According to Lumen Learning, media bias is defined as, "...the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media, concerning the selection of events and stories that are reported, and how they are covered."
When we discuss bias in the media in the US, we are referring to conservative, or right, vs liberal, or left bias. There are, however, many more ways to be biased and no one is completely free of bias.
Confirmation bias is tough.
According to the American Psychological Association, confirmation bias is defined as, "...the tendency of people to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs." People tend to watch just the conservative news, or just the liberal news depending on whether their own beliefs tend to be conservative or liberal.
Because of this, when people view centrist sources, they tend to think of the sources as leaning to the left or right rather than the center. This means people are not getting the whole picture of news and events in our world.
How do we get a more complete picture? Look for sources that challenge your bias. Get your news from all viewpoints: conservative, liberal, and centralist sources.
Excellent article on confirmation bias I Know You Are And So Am I: The Dangers of Confirmation Bias
Bias chart of online news outlets from All Sides.
How to Spot 11 Types of Media Bias
Outlines 11 types of media bias, along with examples of their use in popular media outlets.
Types of bias other than conservative or liberal.
1. Spin-a type of media bias that means vague, dramatic or sensational language.
2. Unsubstantiated Claims-claims made in reporting without including evidence to back them up
3. Opinion Statements Presented as Facts-a statement that is based on personal opinions, assumptions, beliefs, tastes, preferences, or interpretations.
4. Sensationalism/Emotionalism-information presented in a way that gives a shock or makes a deep impression.
5. Mudslinging-when unfair or insulting things are said about someone in order to damage their reputation.
6. Mind Reading-when a writer assumes they know what another person thinks, or thinks that the way they see the world reflects the way the world really is.
7. Slant-when only part of a story is told, or when the story only focuses on, or plays up, one particular angle or piece of information.
8. Flawed Logic-involves jumping to conclusions or arriving at a conclusion that doesn’t follow from the premise.
9. Bias by Omission-when media outlets choose not to cover certain stories or omit information that would support an alternative viewpoint.
10. Omission of Source Attribution-when a journalist does not back up their claims by linking to the source of that information.
11. Bias by Placement-stories that a media outlet features prominently on its homepage and in print show which stories they really want you to read, even if you read nothing else on the site or in the publication.
From All Sides Media
When trying to decide if a website or source is biased, ask these 5 things:
1. What kind of information is it?
Is it a news story? An opinion piece? Is it an ad or advertising produced by a company? Is it a reaction to someone else’s content?
2. Who and what are the sources cited and why should you believe them?
As you read, listen or watch a piece of content, note who is being cited. If it’s text, print it out and circle the sources. Is it a police official? A politician? What party? If it’s research, what organization produced it and what background if any is offered about them?
3. What’s the evidence and how was it verified?
What’s the evidence and how was it verified? Is the source a document? Witness? Or is it hearsay/speculation?
4: Is the main point of the piece proven by the evidence?
Does the main point makes sense, and are the conclusions supported by the evidence offered? Look for signs that the author is skeptical and open minded.
5. What’s missing?
If there was important information missing from the story, that is a problem. If something was explained so poorly that it wasn’t clear, that’s also a problem.
From American Press Institute.