Sunday, January 10, 2010

Welcome to the Semester

So here's the first blog of the new semester. Let's get started by finding out everyone's general view of the media. So answer the following questions for me.
1. What is your favorite news source? Newspaper, television, radio, online?
2. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the aforementioned news sources?
3. What do you think about bias in the media? Do you notice it, what do you notice, and who do you believe is the most biased?

Here's to hoping we have a productive and informative semester.

22 comments:

Zack Harrington said...

My favorite news sources are as follows:
Newspaper- USA Today
Television- Fox News or CNN
Radio- Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB)
Online- Fox News or CNN

Strengths and weaknesses of the above news sources are as follows:
USA Today- I feel this newspaper does an excellent job introducing many topics for the consumers to read, but I feel as if every paper lacks substance to a degree.
Fox News/CNN- I find both television sources having extremely biased views. To some people this can be a negative, but I tend to like the different views because I feel the truth sits somewhere between the two. The combination of both stations allows me to interpret the news myself instead them interpreting for me.
MPB radio- MPB does a good job introducing subjects that are most important to Mississippians. In addition, MPB discusses national and world news as well. Unfortunately, MPB sometimes searches for stories because some of their news appears to be irrelevant.
Fox/CNN online- Both online sources provide extensive information regarding news, and much like their television broadcast, both tend to have opposing views. I like to read both views and research the answers for myself.

I believe biased views in the media is unfortunate. I believe, at times, it is taking advantage of the consumer. The news should be presented as it is and not interpreted by a media source. Biased views in the media are not always easy to find, but they are presented more times than not. I don't think I can put a thumb on who is the most biased because they all seem to be either far left or far right winged.

Jessica Williams said...

My favorite news source would have to be online, because I generally do not have time to read the paper or watch TV between work, school, and renovating my house. So when I do have down time at work I look at news sources online. Other than online I would then have to say the newspaper. My favorite of each source would be:
Newspaper: Reflector and WSJ
TV: Local News, WLBT 3 Jackson MS
Radio: ESPN radio
Online: Fox News.com
The strengths and weakness of the new sources given in my opinion are as followed:
Newspaper:
(S) Easily accessible, many types to appeal to different niches, traditional form of getting news, inexpensive
(W) Not available to all of the public, not all of the public can read, not “eco friendly”
TV:
(S)Most of the public has access to a TV, generally more entertaining to public, most popular form of news in the past
(W) Remote areas of the planet don’t have TV, time constraints, language barriers
Radio:
(S) Widely broadcasted, not very expensive, not as many options as other sources,
(W) Not as popular as other sources of news, younger generations not focusing on this outlet as much anymore,
Online:
(S) Quickly becoming easiest form of news to countries with broad acceptance of the technology, easily navigated, limitless options, outlet for most niches
(W) Expensive to obtain hardware to get news, older generations fighting the acceptance of the technology, takes knowledge to use the outlet
Biases are everywhere including our media. I notice that much of the media is biased, everyone’s opinion shows in the way they speak, write, and express the topic. With most TV news anchors you can look at them and tell how they feel about a subject. I particularly enjoy when they have guest on the program and the anchor does not agree with the guest’s opinions or topic. Some can hide it but for the most part you can see it all over their faces or hear it in their words. I like to watch ESPN and if any station has bias broadcast they do. There is a program called Around the Horn with host Tony Reali, on ESPN. He is extremely bias and opinioned! I believe that is more than likely why the show has high ratings. All the reporters that are on the show are very bias on every subject they discuss and Tony is so bias that if he doesn’t like what the reporters say he mutes them for a specific amount of time. This is just one example of how bias our media is.

Ken Holm said...

My favorite news source is the internet. Rarely do I read the printed newspaper. I do watch local news on television to keep updated on what is going on locally.

Newspaper: One major weakness of the local newspaper (Clarion Ledger, Jackson, MS) seems to be a lack of interesting stories. I am selective with my use of time and choose to skip articles that appear, on the surface, uninteresting. One of the major strengths of a newspaper is its use as a reference.

Television: I find the television is a useful medium for brainless entertainment. Much of the "news" on television is presented in such a way that favors one side. A weakness of news television is glut of opinion that is being portrayed as news. A strength of television news is that it is easily consumed in short spans. I can find out this evening, in a short time, what the problem was with the water system in Jackson.

