Propaganda Is Not Bias

I’m guilty of blurring the line between bias and propaganda. While I make the distinction clear in my chapter in 21st Century Communications, I’ve been less clear on my widely-read Media/Political Bias page.

While I’m in general agreement with Greg Sargent’s blog post today, I’m not happy with his use, or the current general use, of the term “bias.”

If one consciously engages in the act of systematically delivering interested messages that circumvent rational argument, then one is practicing propaganda. Such messages are not an indication of bias because bias is inherent in our cognitive and cultural systems. One does not employ bias on purpose. Biased is something you are, not something you do.

I do not care to get into a snit about which is worse, MSNBC or FOX. Both cable networks (and CNN, too) have found unique ways to pass off blathering punditry as journalism, and all three have failed to live up to journalism’s primary purpose: To give citizens the information they need to be free and self-governing. All three spend much time everyday proving Neil Postman correct.

One of things I want readers to take away from my discussion of bias is that political bias in the news media (and, yes, it does exist) is just one of many types of bias and, perhaps, not the most important in understanding journalistic behavior. The theory of structural bias, I believe, predicts equally well what MSNBC and FOX will do, and why they do it, despite the conscious efforts of the networks to carve up the political world into a simplistic right-left dichotomy.

Howard Beale said it best: “This is mass madness, you maniacs! In God’s name, you people are the real thing! We are the illusion! So turn off your television sets. Turn them off now. Turn them off right now. Turn them off and leave them off! Turn them off right in the middle of the sentence I’m speaking to you now! TURN THEM OFF…

Technorati Tags: Journalism, media bias, Media Ethics, Rhetoric