Name:____________________________ Date: ___________

Common Media Biases

Type of Bias Example Used by Evidence from Text
Author?

Bias by Omission: Reporting that a famous

The lack of reporting person has gained 40
on all the relevant lbs, without noting that
details or events of a she is pregnant.
story

Bias by Language: Using the labels

The choosing of “terrorist”, “soldier” or
specific language to “freedom fighter” create
influence how the different impressions of
reader thinks about the same person.
the story

Bias by Emphasis: A newspaper may put a

The act of calling terrorist attack in France
attention to certain on the front page, while
features of a story to putting one that
influence the reader happened in Iraq on the
5th page.

Bias by Photo: A tabloid magazine may

The use of publish a photo, of a
unflattering photos celebrity convicted of a
crime, in which he
appears unshaven and
with sweats on, to make
him appear guiltier.

Bias by Statistics A reporter may say that

someone was arrested
& Numbers:
for having 1000
The use of statistics
milligrams of cocaine,
and numbers to
which is really just 1
create false
gram. The higher
impressions
number makes the crime
sound worse.

“Where Did You Hear That? Becoming Critical Consumers of News Media” https://www.sabes.org