Radio: Radio is useful, for me, to gather news while travelling. I only actively listen to the radio when in the car. A strength of radio news is its portability. A weakness would be its short lifespan. With all the other media listed, I can go rewind (DVR for TV) or reread the article. Once news is gone from the radio, I must wait for that news to be rebroadcast.

Internet: Online news is great in its ability to be tuned. If I want to know about tech gadgets, there is a channel (website) for that. If I specifically want cell phone gadgets, there's a channel for that. On the other side of that greatness is the weakness of online news: there's too much of it.

My thoughts on media bias are that I try to avoid it. I especially avoid biased opinion masquerading as news that is counter to my beliefs; thus, I do not listen to Olbermann or Limbaugh. I find it difficult not to notice bias. I suspect that is due to my bias. As for the most biased, I believe Limbaugh and Olbermann are very biased and their careers are based on their biases.

-K

Anita Griffin said...

What is your favorite news source? Newspaper, television, radio, online? My favorite news source is online, because I have access to my computer or my work computer almost every day. It’s just as easy to log onto your computer and see what’s going on around the world.

What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the aforementioned news sources?
Strengths and weaknesses of the aforementioned news:
Newspaper: A lot of commuters like to read the newspaper on their way to work. If it’s the local newspaper, most people in the community are familiar with it and most newspapers get a lot of respect from the community. Most people think it has the most believable advertising.
Some of the weaknesses of the newspaper is that circulation is decreasing because you can look at the newspaper on line.
Television: Television news attracts masses of audiences. TV has sight, sound and lots of colors. Most people like to see, hear and see television news.
Some of the weaknesses of television is that some people watch less television now than they did years ago, I guess because everyone is so busy these days. Also, television also has lots of commercials.
Radio: The radio is a good source for early news especially for commuters on their way to and from work. Radio reaches large audiences. Most people would rather listen to the news than read it. Drive time is radio strengths.
Some of the weaknesses of the radio is it has lots of commercials. You can also hear the news, but you can’t see it.

What do you think about bias in the media? Do you notice it, what do you notice, and who do you believe is the most biased? Yes there is bias in the media. Not all bias is deliberate. News can sometimes be influenced by background and the attitude of its viewers. Sometimes it can be difficult to analyze bias or some people may not pay attention to it at all. I really can not say who is the most biased. I think in some form or fashion there is bias in every media source.

Laura Chisolm said...

I would say radio and television are my favorite media sources. I listen to American Family Radio and I like to listen to othr talk radio as well. I watch different channels of news both Fox, CNN and local channels.

I believe that radio is great for listening to the news when traveling. Listening to hte radio at home is less likely because we usually have the TV on and I listen to that more than get a chance to watch it. Weakness to listening to radio is that some people like to watch news than listen to it. Television is the most popular because we see as well as hear people give their views and watch them debate. At this moment I can not think of a weakness of television except that most news channels are biased on their views of the news. Newspaper is becoming viewed more online now because you can click on the articles you want to read. A weakness of newspapers is that the news is a day late by the time you receive the paper. Online is becoming most popular because you can view it when it is convenient. A weakness of online news sources is download time depending on internet speed.

I believe the media is bias, the news is given by sources who decide what they think is the most important and add their views to the stories. I notice negativity towards the other side such as a liberal source is negative towards conservatives and vice versa. I think a very biased news source is MSNBC.

Paul Miller said...

These are my favorite news sources:
Newspaper- Roanoke Times, Roanoke, VA
Television- WSLS 10, Roanoke, VA
Radio-NPR, BBC World
Online- Yahoo news
What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the aforementioned news sources?
The biggest strength with our newspaper is that it is the best source for local information. The main problem with the Roanoke Times is that they can’t give you to the minute news. You have to wait until the next day to hear about it.
I find that radio does the best job providing global news. I have noticed that if there is a major event happening internationally you will get a more detailed report than what television has to offer. Its main weakness is that radio cannot provide any visuals that other sources provide.
Television can provide a quick overview of the day’s events for people that have a limited amount of time to get their news. Unfortunately, this is also its weakness. If you want a more in-depth story, you have to go elsewhere.
Online news has an advantage over other mediums in that you receive up to the second information. Its main weakness is that it won’t reach a curtain portion of our older generation.
What do you think about bias in the media? Do you notice it, what do you notice, and who do you believe is the most biased?
I do believe there is bias in the media. While shows like Hardball and Hannity only show one viewpoint, they are open about it and do not try to be neutral. In my view this is not real bias. If viewers watching these shows think they are always receiving truth, that is their own fault. The worst media bias comes from our local news shows. WSLS 10 has a slogan “on your side” and I have had the misfortune of seeing this firsthand. When a citizen complains about a service, the news has taken the side of the citizen without a thorough review of the facts. I know of three times that this has happened.

