Essay: Bias of news media (annotated bibliography)

Barber, M. (2008). Getting the Picture: Airtime and Lineup Bias on Canadian Networks during the 2006 Federal Election. Canadian Journal of Communication, 33(4), 621–637. Retrieved from https://libproxy.wlu.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie,url,uid&db=ufh&AN=36002169&site=ehost-live This research study investigates media coverage bias during 2006 federal elections. It asks the question of whether media shapes public opinion as many Canadians as well as the political parties themselves, noticed the unfair amounts of air time given to them. Air-time is investigated through three large television companies such as CBC, CTV, and Global Television. This will prove bias from the media during elections as the more successful parties received longer air-time, and the least successful parties received very little air-time in comparison. Differences in the three companies that are being looked at may show the reasons for their bias.
Blidook, K. (2009). Choice and Content: Media Ownership and Democratic Ideals … Retrieved from https://ojs.unbc.ca/index.php/cpsr/article/viewFile/135/183 Blidook reveals the main concerns about Canadian media ownership in the case of choice and content. Media ownership in Canada is said to be more concentrated than media ownership in other countries resulting in a concern that the majority of media we receive is biased based on the viewpoints and opinions of the owners of media outlets, specifically relating to political media coverage. This will help prove that bias in the media is evident, especially when it comes to content that is readily available to us compared to content that is rarely showed to the public. It also helps differentiate the attitudes and beliefs of privately owned media outlets as opposed to those that are government owned.
Bowler, G. (2017, October 16). Is there really bias in the news media? Retrieved from https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/7634717-is-there-really-bias-in-the-news-media-/This article states that majority of news media in Canadian newspapers and television is left-leaning. It explains that bias in the media is not dangerous as long as the audience understands that the information they are being given is most likely motivated by opinion of the larger owning companies. This will assist in explaining how to tolerate bias in Canadian news, by searching alternative sources as well as researching the companies that own the news channels and discovering their political stance before trusting their information.
Gnam, J. (2017, November 02). Most Canadian Media Guilty of Left-Leaning Bias, Says Author. Retrieved from https://www.theepochtimes.com/most-canadian-media-guilty-of-left-leaning-bias-says-author_2347119.html This article explains how the Canadian media is biased toward leftist politics. It is said that people who have leftist opinions often go into the media as a profession, becoming the ones who deliver this biased news. This gives negative results for the Canadian audience as this highly influences their viewpoints. This will assist with proving bias in Canadian media by showing the journalists initial viewpoints, as well as showing who it is that delivers Canadian news coverage that influences public opinion.
Maika, M., & Danylchuk, K. (2016). Representing Paralympians: The ‘Other’ Athletes in Canadian Print Media Coverage of London 2012. International Journal of the History of Sport, 33(4), 401–417. https://doi-org.libproxy.wlu.ca/10.1080/09523367.2016.1160061 This article suggests that the media portrays a negative image for people with disabilities. The example used is the lack of attention focused on the Paralympic Games. This article studies the different frames of portrayal that news outlets use when covering people with disabilities as well as negative representation in media. This will assist with emphasizing the issue of bias in Canadian media especially when it comes to minorities and social issues. The Paralympic games often receive little to no air-time in comparison to the Olympic Games where there are no disabilities present.
Mendelsohn, M. (1998). The construction of electoral mandates: media coverage of election results in Canada. Political Communication, 15(2), 239–253. https://doi-org.libproxy.wlu.ca/10.1080/105846098199055 This study investigates news coverage of provincial elections in Canada looking into factors that may influence the results as well as media interpretation. Six different provincial elections were chosen and patterns in media coverage were found based on different types of results. This article will show proof of how media is able to shape public opinions on different political parties during elections. It also suggests proof that the media is not always unbiased. It will help the argument intended to be proven that Canadian news media can be easily influenced and bias.
Nagata, K. (2011, July 12). Why I quit CTV News. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/2011/07/12/why_i_quit_ctv_news.html Nagata talks about why he had quit his job at CTV news, and explains that it is because as a journalist he felt as if his opinion was silenced. This article talks about how every aspect of news media is controlled by the owners, from the stories that are being reported, to the actual visual attractiveness of the reporter. He explains that CTV and many other Canadian news companies are extremely biased because they own the intellectual property of all of their journalists and reporters. This article will effectively prove bias in Canadian media as there is living proof of a previous CTV employee who does not agree with their actions. There is also proof of bias in other Canadian news companies in this specific article.
Taras, D., & Taras, D. G. (1987). The Canadian Media, Domestic Interest Groups, and Middle East Reporting: The Effects of Structural Bias. International Journal, 42(3), 536–558. Retrieved from https://libproxy.wlu.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie,url,uid&db=ahl&AN=45836492&site=ehost-live This article explains how there is a bias when Canadian news outlets report Middle Eastern news. It is explained how the emphasis varies based on the political stance of the news company as well as the reporter. Middle Eastern reporting in Canada seems to mainly focus on violent conflict between countries, or political leaders, rather than positive aspects. This article will be able to prove the bias of news media in Canada based on racism and different political stances between various news outlets and companies. It will effectively help to prove the bias of Canadian news coverage and politics.
Trimble, L., Raphael, D., Sampert, S., Wagner, A., & Gerrits, B. (2015). Politicizing Bodies: Hegemonic Masculinity, Heteronormativity, and Racism in News Representations of Canadian Political Party Leadership Candidates. Women’s Studies in Communication, 38(3), 314–330. https://doi-org.libproxy.wlu.ca/10.1080/07491409.2015.1062836 This study investigates the effect that visual appearance of politicians have on Canadian news coverage during the elections. Suggested in this study, it is said that news reporters will interpret the appearance of the politician in different ways and relate it to their political message. Both men and women politicians will be affected by these stereotypes as the media will influence public opinion about whether or not they are fit to govern based on their physical appearance as well as how they visually present themselves. This study will effectively prove that Canadian media is not always unbiased based on proof that news companies use common gender stereotypes to influence public opinion before elections.
Wallace, R. (2018). Contextualizing the Crisis: The Framing of Syrian Refugees in Canadian Print Media. Canadian Journal of Political Science, 51(2), 207–231. https://doi-org.libproxy.wlu.ca/10.1017/S0008423917001482 This article examines the different ways that Canadian print media portrays the Syrian refugee crisis. Looking at multiple newspapers, it is suggested that the frames in which the news is reported changes over time, through the course of conflict or politics, depending on how the media would like to influence public opinion. This article helps answer the question on how the media is biased depending on which company owns which news outlet. Patterns in media coverage are found based on changes with the Syrian refugee crisis through different newspapers and audiences which proves the biased opinion of news companies.