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News People Liberal Conservative Channels Fox Bias Msnbc

Id ESLPod_0643_CN
Episode Id ESLPod 643
Episode Title Liberal and Conservative News
Title Liberal and Conservative News
Text

Having an unbiased media is "critical" (very important) to the success of a participatory "democracy" (a government where all people can vote equally), because people need access to "accurate" (correct; precise) information. However, in the United States, many "cable news channels" (TV channels that cover the news all the time) are accused of being unfairly liberal or conservative. These channels present only one "side" (way of viewing or thinking about things) of the story.

In particular, the Fox News Channel is regularly "accused" (said to be doing something wrong or bad) of having a conservative, "right-wing" (favoring conservative views) bias. And MSNBC is regularly accused of having a liberal, left-wing bias. In a 2009 "poll" (a survey that asks about people's opinions) by Pew Research, 47% of "respondents" (people who respond to a survey) said the Fox News Channel is "mostly conservative" and 36% of respondents said MSNBC is "mostly liberal."

People cite many examples of these news channels' bias. In late 2009, "tensions" (uncomfortable, negative feelings) between the White House and the Fox News Channel increased so much that the Obama "administration" (government) said it was "not a news network." And around that same time, MSNBC showed "photoshopped pictures" (photos that have been changed with a computer program) of former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin carrying a gun while wearing a "bikini" (a small, two-piece swimsuit).

Many people say that the problem is that these news channels describe themselves as "fair" (treating others equally) and unbiased. If people watch a "right- or left-leaning" (favoring conservative or liberal opinions) news program, but believe it is unbiased, they are unable to watch the program with an appropriate level of "skepticism" (questioning what one sees or hears) and do not receive the accurate, unbiased information they need.

Topics Entertainment + Sports | Government + Law

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