Judy Roberson said...

My favorite news source is television. I seldom watch national news on the 3 major networks because I believe they are very biased. I normally only watch the local news on my local station, WTVA, Tupelo, MS.

Newspaper's strength is that it's the printed word; weakness is not everyone subscribes or has access to the paper.

Television's strength is that almost everyone has a television in their home or access to one; weaknesses are there's too much garbage to watch and most newscast try to tell you as an individual what you thihk and believe.

Radio's strength is again almost everyone has one in their home or car or access to one; weaknesses are much like television in that the news commentators don't report the news and let it go at that, they try to persuade you in what to say, do, act.

Online's strength is like television and radio in that most homes now have a computer, or you have access to one at work or school. News is updated more quickly online. A major weakness is you can't always be sure who is reporting what online.

There is definite bias in the media. All news channels are biased in one direction or the other. I believe ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN are extremely biased and I rarely watch any of their news casts. During elections, the American public is too stupid to listen to a debate and know what was said - commentators have to explain it to us over and over and over. Also, when it comes to someone "important" (ex: Michael Jackson, Nicole ?? the blond who OD'd, Space Ship Boy, etc) the media goes on and on with it. I like to know these things happened but days upon days of coverage is not necessary. The commentators always say "It's what the American public wants to see" - this American public doesn't want to see it. Tell me once, maybe twice but then move on.

Tanya Mathews said...

Favorite News Source:
I do not have a favorite news source. However, if we have inclement weather approaching, I use weatherbug.com and the local television stations to track the storms. If the electricity goes out, then I use the weather radio that broadcasts from Jackson, Mississippi.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
Newspaper:
The strength of the newspaper is not to dramatize the facts in order to gain public attention. But, there are still a few that wants to get the public to buy their product and the headlines may only be part of the truth, if the truth at all. This weakness can be found in all news sources. The local newspaper reaches out to a smaller group of people; whereas, newspapers like the Wall Street Journal gathers a different audience.

Television:
Television has the ability to reach a larger audience. The public has the ability to view what is actually happening around them and in the world. On the other hand, television reporting can be quite intrusive into the public's private lives. It is also more expensive to produce television shows, advertisement, etc. If the public tunes in and they do not identify with what is availablie, they can either turn the channel or turn off the television.

Radio:
Radio is not as expensive in production to run. It provides accessibility for a local audience and it has the ability to be portable. The problem with radio is that the audience has no visual perspective and has to use their imagination to connect with the information being broadcast.

Online:
Online sources are more readily availbe and updated frequently. The drawback to online sources is the download time depending on the type of internet connection being used.

Bias:
Bias in the media is real. Sometimes the voice of John Q. Public is overlooked and the sources that is used can be of someone in a higher, known position. Media can also be biased in the field of race and gender. Who is the media using as sources for information . . . all male, all white, etc. Another known bias is the healine . . . does it match the story being reported. If the headline is over exaggerated and the story does not match the suggestion of what is being reported, then the public needs to voice concerns about the presentation. The public has to voice their concerns about what the media is covering and how the presentation targets each area of the public.

Sandra Perkins said...

My favorite news sources:
Newspaper – USA Today
Television – CNN
Radio – CNN radio (satellite)
Online – The Huffington Post or MSNBC

Strength(s) - I feel that the USA Today is a pretty accurate news source conveying the “truth” as it relates to topics their readers are concerned about. It is a very detailed newspaper with what I believe to be credible sources.
Weakness(s) – I feel that all newspapers are biased to some degree. It just depends on the person’s viewpoint whose conveying the news.
In my opinion all forms of the media has a flip side. Either you are for one side or the other. I am wondering – is there truly “middle” ground and fairness when it comes to the media giving the public what’s fair, and that’s UNBAISED news.
Sometimes the overall media “TRIES” not to be bias, but it all depends on whose telling the story. There are times when it is obvious and then there are times when you have to really tune in to what they are saying and HOW they are saying it.
In my opinion, I believe that FOX is the most biased. It’s funny that when people in general are talking about the media and how the media interprets the news – the first thing that pops in “MY” mind is Liberal or Conservative. With the media, there is no middle ground. It’s Liberal views or Conservative views. I just wished there were FAIR views.

