BIAS

in media
UH OH MONDAY
What is bias?
Bias is when we lean toward something, or someone,
without any logical reasoning or thinking.

It is a judgement based on a personal point of view.

 WELL... THERE ARE...
1 2 3
INCLINATION PREJUDICE PREFERENCE
This is preference - but, not today
 SUP, BIAS?
Often, bias is thought of as a negative thing because it seems to
favour someone or something in a way that is unfair.

Bias can be both a good and a bad thing though. Whether bias is a
good or a bad thing really depends on the outcomes of our actions.

Basically, our bias comes from the way that we view and
understand the world, based on the things happening in our own
lives, and the things we have experienced.

Our families, friends, community and the media can all contribute to
our bias.
HOW IS IT USED IN
MEDIA?
How is Bias Used in the Media?
Bias is used in the media as a persuasive tool.

Often, bias is used in the media to try to persuade

audiences of a particular stance or point of view.

This can sometimes become a negative thing, as it may

be used in a way that tells only one side of the story.

When bias is used in the media like this, it can be really

harmful and damaging. It can lead us to make poor
choices, based on inadequate information, without
fairly weighing up all of the facts.
 WHO?!
1 2 3
GOVERNMENT
ORGANIZATIONS
OR
INSTITUTIONS
INDIVIDUALS
Media organisations may feel pressure to keep
their sponsors happy by portraying those
sponsorships in a positive light and ignoring
negative stories about those businesses,
companies or individuals, instead only sharing
one side of the story.

Sometimes bias is used as a way to make more

money, or to keep ‘the right people’ happy.
 HOW IS BIAS USED?
Sometimes, in the rush to break the news first,
media organisations may present their
judgements about someone, or something, before
all of the facts have been considered.
 Sometimes, stories in the media can be biased and judgemental
depending on the source of the information gathered to tell that story.
Two main types of Media Bias

Ideological bias Spin bias

reflects a news outlet’s reflects a news outlet’s
desire to move the attempt to create a
opinions of readers in a memorable story
particular direction.
What Can I Do About Bias?
Try to be aware of ways you can be biased and be very careful about how those
biases affect others.

This will help to stop our biases from becoming negative things.
We don’t want to treat people or situations unfairly!

Try to be aware of how bias might be shown by others, particularly the media, and
how those biases may influence us. We want to be able to make the best and fairest
choices for ourselves.

It is important to be able to recognise bias in our own attitudes and in the

media.
FIND THE SOURCE AND EVALUATE
Ask yourself the following questions:
Who owns/produces the source?
Who advertises in the source? Are the advertisements
appropriate for the source?
Is there a political slant in the content?
Does the content contain all the facts or at least present both
sides of an argument fairly?
What type of language is being used? Does the author use
strong language or hyperbole?
Do they back up their argument with factual evidence? Can you
see where they got their evidence through links or citations?
WARNING~
If you notice the following, the source may be biased:
Heavily opinionated or one-sided
Relies on unsupported or unsubstantiated claims
Presents highly selected facts that lean to a certain outcome
Pretends to present facts, but offers only opinion
Uses extreme or inappropriate language
Tries to persuade you to think a certain way with no regard for
factual evidence
The author is unidentifiable, lacks expertise, or writes on
unrelated topics
Is entertainment-based or a form of parody or satire
Tries to sell you something in disguise