Media bias? What media bias? Surely not at ABC… Updated: unbiased observer identified
**Posted by Phineas
It’s not just public figures who can have embarrassing open-mic moments that reveal truths they’d rather keep hidden. Sometimes the “unbiased professionals” behind the scenes forget where they are, too.
And that’s when they show who the really are — propagandists, not journalists:
During live coverage of the Republican National Convention here in Tampa, an ABC News employee provided the perfect example of the pervasive anti-Republican bias Mitt Romney faces in his bid to unseat President Barack Obama.
In video broadcast Monday night by ABC over the internet, an ABC News employee can be heard claiming that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann are unconcerned about the fate of residents of the New Orleans area who are currently being hit by Hurricane Isaac.
“They aren’t concerned at all,” the person says on tape. “They are happy to have a party when black people drown.”
That line elicits laughter from several employees listening in on the joke.
Shades of Kanye.
Of course, media bias against Republicans, conservatives, and libertarians isn’t some shocking revelation these days; I’m sure we can all think of egregious moments going back to Reagan’s time, at least. (1) In the enclosed, mutually reaffirming echo chamber that’s the modern MSM (and the broader entertainment media), these are the beliefs you’re supposed to have. These are the jokes you’re supposed to tell in order to be part of the club, showing others how smart and progressive you are, even if you don’t necessarily believe it. You want to be accepted don’t you?
Not that I think this unnamed joker at ABC was covering for his real beliefs. Far from it. The echo chamber is not only self-reinforcing, but it’s also a magnet for the like-minded, people who see journalism as a way to fight for “noble causes,” and not as a way to present all the relevant facts — just those the “gatekeepers of information” deem relevant.
The real lesson of this incident (other than checking to see if any nearby mics are on) is not to ignore the MSM, however good that might be for one’s blood pressure, but to diversify sources of information so that we, ourselves, don’t get trapped in the echo chamber. Don’t stop watching ABC (they do occasionally say something useful), but also watch PJTV. Don’t stop reading the NYT –they do have some good individual writers, even if the paper is hopelessly biased– but also scan the Real Clear sites. Even if you disagree with someone, reading or listening to what they have to say will sharpen your own arguments — and sometimes they might even know something useful. (Admittedly, I wouldn’t expect that from Jesse Jackson or Debbie Wasserman-Schultz…)
Just don’t let yourself become a smug, laughing jackass like the ones they hire to produce the news at ABC.
Footnote:
(1) My blog-buddy Sister Toldjah did a fantastic job exposing media bias in the Zimmerman-Martin case.
UPDATE: According to Mediaite, the professional and open-minded journalist caught slagging the Romneys and all Republicans is Yahoo News’ Washington bureau chief David Chalian. Heckuva job, Davey. Yahoo news was doing a joint webcast with ABC. (via sdo1)
(Crossposted at Public Secrets)