Lucky said...

1. What is your favorite news source?
Newspaper- Wall Street Journal
Television- N/A
Radio- Mississippi Public Broadcast
Online- CNN

2. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the aforementioned news sources?
They all have the same sort of strong and weakness. For a weakness is their interpretation of some stories or political event. I hate it when you sit through a State of the Nation address and then the “talking heads appear and try to tell you want you have just heard. It gives the feeling that we as American are not capable of analyzing a situation ourselves. I love to read the Wall Street Journal, as it pertains to my field of study. It has stories that are current for today’s society. As for the television, I do not watch a lot of TV. I seldom watch any news shows. I am not sure why I like CNN. I think it is because they are known as being more liberal, and I like hear from that side.

3. What do you think about bias in the media? Do you notice it, what do you notice, and who do you believe is the most biased?
All news sources are biased to a certain degree. ABC is known for being a more conservative news source while CNN is liberal. I fell it is important to hear both sides of an issue, but I also believe that people should not depend only on what they hear for their interpretation. People should watch, read and listen to many sources before forming an opinion. As far as who is the worse, that would all depend on which side of the spectrum you are on.

brandy pieper said...

1. My favorite new source is online, it’s convenient and I can get a variety of sources, such as newspapers in different cities and states.
2. The biggest strength with newspaper is its access, even if a person can’t have access to radio, television or online outlets, there is always a newspaper, in a library, an office, restaurants, coffee shops, etc….It provides an excellent coverage of local news and politics, as well as opportunities ranging posts for jobs to pets, something those without online access benefit from. I believe its weakness is its lack of national or international coverage; the newspaper serves a local purpose and often dwells on local stories for far too long in my opinion. As an example, my local paper the Orlando Sentinel has an entire section devoted to Casey Anthony.
Television is a poor source for news in my opinion, local news is often an invasive look into other people’s tragedies and stories are often repetitive and violent, it’s good for weather updates occasionally and national news channels are so overly biased and opinionated that it’s difficult to watch. However, television is extremely accessible to nearly all, chances are your household has more than 1, and provide do provide knowledge of what’s happening in your area and world.
Radio also has an ease of access that’s a major strength, but I don’t know many people that use it for their news source. In times of crisis, such as hurricanes or other national catastrophes it can be a lifeline, but unfortunately many people I know would never think to tune into talk radio for a news outlet.
3. I think there is absolutely no place for bias in the media, I also think there is little way to avoid it. I think its hard not to not notice bias some of it is so blatant. During the Presidential elections I noticed several anchors on different news stations saying they hope President Obama did or didn’t win. There is no place for that whatsoever, your job is to give me facts, not your opinion, I believe they forget and/or overlook this fact. I think all new sources are bias to degree, but like I said the television news stations, particularly the nationally broadcast networks like FOX, CNN, and MSNBC etc…seem to be much more apparent with their bias.

Brandy Stuart said...

My favorite news sources are:
Newspaper - The Clarion Ledger
Television - World news- CNN local news WLBT
Radio - Y101 or MS103
Online - basically the same WLBT, or CNN
However, I work for Region 8 and if there is any bad wheather or important news releasesvfor the counties we work in we get both a text and email.

I think one of the strengths for The Clarion Ledger that it informs the public of what has happend in the previous day and keeps up with the story and releases with any updates. It also helps with any future upcoming events. I think the only weaknesses is that it has already happened and we mostly have already looked up on the internet for the story.
CNN has the strenth of getting someone on the seen of what is happening world wide. The main weaknesses is that it dont cove small town stuff so to say. Thats why I rely on WLBT for the things that are happening with in Mississippi or close by cities, However they do cove some world news. Their weakness is that it only comes on at set times unless it is breaking news.
Both radio stations are local so they normaly are on top of news that needs to be reported right then. However, for me and my family when I need the radio there are no batteries in it. I guess that would be my weakness.
For online I use normaly the same television sites. If I need to know world news I go to CNN but in some cases it has been updated. If I need local I go to WLBT.com and they are normaly on top of weather or breaking news.
However, I think that my company is on top of things. Because we deal with children or adults and are on the road our company keeps us informed of what is happeing all the time with our emails and text messages. If we are out on a rout and a storm is passing through we are able to find safty for our patients. I think that this is my best and favorite news source.
Some places or people can be Bias. This happened within our country regardless if it is news or online. At times it hurts the consumers feelings are intrest because it could hurt them as a company. I try not to read or interact with bias so I don't know of any bias of the top of my head.
-Brandy Stuart

Alvin McKinley said...

