Decoding Media Bias

Ms Ink

News Networks Homepage Headlines: Politics Section Headlines:

Please write headline title and provide a link
CNN 1. Barr makes major reversal in ruling some
https://www.cnn.com/ asylum seekers could be held indefinitely.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/politics/
barr-immigration-ruling-reversal/index.html
Please write headline title and provide a link
1. Trump anticipates Mueller's vindication but aides
fret about his temper.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/politics/donald-
trump-robert-mueller-mood/index.html

2. Four years ago, an art historian used lasers to

digitally map Notre Dame Cathedral. His work
could help save it.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/world/andrew-
tallon-notre-dame-laser-scan-trnd/index.html 2. Trump vetoes Yemen War Powers Resolution, his
2nd veto since taking office.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/politics/trump-
3. Prosecutors plan to seek up to 10 months in jail vetoes-yemen-war-powers-resolution/index.html
for actress Felicity Huffman.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/us/felicity-
huffman-sentencing/index.html

3. Trump's GOP critics in Senate mum on Weld 2020

bid. https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/16/politics/bill-
weld-republican-reaction/index.html

Fox News 1. Trump predicts 'Crazy Bernie Sanders,' 'Sleepy Joe Biden' will
be 2 Dem 'finalists' in 2020 race.
https://www.foxnews.co
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-bernie-sanders-joe-
m/ 1. Trump predicts 'Crazy Bernie Sanders,' 'Sleepy Joe
biden-democratic-primary
Biden' will be 2 Dem 'finalists' in 2020 race
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-bernie-
sanders-joe-biden-democratic-primary+

2. Yuma, Arizona mayor declares emergency over migrant.

situationhttps://www.foxnews.com/us/arizona-mayor-emergency-
migrants
2. Conway, talking Mueller report, says media loves
'palace intrigue'.

©PBS Education & We the Voters 2016. All rights reserved.

 Decoding Media Bias
Ms Ink
3. Top European diplomat praises president, hits Obama-
era 'lecturing'.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hungarys-top-diplomat-
praises-trump-on-nato-push-contrasts-against-obama-
era-lecturing
MSNBC 1. Trumps aides reportedly in full freak-out
https://www.msnbc.com mode
/ https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-
house/watch/trump-aides-reportedly-in-full-
freak-out-mode-1495661635804
2. Bernie sandhers’ Fox News town hall: Smart
play or democratic betrayal.
https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-
house/watch/bernie-sanders-fox-news-
town-hall-smart-play-or-democratic-
betrayal-1495660099803
3. Trump vetoes measure to end U.S.
involvement in Yemen war.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/tru
mp-vetoes-measure-end-u-s-involvement-
yemen-war-n995281
©PBS Education & We the Voters 2016. All rights reserved.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/conway-talking-
mueller-report-says-media-loves-palace-intrigue
3. Media ADDICTED TO Mueller, ‘The Five’ says
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/media-
addicted-mueller-the-five
1. Six things we’ve learned from the 2020
candidiates’ fundraising reports.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/me
et-the-press/six-things-we-ve-learned-
2020-candidates-fundraising-reports-
n994926
2. White House officials concerned about
being exposed by Mueller report
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/whi
te-house/white-house-officials-
concerned-about-being-exposed-
mueller-report-n994861
3. Secret tapes in racially tinged police
scandal may revive difficult time for
Buttigieg
1https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2
020-election/secret-tapes-racially-
tinged-police-scandal-may-revive-
difficult-time-n994871
 Decoding Media Bias
Ms Ink
1. What do you notice/stands out to you about the differences?
I noticed in my years of growing up that, different news stations have different head stories even though some news on
other stations might be more “eye catching”or “interesting”. Even if they have the same stories or trying to deliver
the same message to the public, they deliver a different message of the story just with the headline. An example of
this is with the Bernie sandhers story that both Fox news and MSNBC have put on there site. As, you can see on the
chart above, Fox news puts more information and mentions that Bernie is crazy and they call Joe bidden sleepy.
Trump predicts 'Crazy Bernie Sanders,' 'Sleepy Joe Biden' will be 2 Dem 'finalists' in 2020 race. On the other hand,
MSNBC just put Bernie sandhers and that’s it. More simpler and not giving extra details. It goes straight to the point,
This is what MSNBC put Bernie sandhers’ Fox News town hall: Smart play or democratic betrayal.

2. Why exactly do different news organizations have different stories?

I think news arcticles have different stories because they want the publics attention and attract people to click on their
site/article even if they find it boring or completely irrelevant. Also they just want to share the side they believe in,
there are more Bias on the side they chose and want to publish what they feel right to share and not publish the
other side.

Now, choose a topic that is addressed on all three news networks - look for a top-of-the-page topic that addresses politics or public
policy. Read a story on that topic from each news network (yes, that’s three whole news articles in total – one from CNN, one from
Fox, one from MSNBC). As you read through each story, examine the author’s point of view and try to recognize any bias.

3.What facts were the same/similar in all three news stories?

-Trump tweets
- The Catholic cathedral that it is on fire and is almost 900 years old
- Trump and Bernie Sandhers

©PBS Education & We the Voters 2016. All rights reserved.

 Decoding Media Bias
Ms Ink
- Trump veotes measure to end US involvement in the Yemen war
- Trump and Mueller and how the media is addicted to them

4.Was there one news source that contained facts the other two did not? Or, vice versa? Why might that be? Please fully explain.

5. What did you notice about the language/word choice? Was there leading or subjective language to favor one point of view over
another?
I noticed that MSNBC was the only one out of all of them that was neutral and was not bias to one side . Fox news I think was bias
with Trump and did not talk bad about him as the other news stations did and were very careful what to publish about him
and the statements they out on there articles and headers. CNN was a bit bias and against trump with some of their
statements they put on their articles.

6. Based on the three articles you’ve read, and the decoding you’ve done, where do you think each news network lands on the
political spectrum? Left, center, or right? (Remember, left would be much more liberal, right would be much more conservative, and
center would be somewhere in the middle, which is usually neutral or sees both sides). Please provide specific EXAMPLES/EVIDENCE
to back up your argument. (This could be quotes from the articles, specific use of word choice in the article, etc.)

CNN: Left

Fox:n Right

MSNBC: center

©PBS Education & We the Voters 2016. All rights reserved.