Countless Americans tune into their televisions daily to receive their regular dose of news and current events. Unfortunately, much of the information they receive has been distorted in some way, either by someone at the news organization or by the reporters themselves. Across the various news sources that cover world events each day, certain biases are consistently thrust upon the general public. Such biased news coverage has existed since the dawn of news reporting. In this essay, I will present an analysis of media bias and discuss where we stand today. I will provide my views, as well as the opinions of others, on media bias by exposing facts related to the pro-choice stance of Republican commentator Tomi Lahren.
In reality, biases permeate our culture, whether it is witnessed on social media or news reporting. The first biased report I selected discusses commentator Matt Walsh’s take on Tomi Lahren’s pro-choice stance. Walsh admires Lahren and previously worked at the same company as her. However, he did not understand why she would go on The View and change her stance on abortion publically, especially after previously criticizing liberals for their belief in a fetus’ lack of rights. In his blog post, Walsh mentioned that Lahren had spoken about being pro-life on both her Twitter and Facebook pages.
Our writers can help you with any type of essay. For any subject
Order now
Biases often lay the foundation for prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. The second report I selected quotes Lahren stating on The View that she is pro-choice. As a conservative who respects the constitution, Lahren believes that the government should not dictate what women should do with their bodies. In her interview, she firmly stated that others should “stay out of my guns, and you can stay out of my body too.”
Signs of bias are not always blatantly visible. However, in Walsh’s blog post, his prejudices against Lahren are flagrantly apparent through his choice of words. He used terms like “hypocrite,” “fake,” and “hater” in reference to Lahren. He also suggested that Lahren expressed her pro-choice opinion on The View in order to please the crowd and attract positive coverage from outlets like Cosmopolitan. Walsh displays a defensive tone and a tinge of jealousy throughout his blog post. He criticizes her repeatedly, insinuating that her actions were merely for attention and that she isn’t a true Republican.
In the second report, during Lahren’s interview, her honesty is apparent. Her word choice and her assertive tone inadvertently reveal some aspects of prejudice. Towards the end of the interview, she staunchly states that while she believes in the government, she also thinks women should have a choice when it comes to their bodies. She firmly asserts that, just as others should “stay out of our guns,” they should also “stay out of our bodies.” She strongly advocates for women to choose what they feel most comfortable doing.
The impact of predispositions on individuals’ lives should not be taken lightly. It should be noted that prejudices can incite conflicts between people, as they suggest both distinctions and discriminatory attitudes towards certain individuals, as illustrated by the two articles I discussed. Both these articles discuss biases concerning pro-choice. One features the video of Tomi Lahren and her stance on pro-choice, while the other involves Matt Walsh’s response to her video and his opinion on the subject. Bias can be discerned in both, based on the tone they use and the words they choose to convey their arguments. The most biased article was Matt Walsh’s, as he was more defensive about her pro-choice stance, even though she is a Republican.
Criminal Justice And The Media Biases And Misrepresentations
As I walk down the street and spot a law enforcement agent, I try to act as normal as possible but am also overcome with nervousness, fearing the officer will stop me for simply looking suspicious. A large portion of my fear of the police comes from their portrayal by the media as unyielding enforcers of the rulebook and ruthless wielders of power. While law enforcement often receives such a negative image, this is not always accurate, for they play an important role in our community.
In this nation, we elect to have laws that define the limits of our behavior. However, if these laws go unenforced, they lose their effectiveness. Aiming to dissuade crime, we create penalties for lawbreakers. An aspect of a police officer’s job encompasses the enforcement of the law—they may issue a fine, such as a ticket, to a person who runs a red light. This responsibility contributes to the negative view American society holds of the police since they are associated with punishing and stopping people to enforce the law. Counteracting the prevalent viewpoint that police merely exist to dole out punishments, Inciardi suggests that their peacekeeping activities also encompass “areas of public service such as directing traffic, resolving disputes… and assisting children” (Inciardi 182). Thus, it’s safe to say we rely on our police forces for duties that extend far beyond crime prevention.
Our writers can help you with any type of essay. For any subject
Order now
However, maintaining a police force does have implications for our civil liberties. For instance, the surveillance carried out by a police officer intrudes upon my privacy as I walk down the street. It grants the police authority over private citizens, who may resent this curtailment of their freedom. This is exemplified when Inciardi refers to a police observer who gives an example illustrating this loss of autonomy—the person in the example would contact the police instead of shooting the individual trying to cut down his tree, thus relinquishing his right to use force and leaving it up to the authorities (Inciardi 184-185).
Through means of bias, the media can skew our perception of the police, leading to a more negative viewpoint regarding their use of force. A blatant example of this is in an article by Michael Snyder, which states, “Just today, there have been stories about police killing a baby deer at an animal shelter and about officers killing a 95-year-old World War II veteran at a nursing home…” (Snyder).
This bias results in creating public opinion that often overlooks the many positive contributions such as ensuring public safety that law enforcement provided during the week. Another factor to consider in the media’s coverage of law enforcement is its tendency to favor profitability. In the case of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin, according to Jaime Ortega, the media “turned the entire case into a racially biased solo prosecution to capitalize on Zimmerman’s guilt and sponsor an anti-Zimmerman campaign that lasted for over a year” (Ortega).
This emphasis skews the case by focusing heavily on spin and convenient omissions of facts, such as Trayvon Martin’s past record. This favors a one-sided view that Zimmerman must be punished. By doing so, the issue can be inflated into a more dramatic topic that raises money for the news and activist groups supporting Trayvon. Referring back to police situations, an example of an unusual act that grabs more attention than the everyday successful tasks is; the police killing a young deer. It’s a story that piques more interest than a narrative about a police officer successfully managing traffic on a busy road, thus raising more revenue for the media.
Law enforcement, with its role in safeguarding our safety and maintaining peace, certainly does more good than harm. It is only our misconceptions and biases supplied by the media that make us feel as if the opposite is true.