My favorite news source is the independent media online. For local news I tend to check MyFoxNews local section. I do not have a lot of time to read newspapers. Also, visual record of certain event is important and for that matter I usually watch TV stations like Fox or CNN.
Newspaper is usually the most portable and easily accessible source of information that you can take with you pretty much anywhere without the need to use the additional hardware. The downside is that newspapers become less popular due to the competition from other media sources and are not ecologically efficient.
Television is a great source to receive visual information which I consider to be very helpful in generating an emotional response. People usually process most of their information visually and reading about something is totally different from seeing the events. I find it extremely compelling to witness certain events through the help of coverage from actual place where event happened.
Radio used to be a good source of information previously but the focus is shifting. I do not listen to the news cast on the radio and I think most people prefer to listen to the music rather than news. What I enjoy the most about the radio broadcast is the morning show discussing various events. My favorite one is the Glenn Beck radio show which is full of engaging political commentary, independent thinking, criticism, and of course humor.
Online sources are media are the best sources of information in my opinion. With an advance of computer technologies, online media is becoming most popular. The advantage of online media is in the amount of independent sources, eyewitness accounts and an opportunity to share video and audio information effectively. The disadvantage of the online sources is the big amount of contradicting information depending on the resource or political affiliation/bias. I usually like to read information on different websites to get a complete picture. There are many sites that I like such as BBC UK, and independent media sources such as alternet.org, commondreams.org, indymedia.org.
I think that a lot of information is biased. It is clearly seen in such cases as FOX and CNN television channels and their respective online sites. Generally, I do believe that most of information presented in newspapers, television or radio will be biased because such sources are controlled by the large media corporations which have certain political or economical bias. It is very annoying to watch tv channels to go on and on about some news for a long period of time. Also, I think that a lot of information is not being presented to the general public on main television channels. Tv news concentrate most obsessively about petty news instead of covering news happening globally in greater detail. I feel a lot of frustration that Americans are left in the dark about what happens in other countries.

Melvin Hayes said...

1. What is your favorite news source? Newspaper, television, radio, online?
My favorite new source is television (any local new station) and online (CNN.com and NPR.org). I don't have a newspaper preference, but if I had to choose a radio station, it would be NPR since I visit their website often. I prefer getting my news online because the information comes in real time. And if I don’t get it online, television works better for me because I can multi task and listen to the news on TV while I am taking care of other things. If I choose to glance at the screen I can, otherwise, I can ignore the picture. I don’t like listening to news on the radio because the only time I listen to the radio is in my car and in the car, I prefer to hear music in the car. Only during state of emergency situations do I consider listing to news via radio. And newspapers don’t interest me as much. I don’t see the sense in purchasing a newspaper when I can get the information at no additional cost through one of the other mediums.

2. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the aforementioned news sources?
Newspaper
Strength – information is portable and can be convienent depending on what you are doing
Weakness – the information is not in real time; not as interesting and does not cover as many topics as the other sources

Television
Strength – Information is in real time; you have images to accompany the story; you don't have to put much effort into getting the information
Weakness – Images that accompany the story can shape your thoughts and cause bias

Radio
Strength – It is a very portable medium and is more accessible with less work and distractions than the other sources; information is in real time.
Weakness – you can’t see the images or names that may accompany the story

Online
Strength – the information is in real time; vast amount of information available to choose from
Weakness – there is so much information both true and untrue, that the reader must beware of the source and do additional research to be certain that the source reporting the news is giving credible.

