Question

Generally speaking, are the mass media biased against conservative ideas, policies, and politicians?

Answer 1

Media is both a boon and a bane. Majority of the population in our country relies on the news covered by the media. It is a way of keeping oneself 'informed'. Media plays an important role in helping us be aware of the crimes that are taking place around us so that we can be more cautious. However, the media is very calculative in it's reporting. The media majorly shapes an individual's opinion. Crime reports in the past decade have tripled because the news agencies are aware of the high ratings that these reports receive. Crime reports are exaggerated and brought forth in a way which seem like they are straight out of a dramatic daily soap. Over exaggeration of criminal reports increases the fear within an individual which makes the audience feel that the current government is not doing enough for their citizen's safety. The public opinion changes from preventive to punitiveness which affects one's justice policy.

One of the things that most people would be able to associate with, is body image. Body image refers to how an individual perceives their own physical body. Their perception of their own body reflects in their thoughts and feeling about themselves. Everybody wants to look good, and there's nothing wrong with that, but when women get the idea that women body type for males is skinnier than it actually is, the media reports are responsible in circulating this thought which propagates that a thin body is a measure of a woman's worth. It is the media which makes women think the only way to attract men is by being extremely skinny.

The way media focuses on certain things than others, contributes to being biased, which raises questions on the credibility and ethical principles.