September 26, 2007

Prof: Misperception of media bias causes problems for democracy

"If people hear over and over again that the media are biased, then they will begin to believe that," says Philo Wasburn, a professor of sociology who studies bias in the media. "Currently, public confidence in media is quite low, as it is in some other social institutions, and the misperception that the media are not providing balanced coverage certainly contributes to this trend.

"If the public is distrustful, that can lead to disinterest in the media. More importantly, it can also contribute to a lack of political information and discourage participation in the governmental process."

Wasburn, who is co-writing a book about media bias, says the assumption that the news media are biased is based largely on anecdotal evidence and often fueled by letters to the editor, talk radio and guests on television news programs.

Wasburn recently published a study that analyzed 900 news articles from Time and Newsweek magazines from 1975-2000 to evaluate partisan coverage in stories about crime, gender, poverty and the environment. His study appeared in this month's Social Science Quarterly journal.

"The study showed that these media are doing the job they are supposed to do by providing fair and balanced coverage," Wasburn said. "It is important people hear this message because the misperception has a disenchanting effect. Less than half of the U.S. population votes, and I believe the myth about media bias is a contributing factor.

"A democratic nation's foundation depends on a free and independent media, but when the public believes the media are partisan, that belief can discourage people from being participatory citizens."

Wasburn is author of "Broadcasting Propaganda: International Radio Broadcasting and the Construction of Political Reality" and "The Social Construction of International News." His work is supported by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the College of Liberal Arts.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Philo Wasburn, (765) 494-4686, wasburn@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: A copy of the Social Science Quarterly journal is available by contacting Philo Wasburn at (765) 494-4686, wasburn@purdue.edu

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