Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Translations

This may be my confirmation bias, but it does seem that when Republicans are doing well it is described as America becoming increasingly polarised, but when Democrats win it is described as unifying. It's always the other guy who's divisive. Yet when you are a major media outlet aren't you supposed to monitor yourself about unfair slants?  Not if your real business model is telling your customers what they want to hear, I suppose.

It's one of the those things that is true either way - or half-true no matter what - but can't be swapped out when things go against you.

3 comments:

Sam L. said...

"Yet when you are a major media outlet aren't you supposed to monitor yourself about unfair slants?" In a perfect world, yes. But our major media supports the Democrat party. This is why they are often called "the enemedia".

"Not if your real business model is telling your customers what they want to hear, I suppose." Nailed it, you have, AVI.

RichardJohnson said...

This may be my confirmation bias, but it does seem that when Republicans are doing well it is described as America becoming increasingly polarised, but when Democrats win it is described as unifying.

Some years ago, I read an online analysis of NYT editorializing after a Presidential election. When a Democrat was elected President, the NYT concluded that there was a consensus for carrying out his program. When a Republican was elected President, the NYT concluded that there was NOT a consensus for carrying out his program.

Not if your real business model is telling your customers what they want to hear, I suppose.

I recently looked at the comments at a WaPo article. Judging by the overwhelming percentage of very partisan Democrat/liberal/progressive comments, comments which considered Republicans to be evil incarnate, my conclusion is that the WaPo is delivering what its customers want.

Comments that didn't follow that narrative were either trashed or ignored.

From what I recall, the most liked NYT comments tend to be those which are very partisan Democrat comments.

Sam L. said...

Which is why I call the WaPo the WaPoo. (The end p is silent.)