Independent, aggressive and critical media are essential to an informed democracy. But mainstream media are increasingly cozy with the economic and political powers they should be watchdogging. Mergers in the news industry have accelerated, further limiting the spectrum of viewpoints that have access to mass media. With U.S. media outlets overwhelmingly owned by for-profit conglomerates and supported by corporate advertisers, independent journalism is compromised.

Is this article biased? Why or why not?

Question

Independent, aggressive and critical media are essential to an informed democracy. But mainstream media are increasingly cozy with the economic and political powers they should be watchdogging. Mergers in the news industry have accelerated, further limiting the spectrum of viewpoints that have access to mass media. With U.S. media outlets overwhelmingly owned by for-profit conglomerates and supported by corporate advertisers, independent journalism is compromised.


 

Is this article biased? Why or why not?

anonymous · Answer

A.
 
Yes, even though the website's name, Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, seems unbiased, the title of the article, "What's Wrong With the News?" indicates a bias as does the article's contents.
 

B.
 
No, the title of the website, FAIR: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, shows no bias, so articles on the site won't be biased.
 

C.
 
No, it is not fair, and only professional news reporters should use this site for information.
 

D.
 
Yes, the title of the website, FAIR: Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, shows a bias against reporters writing accurate articles.

nerdgirl6 · Answer

I would say A, since it is virtually impossible to write an opinionated piece such as the excerpt you provided without unconsciously including some sort of bias. The title is just a title, and does nothing to prevent unintentional biases from arising in the article(s).