3. What do you think about bias in the media? Do you notice it, what do you notice, and who do you believe is the most biased?
I believe that you can’t believe everything you read/hear. Images and stories can be easily distorted and is often done so in the media. The majority of media consists of for profit businesses who have business goals and bottom lines. At the end of the day, most forms of media are businesses whose purpose is to make a profit. Businesses will do whatever they need to do to get ratings and stay out of the red. If it requires them to lean more to the right, left, or middle, they will do it. This is the nature of the game that ultimately has an impact on the information we receive everyday.

I notice bias in the media all the time. There is bias with respect to race, gender, class, etc. Depending on whose doing the reporting it, there is bias in almost everything. But again, media is a business and as consumers, we must find what we believe is the best fit for us. I believe that everything we see in the news should not be taken personally. Without making generalizations about a particular news/media source, each organization has programs/stories that fit certain target audiences. However, in many forms of news, there are sometimes biases that go beyond particular programs/stories and show up on the surface without you even have to look for it. But the media source cannot be blamed for what we feel is bias. We have the option to take it upon ourselves to not listen to it, OR do the research on the information being given to us, sift out the facts, and ignore the opinions.

noelle carlin said...

My favorite news source is either the newspapers or if I have to the television. Most people do not take the time to read a news story; they want it instant and quick so they do not waste time in their day. Whereas television is quick and informative when I am in somewhat of a hurry.
The strengths of a newspaper are better in my opinion because it gives one time to enlighten themselves about the world, and also gives the opportunity to comprehend something that is not using such small words that a 5th grader could understand it. The newspaper is easier, as a reporter, to talk as if they are an adult speaking to another adult. However, the problem is that hardly anyone reads newspapers anymore. In addition to that, it is hard to find stories that are new when technology has taken over; for example a story about a missing child is found on the internet or on the TV as "breaking news" and when it makes it to the newspaper the next day, it is counted as "old news." TV news stations are pretty convenient when it comes to making the time to have it when one wants it. However, sometimes it can present the wrong information at the first report of breaking news; also can have personal ideas of the reporter. Fox stations have been and showed that they are the "republican station" where as CNN is the more liberal station to viewers. Therefore the station only displays one side to the story, normally, and it is the side that the viewers of the station want to hear. Some of the stations are a little less bias, but not by much. And it also determines on what time of the day the audience will be to how bias the stories get. Unfortunately that is the world we live in and because of the choices people can make, they have the option to watch that station or watch the other one. And as far as radio and internet go, I choose to not get my news from those sources so my input on those resources is irrevelant.

Angela Doles said...

My favorite news source would be the radio. It allows me to catch up on the news in my car or at work. If I don’t like the announcer on one radio station I can always turn the station. I also like to read the newspaper but this is limited on local news since the local paper only comes out once a week, usually you know the news before it hits the paper.
• Newspaper allows you to read what you want to but it is limited on what articles are published and usually the news has already hit the tv, internet or radio.
• Television allows you to watch the news while you’re doing something else, you can watch or listen to the news. You are only exposed to what the tv station feels is important news. Also with today’s technology if you don’t subscribe to cable or satellite you may not be able to watch the news.
• Radio is probably the easiest way to hear the news. Everybody either has a radio or has access to a radio. You can change the radio station if you do not like the views of the radio station. Radio is like television in that you only hear what the radio station feels that is important news.
• Online is the quickest way to find out news and will probably take the place of all the other ways of news reporting. The drawbacks of online are: not all people have access to the internet or the internet is not always accessible. The online user also has to make sure that the website they are visiting is legitimate.

All forms of news reporting is bias. Online is probably the least bias since there are so many sources of news reporting. Anyone that is reporting news will have an opinion and it will show in some form during the article. Television seems to be the most biased form of news. The reporting’s of the war are an great example you don’t hear much about the good days of the war (if there are any), but as soon as a car bomb goes off or a suicide bomber takes his life and others it’s plastered all over the news. This is because tragedy sells and people pay attention during this time of tragedy.

Anonymous said...

Considering I spend the vast majority of my time online that would have to be my favorite. The majority of my information comes from searching through CNN. There are times I find myself stopping on Fox News while flipping through channels but do not do that often. I rarely listen to news on the radio and only find myself looking at a newspaper once in a blue moon.

Considering I use CNN more often than other resources that is the one I know more about. They are very thorough and give good information regarding things going on in today's society. Fox News is also very thorough with news topics. It is quick and simple and does not take up a lot of your time to get the information across. Television is simply one of my favorite sources.

