Posted on 06/08/2008 12:35:30 PM PDT by Kaslin
Voters Give Media Failing Grades in Objectivity for Election 2008 Sunday, June 08, 2008 Email a Friend Email to a Friend Advertisement
Just 17% of voters nationwide believe that most reporters try to offer unbiased coverage of election campaigns. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that four times as many—68%--believe most reporters try to help the candidate that they want to win.
The perception that reporters are advocates rather than observers is held by 82% of Republicans, 56% of Democrats, and 69% of voters not affiliated with either major party. The skepticism about reporters cuts across income, racial, gender, and age barriers.
Ideologically, political liberals give the least pessimistic assessment of reporters, but even 50% of those on the political left see bias. Thirty-three percent (33%) of liberals believe most reporters try to be objective. Moderates, by a 65% to 17% margin, see reporters as advocates, not scribes. Among political conservatives, only 7% see reporters as objective while 83% believe they are biased.
Given these results, it’s not surprising that 76% of voters believe the media has too much power and influence over elections. Just 3% believe the Fourth Estate has too little influence while 16% say the balance is about right.
Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Republicans believe the media has too much influence along with 80% of unaffiliated voters and 65% of Democrats.
Voters have little doubt as to who is benefitting from the media coverage this year—Barack Obama. Fifty-four percent (54%) say Obama has gotten the best coverage so far. Twenty-two percent (22%) say McCain has received the most favorable coverage while 14% say that Hillary got the best treatment.
At the other extreme, 43% say Clinton received the worst treatment from the media. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say the media was roughest on McCain and only 15% thought the media coverage was most unfair to Obama.
Looking ahead to the fall campaign, 44% believe most reporters will try to help Obama while only 13% believe that most will try to help McCain. Twenty-four percent (24%) are optimistic enough to believe that most reporters will try to offer unbiased coverage.
Even Democrats tend to believe their candidate will receive better treatment—27% of those in Obama’s party believe most reporters will try to help him win while only 16% believe they will help McCain. A plurality of Democrats—34%--believe most reporters will be unbiased.
Among unaffiliated voters, 44% believe reporters will try to help Obama and 14% believe they will try to help McCain. Seventy percent (70%) of Republicans expect Obama to receive preferential treatment while only 8% believe reporters will try to help McCain.
African-Americans are fairly evenly divided as to who reporters will try to help this fall. Sixty percent (60%) of African-Americans say either that the coverage will be unbiased or they are not sure.
Those who plan to vote for Obama are evenly divided as well. McCain voters—by a 75% to 5% margin—say that most reporters will try to help Obama win this November. Among those who are undecided or planning to vote for a third party candidate, 47% expect Obama to be the media favorite while just 6% say that McCain will be the preferred candidate.
A survey conducted earlier this year found that 30% of voters believe having friendly reporter is more valuable than raising a lot of campaign contributions. Twenty-nine percent (29%) believe contributions are more important and 40% are not sure.
These results are consistent with earlier surveys finding that large segments of the population believe the media is biased It is also clear that voters select their news sources in a partisan manner. During Election 2004, CNN viewers heavily favored John Kerry while Fox Fans preferred George W. Bush.
In truth, the MSM is the willing advocate and ally in the ascendancy of Barack Hussein Obama, a man who is the apex of the hate-America, domestic enemy in this country.
His election as president would be the greatest coup any enemy has ever scored against this country and could easily lead to the worst, horrific disaster in our nation's history.
bookmark.
If he is elected, you can be guaranteed that there will be at least one terrorist attack.
Well duh!
Hard to hide the bias when Chirs Matthews reports that Obama makes his rear end tingle (or something like that)
Who’d a thunk it./extreme S
Hillary moon bats protest NBC/MSNBC:)
ROFLOL..Love it..
Indeed!
I think the MSM overdid it and the voters have caught on. Look at this Rasmussen poll.
Other survey results show that voters—by a 4-to-1 margin—believe reporters try to help their favorite candidate rather than report the news objectively. Most believe Obama has been the reporters’ favorite so far in Election 2008 and 44% believe most reporters will try to help Obama in the fall campaign. Just 14% believe that most reporters will try to help McCain.
uh, whose body is that???
The First Amendment to the Constitution of these United States reads:
“CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF; OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS; OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.”
1. The courts have ruled that we must be free OF religion and the Congress has done nothing;
2. The courts have ruled that all manners of speech, no matter how offensive, are protected and the Congress encourages hate speech;
3. There is NO freedom of the press - there is only the media’s view that is permitted;
4. Assembly and redress are laughable concepts, in today’s society.
So where are the constitutional lawyers to ask for redress from a non-free press? Or are they all in Hussein’s back pocket?
Can we really trust the numbers in this poll though. There was an article the other day that conservatives were more honest than liberals.
I wonder how they factored that into the answers that the democrats gave....LOL
Of course in the same breath they will also deny any BIAS by the same MSM.
The Democrat Party is the last bastion for those with massive idiocy disorders.
Mika
I’m saddened ...deeply saddened...to think the MSM would be biased. (sarcasm)
The perception that reporters are advocates rather than observers is held by 82% of Republicans, 56% of Democrats, and 69% of voters not affiliated with either major party.
The skepticism about reporters cuts across income, racial, gender, and age barriers.
...and the other 31 per cent of Demwits are lying. ;’) Thanks geo.
That's almost the same per centage of Americans another poll said believed that the Sun revolves around the earth....must be the same people...they'll believe anything.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.