The Arguments Surrounding Media Bias Essay -- Communication, Fairness

Whether it is through a newspaper, television, magazines or talk radio, people will always communicate through some type of medium. Now, whether or not the mediums are tainted with bias is a question of beliefs. Some people argue that journalism today is rather fair and balanced, while others would vehemently oppose that view by saying that bias is definitely prevalent in news media and other mediums today. In some instances, there lies the belief that the fairness doctrine should be reestablished in order to mend the problem of bias; however, many would strenuously fight that by arguing that such an act would destroy the freedom of the press guaranteed under the first amendment. Another argument surrounding this issue is the expectation of journalists to be as objective to each issue as possible. Contrary to this, people argue that it isn’t possible to be completely objective. Many arguments surround the issue of media bias. Today, many argue for the return and enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine. The doctrine was established in 1934. It required that anyone who had a broadcasting license had to present both sides of an issue. Broadcasters, however, had the opportunity to decide how long they would cover the â€Å"other side† (â€Å"The Broadcasting Fairness Doctrine† 3). Dave Johnson, a columnist for the Huffington Post, argued back in 2009, for the revival of the fairness doctrine. In his column, he writes that the fairness doctrine would reintroduce the idea that the public owns the resources of the country, the laws, and has the power to tell corporations what to do instead of them telling the public what to do (Johnson Par. 4). Alan Sears, a former federal prosecutor for the Reagan administration and current president and CEO ... ...n nearly enough. Media Bias may be considered either a serious problem or no problem at all. Some may feel that it is the Journalists responsibility to assure that no bias makes it into the news and that they should be as objective as possible. However, there are those who argue that journalists should not be expected to be as objective as possible because it is not realistic to believe that it can be accomplished. Then there is the argument to revive the Fairness Doctrine, or to keep it abolished forever for fear that the freedom of speech will be threatened if it is brought back to life. The media is an entity of its own. It is controlled and operated by a few people. The journalists under them willingly reflect the beliefs of their bosses into their works in order to keep their jobs. The harm in all of this depends on the influence it has on each individual.