CHART: Reason to be skeptical

On the front page of The Press, top center, Feb. 17, we’re confronted by something called Vanessa Otero’s Media Bias Chart. In the accompanying article, Vanessa claims of the chart that “It’s making news consumers smarter and news media better.” So, this thing has been around for a while, apparently, to have produced such edifying results. Or is it possible that it’s just her opinion about the results? But what then of the chart itself, the many logos and their relative placement to one another? Her opinion played no part in that?

For her media chart to be credible, Otero’s objectivity has to be almost superhuman. I’m a little skeptical. Maybe I move in the wrong circles but, in my experience, those most interested in politics have opinions on most things political. And it’s in those opinions that we see which way they lean (always) — left or right. Another thing: the chart includes many TV outlets, and, of course, newspapers, most of which are commercial enterprises, supported somewhat or totally on income from advertising. If by practicing hard-nosed journalism these news people were to get crosswise with their advertisers…well, what would you do?

Finally, just my humble opinion, but Amy Goodman on “Democracy Now” is the only broadcast journalist worthy of the title, at least on the idiot box. She’s on the World Channel, Idaho Public TV, 7 a.m., weekdays. Nothing even close to it would be possible on commercial TV. But, as might be expected, the chart and its maker have a different point of view.

DEL CAMERON

Coeur d’Alene