Media Bias and You

CROSSING PARTY LINES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LISA SWALLOW
WILL BE WITH US FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

Many Americans have been increasingly concerned about “Media bias”, which refers to the perception or reality that media outlets, including newspapers, television networks, websites, and social media platforms, may present information in a way that is partial or slanted toward a particular viewpoint, ideology, or interest. There are many forms of media bias including but not limited to political bias, commercial bias (profit motives), ownership bias (personal or financial interests of the owners), sourcing bias (specific sources & experts come with their own biases), cultural & social bias etc. Media bias can contribute to misinformation, disinformation, polarization, and a breakdown in trust between the media and the public. It can also distort public discourse and hinder constructive debates on important topics. At this meetup, we will discuss this complex challenge, explore its causes & some potential solutions.

1. What are you thinking about when you talk about “media bias”?
2. What clues or signs do you look for which tell you that the media you are reading/ watching is biased?
3. What media sources do you get your news from and why do you trust them?
4. What media do you avoid and why?
5. Was there a time when you thought that the media was not biased or less biased? If so, when did you lose that trust and why?
6. What factors, do you think, have played the biggest role in fueling media bias?
7. How might your own biases feed media bias?
8. What solutions, if any, do you think there are to this problem?

Join the Crossing Party Lines discussion and have a voice in our nation’s conversation! People of all views are welcomed, appreciated, and heard.

Please plan to arrive at the beginning of the meetup for Meet & Greet before we sit down for conversation.
Suggested Reading:

1. How Reliable is your news source -

• All Sides Media Bias chart
• AdFonts Media Interactive Media Bias Chart

2. Washington Post: How breaking news got panelized OR Does anyone even know what “the news media” is any more?
3. UxDesign: How tackling “selective narrative” could help restore trust in journalism?
4. Our own personal biases at work

• Logical Fallacies and Cognitive Bias Chart
• The Cognitive Bias Codex

5. Stepping out of our filter bubbles

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