McChesney's "The Problem of the Media"

Robert W. McChesney outlines four points of conservative contentions of the media:

1) The decisive power over the new lies with journalists - owners and advertisers are irrelevant or relatively powerless

McChesney responds that this contention is completely fabricated and not intellectually based. He explains that journalists do not decide what news stories to cover, or how to cover them, rather it is the media owners and editors that make those decisions. McChesney explains that since journalists are doing less investigative journalism than 25 years ago their power to shape the news has also declined. I agree with McChesney on his rebuttal, because it is evident that owners and advertisers dictate the media from a variety of angles. This includes telling journalists what stories to follow and what headlines to put on the front page. The rise of commercial journalism means that owners are tied to their pockets rather than to producing quality journalism. This means that owners often cater to advertisers. McChesney includes evidence of this and cites specific examples on how the media uses the news to sell advertiser's products.

2) Journalists are political liberals

McChesney responds that this is true as journalists tend to vote democratic. He counters that although journalists are politically liberal, media owners and editors vote Republican. McChesney also makes it clear that although journalists tend to be liberal on social issues that are very conservative when it comes to business. Journalists are often pro-business, pro-militarism, and anti-regulatory.
McChesney seems to make a good argument, but it lacks the same support his other rebuttals receive. McChesney tries to argue that journalists are no more socially liberal than other Americans by stating a poll with that suggestion: "A 2004 Chicago Tribune state-wide poll of Illinois residents found them overwhelmingly supportive of women's rights, gay rights, and gun control." This poll does not support the argument as it is a state-wide poll of liberal-leaning Illinois, no way indicative of the rest of the country.

3) Journalists abuse their power to advance liberal politics - thus breaking the professional code

The author claims that there is very little evidence to support this claim. In fact, journalists today are going out of there way to prove they are not liberal. He cites evidence of the 2000 election when reporters lambasted Democrat Al Gore, but gave very favorable news coverage to George Bush. I defiantly agree with McChesney on this point as reporters are scared to be labeled liberal. This is further supported by newscasters like John Stossel and Brit Hume receiving little criticism by their far-right-winged segments.

4) Objective journalists would almost certainly present the world exactly as seen by contemporary U.S. conservatives

McChesney responds that this a ridiculous, partisan request. It is the equivalent of having your cake and eating it too. Republicans are saying that, "favorable coverage of the Right is quality unbiased journalism. Unfavorable coverage of Democrats is equally unbiased." I agree that this charge is silly as few Americans hold the same perspective as Ann Coulter or James Dobson.