In addition to any partisan bias, can you identify other forms of media bias in your news source? Here are 2 examples of media bias that you may encounter.
Bias by Image Selection (or Photo Bias): The image a journalist chooses to use can shape readers’ perceptions of the issue. In this story from CNN.com on April 30, 2024, the journalist describes how Barbra Streisand wrote something in an Instagram post that offended Melissa McCarthy. What does their choice of images say to you?
Bias by Word Choice, or "Spin:" Journalists also make very specific word choices. This can shape their message and influence their readers. Word choice, or spin, is a type of media bias where the writer adds their opinion to a news report or uses sensational language, like the headline below where the author added the word “blistering” to the headline. That is the writer’s interpretation of the letter. It sets a tone and it will affect how people perceive the story.