I agree with Mr. Holm when he said that the newspaper tends to lack interesting stories. This pushes readers to other sources for information. And again, I agree that it is useful for reference.

I am not in the car often so am not able to listen to the radio thus giving me nothing to speak about in this subject.

Internet is by far my favorite. The problem with looking up specific stories through CNN and Fox News online is do not have great search engines on the specific site.

Media bias is easy to see. Though they try to hide a great amount of it, they tend to focus on one side of the story. I strongly agree with Mr. Harrington when he says that they take advantage of the consumer.

Sandy said...

Considering the fact that I am a mom of two young children, most of my news updates come from online sources. I generally do not have the time to watch the news, read the newspaper or listen to the radio. Therefore, I enjoy having the option to stay current with the news by using the internet.

While determining the strengths and weaknesses with the mentioned news sources, I found the following to be strengths in each category listed:

Newspaper- (1) Customers are able to take the news with them and read it anywhere that is convenient. (2) Loyal customer base through subscriptions (3) Wide range of topics for everyone

Television- (1) Able to provide news in real time (2) Viewers can see the anchors and guests who are delivering the news, thus it is more personal. (3) Viewers can witness news thus making the interpretation of the coverage more compelling.

Radio- (1) Topics covered usually allow callers to share their opinion. (2) Individuals can listen throughout the day, whether in their car, home or work. (3) On pay services such as XM or Sirus Sattellite Radio, there are no commercial breaks.

Online- (1) The online community is World Wide. (2) News is posted immediately. (3) Customers can view news that is relevent to them.

The weaknesses are listed in each category as follows:

Newspaper- (1) Out of date news after the current paper has been printed (2) Reaches only those who are able to read (3) Limited to only the authors perspective, thus the reader only gets one side of the story

Television- (1) News is reported in a bias manner depending on the political viewpoint of the parent company. (2) Reporters often get half of the story to be the one to report to its audience. (3) Customers have to wait for the news to come on, thus it is not as instant as online.

Radio- (1) May be out of range to hear news (2) Lots of interuptions through advertisements (3) Individuals cannot see a visual account of what happened.

Online- (1) Not reputable or verified sources (2) Stories are often misrepresented or inaccurate. (3) Limited to only those with Internet access

Since the media has a goal of persuading individual viewers, listeners or readers to believe a certain way, I definitely notice bias in the media. Many times, I have viewed the news concerning politics and noticed that channels such as CNN or Fox tend to stick to their core thoughts or beliefs. In the end, they are trying to persuade viewers to take on their own beliefs. When viewing CNN or Fox News, we often see only one side of the argument. Sometimes we do not get the answers that we are really seeking as individuals. I consider John Stewart to be the most biased because he targets the younger generation and influences them with liberal philosophies which are often misrepresentations or politically skewed reports of newsworthy stories in today's society. As a result, our younger generation does not hear the complete story. Instead, they hear Hollywood's account of what's politically correct.

Mary Catherine Carmichael said...

I listen and/or read several news sources but I have to say that my favorite is television. Fox News is the news station that I listen to the most. The reason I choose Fox News is I enjoy the variety of shows and hosts that bring the news. They always seem to be prepared and have accurate information unlike some of the other news sources.

Newspapers are good for people who are unable to afford to have cable or internet services. People such as those on a fixed income seem to be more into reading newspapers. Newpapers give good sorces of local news but when it comes to state and nationwide coverage of news they seem to fall short. Listneing to news on the radio can be an irriation at times. Unless you liten to something like MPB. Radio on gives snipets of the news. However, there is a Super Talk Radio station in Mississippi that at times does a good job but there is are two radio personalities on there that are rather annoying because their opinion is the only one that they care to hear. Internt/online can be a good source but you have to really pick and chose to find accurate news and not just some gossip type of news about all the stars or want to be stars. An advantage to television is that channels are easily changed and you have 3 of the major news sources that keep the public updated to the minute. Some of the major networks and the major news channels seem to be a little biased and think that only the liberal views should be the only one expressed.

I think that most news media outlets are biased in some way. Some outlets are totally liberal and refuse to even broadcast a moderate or conservative view and the same is true for outlets that only broadcast the conservative vies. I have notices this more in the last couple of years with the democrats and the republicans. It seems that the media only want to broadcast the more liberal views. I think in order to have a public that is well informed all views (liberal, moderate, conservative) should be considered.

