Bias in the Media

Select any current event topic of personal interest. It is important that this event is in the media today, and that it is of
provincial, national or global interest (i.e. larger than a community concern). To pick a topic, you might wish to visit an
online news source or a newspaper to get a snapshot of current events.

When you have selected a topic, you will compare how this issue is presented in a news source (print newspaper, online
newspaper or news station website) to the presentation on a social media platform by utilizing the chart below.

Topic Selected: TTC/ Subway attacks in Toronto

Prediction: Do you believe there will be any difference in the way that these two sources presents information on the
same topic? Explain your response.

I believe there will be a distinction arising from the varying levels of formality between social media and news outlets.
Social media tends to represent unfiltered responses from the public, whereas news outlets strive to provide unbiased
information without causing offense to anyone.

News Source Social Media Source

Toronto Star Twitter

Specific Source (Reference)

https://www.thestar.com/news/ https://twitter.com/
gta/2023/07/06/man-seriously- TrueNorthCentre/status/
injured-after-eglinton-station- 1645246469819998208?s=20
stabbing.html

The most prominent belief The most prominent belief

mentioned in the news piece is
What was the prevailing viewpoint or belief
the TTC's lack of safety in
expressed in this source on the issue that you
emergency situations. It describes
have selected?
the most recent incident while
displaying a statement provided
by the TTC expressing how safety
is a major priority.
stated on social media (Twitter)
is a response to the violence in
the TTC by launching a self-
defense class for those who use
public transportation. Due to an
upsurge in assaults, it has sold
out due to great demand.

There is no opinion expressed in no opinions expressed in tweet

the news article, only factual
If possible, provide an example where the
information on the recent
author(s) have stated an opinion as if it were a
attacks.
fact.

After detailing the latest attack, it
proceeds to demonstrate a trend
What word choices help the author(s) to
by recounting previous recent
influence their audience?
attacks. While demonstrating the
constancy of attacks, it may instill
fear in the audience.
Similar to the news article, the
tweet instills anxiety by
displaying an increasing trend of
attacks, which may entice
readers to enroll in a self-
defense program.

both sources coincide with each both sources coincide with each
 Are there examples of facts that are included other. other.
in one source that are omitted for the other
source?

The Toronto Star has been The tweet included a link to a

utilized as a reliable source for
Have the writers been clear about there they
years by recounting information
obtained their information? Was it from what
supplied to the public; I would
you would consider to be a credible source?
claim it is trustworthy since it
Share and evaluate the original sources.
follows events live while offering
unbiased updates. The journalists
did not specify where they
obtained their information,
although the material presented
is not indistinguishable from that
provided by another news
source.
statement made about
increased self-defense lessons
being taken as a result of the
attacks, but no evidence was
offered to back this up.
Furthermore, within the link, it
lists one self-defense program
as a saviour against the attacks
that are occurring and sells it as
if it will keep you immune to
them.

The Toronto Star supplied My overall opinion of the tweet

thorough information as soon as and link supplied is uncertainty
Describe your overall impression of this
the event happened, with a about why a self-defense class
source as a way of learning about your
consistent recounting that did not would be endorsed above
selected topic.
rely on fear-mongering to sell a safety or regulation, as well as
lesson. Furthermore, without addressing social concerns
revealing the source of the data, occurring in Toronto as a city
the information remains constant that may trigger assaults.
when compared to other news
sources, indicating that they are
not clickbaiting.

Rate each source on the following categories:

News Social
Source Media
Source

How much information on the topic did you learn from this source? 5/5 2/5

How engaging was this source? Did it keep your attention? 5/5 5/5

How unbiased do you believe this source is? Was all information empirical and accurate? 5/5 3/5

How interesting was this source to read? 5/5 4/5

Would you recommend this source to others looking to learn about this issue? 5/5 0/5

TOTAL SCORE 25 14
Reflection:

This activity could have been designed asking you to compare something other than a news source and a social media
source. It may have been:

● Two different news sources – one more conservative and one more liberal

● One Canadian source and one American or European source

Would you have seen a difference in either of these two cases? Explain.

If the sources were more inclined towards liberal perspectives than conservative ones, or if they originated from another
country, the information would have clearly presented contrasting viewpoints that contradicted each other. Both
America and Canada grapple with similar issues, such as gun control, although the manifestations differ—mass shootings
in America as opposed to stabbings in Canada. While both are equally distressing, it is crucial to acknowledge the varying
degrees of severity. In the United States, the ongoing debate revolves around whether the issue lies with guns or
individuals, whereas in Canada, a similar discourse is emerging regarding the culpability of individuals responsible for the
stabbings versus the underlying factors that contribute to such incidents on public transport. Canada, specifically
Toronto, faces a significant cost of living, leading to a rise in homelessness. The lack of adequate housing and proper
citizen support could potentially exacerbate a mental health crisis, which may currently be unfolding.

You were asked to predict if there was any difference in the way that these two sources present information on the
same topic. Was your prediction correct? Explain.

I stand by my prediction that news outlets generally aim to provide factual information without injecting personal
opinions, while social media platforms tend to exhibit more bias. In the case of the Toronto Star, there was no apparent
attempt to engage in fear-mongering or manipulate information to promote a self-defense class, unlike certain instances
observed on social media.

Which of the two sources would you have been most likely to have gone to for information prior to this activity? Would
your choice remain the same? Why or why not?

Given the reputation and longstanding history of the Toronto Star in providing news to the public, I would have been
more inclined to click on and rely on their article compared to the link provided to a Twitter source. While social media
platforms can serve as a means to gather information, it is important to recognize that biases can emerge when
information is retold, leading to unnecessary arguments and disputes. Therefore, trusted news sources like the Toronto
Star often offer a more reliable and balanced perspective.