thought that had been percolating, said Mark Jurkowitz, the project's associate director.
"There were a lot of factors at play," Jurkowitz said. "But there's no question the skit, if nothing else, was perfectly timed."
With no primaries last week, news outlets had the time to look at other stories, as well as the time to look at their own performance. The Washington Post, New York Times and ABC's "Good Morning America" all ran stories addressing whether the media has been fairly covering the Obama-Clinton contest.
"Saturday Night Live" this past weekend opened its show with another fake debate where journalists played easy for Obama. This time, the skit ended with an appearance by Clinton herself.
The project studies 48 different media outlets, including newspapers, Web sites and television networks, as part of its examination of campaign coverage.
HRM 304 CLASS: After our brief discussion last night, do we ordinary citizens trying to make decisions about who will lead us the next four years, do we need to become aware of this example of bias in what is presented to us? COMMENT?
posted by Paschal Baute @ 5:03 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
test, Dr. B.
Of course we need to be aware of bias in the news or any television program! We all discussed in class the other night that most of us feel undereducated when it comes to political issues. In my own opinion, it is so much easier for us to sit down and watch SNL then to sit down and watch a nightly news program about the candidates. I personally want to watch something funny. It's easier for me to make time in my life for something I really want to do. The news is always full of the harsh realities of the world. Sometimes it's nice to get away and watch something just for fun. But at the same time we need to be aware that even those just for fun shows have bias.
The media is always bias no matter te subject or person.This election has shown a sway from one candidate in the media to another in the media. I feel that it is hard for me to watch a president debate bu easy to watch a show like SNL that is bias. While the media should be fair and even in their coverage of everyone that never happens.
Yes we do need to be aware of biases in this election. I think that the media makes more out of a story or anything else that what it is. They go hard on one person and then they turn around and do the other person the same way. In my opinion, that does sway people the other way after they hear something that is worse than what they thought. I have been watching some of the debates between Obama and Clinton and I know who I am going to vote for regardless of the coverage that the media and SNL is giving to America. Unfortunately, this may be a harder decision for some Americans with all the biases going on in this election campaign.
Kimberly Combs
My opinion is this, the news we receive is always sensored by editors and producers of all News Media. As journalist they are supposed to keep their bias out of their reporting, however, it is hard for anyone to keep their personal bias apart from their reporting. As humans we always have an opinion on the subject matter and it comes across in our work whether we want it to or not.
Tammy Davis
Well the bias is there for certain and if we are aware of it the better off we are going to be. As we discussed in class, our lives are so busy that we often turn to the evening newscast, the daily newspaper, or websites to see what's going on in the world. And it is here that we are fed these biases. We are fed what the network, the publisher, or the journalist believes. I think Clinton made a great point in class last Tuesday. His words were, "And maybe the whole thing is a lie." We should always question what we're told, what we read, what we're taught, and be able to think for ourselves, or to think critically.
Valerie Carr
Defiantly bias is pro-dominate in or media, but we need to always question what we are reading in the newspapers and magazines, what we see on television, and what we hear on the radio. I hope that we are all more intelligent than to put any stock into a SNL skit, especially concerning such an important event in history such as a presidential election.
Yes we do and go beyond recognizing it and taking action to be informed citizens, consumers, and voters. Take the emotion out enough to understand the facts, opinions, and position of the candidates. Evaluate there ideas and compare them to your own and the direction of this country. From that form your thoughts about that candidate and not rely on that of the media.
Bias is everywhere critical thought is not. When Jon Stewart or SNL wishes to show an absence of critical thought I'm okay with that, these are news outlets. Its the mass media news that could stand some critical thought. Trust but verify.
I think that Clinton comes off as "hard" and she says over and over how much experience she has over Obama. Why should she care if she gets hard questions, she has the experience to answer them. Why cry about the questions just answer them and go on. I would think you would look better in the end.
Jerri
Well written article.
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