Research Paper!

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May 18, 2014!
Media Bias!
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Some may say to capture and keep the attention of the audience is more of the main

objective for news media rather than telling an objective story that covers current events. The framers believed otherwise. They believed news media was a tool to assist each other on the current issues of economics, society and politics (Greenburg et al.). Many critics today are ! arguing over the bias placed by reporters and journalists and challenge what stories should be considered newsworthy.!
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Today, the focus has shifted from providing news to providing entertainment. Infotain-

ment is a term now used for the blending of hard hitting news facts with entertainment (Greenburg et al.). The public responds well to emotionally stimulating or light-hearted stories rather than hard hitting, complex, and straight news. This broad appeal comes from the press’ need for profit and advertising revenue. The more viewers they have, the better their budget will be. They tend to shy away from complicated issues that will confuse the viewer and instead, use a simple yet compelling approach to get the viewers attention. Negative, shocking and scandalous stories along with topics that are of public interest allow the audience to identify with the broadcast and continue to watch the program day after day or night after night (Media Bias). Infotainment serves as a way of getting viewers to see a little bit of news mixed in with a lot of sensationalism and emotion. Even the newscasters have taken a role in creating a source of entertainment.
They have become “news personalities” in which the viewers can get to know and trust these figures during the broadcast. When viewers can trust in the point of view of the newscaster, it will be easier for the station to persuade or slant their view when it does come to the hard hitting issues which effect public opinion (O’Connor).!
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Many argue that this type of news, also known as soft news, will take the public away

from reading or viewing hard news in it’s many forms (Kiener). Andrew O’Connor ’s !

Research Paper!

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article in NeoAmericanist brings up the point that infotainment may not be all newsworthy information but over all it helps bring about an increase in the public’s overall interest in what is happening in the news and in politics. News audiences are now expanded to include those who would have otherwise neglected any type of hard hitting news. This is a way of informing the public of more worldly events. The stories are not so attentive to foreign policy but do capture dramatic scenes that are happening as a result of foreign policy and therefore raising global awareness (Grygiel). Soft news, however, tends to be more general in it’s overview of a story and neglects the conflicts or consequences that surround the event. In actuality, it is a way to deliver some truth in between the sensationalism though it is not incomplete.!
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News media can now use the internet and cable sources to reach audiences any minute

of the day or night. The type of journalism broadcasting through these channels can come from anyone. Tom Price reported in a 2010 CQ Researchers that one-third of internet users added to news content by way of commentary or creation of a new stories or blog (Price). The urgency to add content to online news outlets challenges what is considered newsworthy and pushes traditional journalism practices such as fact-checking along the way side (Price). Staff loads have become greater and the urgency for immediate information to broadcast on social media, blogs and websites have created a big challenge for meaningful work to be presented (Moses). !
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There is much confusion and deception all around politics. The news media fact-check-

ing is crucial to voters who want to make an informed decision about who they will choose on the ballot. Critics also argue that even the