Comm455/History of Journalism

(photo credit: funnyordie.com)

By: Jessica Farley

An election year means a multitude of things for the masses: less than personable campaigners pestering you during your lunch breaks, an overflowing influx of “politically active” celebrities, red and blue cardboard signs peppering the side of the highway, and in recent years, the demand for unbiased media coverage.

It seems that, with the growth in popularity for 24-hour news sources like Fox News or MSNBC, the American public’s trust in media integrity has diminished. A recent poll concluded that “seventy-seven percent of those surveyed by the Pew Research Center in the fall said the media “tend to favor one side” compared with 53 percent who said so in 1985.” (Washington Post)

Take for instance this news clip from Fox News, a source that prides themselves on being “fair and balanced” in their coverage. The clip is a prime and irrefutable example of promoting the tea party, despite their non-biased platform.

With advertisements and other endorsements already promoting such strong pulls to both the right and left wings, the American public has grown thirsty-desperate, even- for a source of unbiased and simply factual news.

Petitiononline.com currently features a petition demanding unbiased media coverage of the election. As the petition states, “This petition has been drafted, to ensure that the mainstream media is held accountable in its promise to present ‘fair and balanced coverage,’ ‘unembedded journalism,’ ‘complete election coverage,’ and every other exorbitant but empty rhetoric that has been used as a bumper sticker throughout – and beyond – this electoral season.”

If the American public can’t even trust the news, who can they trust?