Vanessa Collier said...

My favorite news source would have to be online. I am at my computer all day so it is very easy to get online and check what's going on. I can check local, state, and world news.

I believe a weakness of the local newspapers is that they don't always know enough about world news. Most of the time they are not thorough enough. A strength for the newspapers is that they are mostly for local community enjoyment and knowledge. It keeps you up to date on what is going on in your town. A weakness for the radio is second hand information. A strength for the radio is that you get to voice your opinion about many different topics from politics to sports. A weakness for televisions is that they replay stories over and over again, which loses my attention. Viewing the news on television allows us to see what is going on, not just hear it. A weakness for online is there are so many different sources; therefore, you tend to receive many different facts to the same stories. A strength to online is news seems to land online quicker than any other source.

I do believe that there is bias in the media. I think it depends on which side of the story the media is favoring. Then, one side of the story is usally shown without any defense for the other side.

Jack Elliott III said...

Television would have to be my favorite news source if I had to pick one. Mainly because it keeps my attention better than the newspaper, radio, or reading the news online. However, I have to admit that I hardly ever do actually check any source looking for news about whats going on in the world.
Newspapers are generally easy to acquire, and they normally vary in different topics. However, newspapers do not allow any one to look up previous stories. The reader is forced to just read about new topics for the most part. Telvesion is great because it normally gives the viewers a board range of topics, presented in different views. A main weakness of television is that there are normally some people on the news shows who are annoying. Radio is great for passing time while driving which is probably the only reason why anyone would listen to the radio for news. The main weakness is that most people in todays world don't care about listening to the radio for news because of the internet. People perfer to just listen to music of sport shows on the radio. The Internet is the easiest source of news. It is easy to look up old stories and new stories just by using the search engines. The internet is also convient news source when someone is just playing around on the internet. I really don't believe that there is a weakness for the internet being a news source. It is extremly easy to use and convient.
There is defiantly a bias in the media, along with everything else in life. Everyone is generally bias about a story and its hard not to show how a person truely believes. It is generally easy to spot the bias in the media, and sometimes it is very furstrating to listen to. Espically when I don't agree with them lol. It is pretty easy to notice for example, Fox News for the most part is pretty right winged. While CNN is mostly left winged. I don't have a problem with the two being bias as long as someone can find a news source that they can agree with. I don't belive that there can be a show that does not show a bias toward one side.

Chris Stallworth said...

My favorite news source is the internet. I use this tool most frequently because I am always using my computer or mobile device and it is the most convenient way to get updates on current events around the world.
Television would be next in line. I watch CNN and Fox News several times a week.
Radio news is very informative, and I will listen to it while in the car on occasion.
I use to read the news paper when I lived in Chicago, but rarely read it after moving to a smaller city.

Strengths of each source:

Online- This avenue allows for quick access to news from around the world. One can easily find articles of interest in a few easy steps. In addition, these stories, like news on television are usually updated throughout the day which makes it easy to keep tabs on events and stories that interest you as they develop.

Radio- Radio news shows have more detail than some other sources. The newspaper for example usually only has a few columns at most to talk about a subject. Radio has more freedom. Radio also has updates throughout the day as more developments unfold.

Television- Television is great for obtaining visual information about what is being talked about. While pictures can be found online and in the newspaper, television often has interviews from involved parties and video of situations.

Newspaper- One strength of the newspaper is that it in expensive and easy to obtain. Newspapers can be found virtually anywhere and allow readers to find out important information happening that day or coming soon.

Weaknesses of each source:
Online- Is not available to those without the capability to use the internet.
Radio- Not as stimulating in my opinion. I typically listen to it while the issue is being discussed, but once a commercial or break comes on I change the station.
Newspaper- May loose younger audiences that prefer to obtain their news via the television or internet.
Television- The main weakness here is probably the amount of bias in the programs. You almost have to cipher through the bias opinions to find out what the real issue is most times.
I think the bias in the media is unfortunate, but it is a way for those in charge of a particular source of media to "push" their agenda. I notice bias more on television news programs than any other source. Radio would be a close second. Often times there are comments and opinions shared on these two sources that directly point to the beliefs of the individuals that oversee a particular station of radio program. I believe Fox News is the most biased. Probably because I watch this source more often than the others, but I constantly notice bias comments during their programs.