Day By Day© by Chris Muir.

July 23, 2007

Shocker Poll: AP, MSNBC, CNBC Perceived as Leaning Left

In yet another quite, er, surprising Rasmussen poll, more Americans believe the AP, MSNBC and CNBC lean left than right:

The current survey finds that 30% of American adults believe the Associated Press has a liberal bias and only 12% believe it leans the other way. Local television news is viewed as having a liberal bias by 30% and a conservative bias by 17%. MSNBC is seen as being a bit more to the left—33% say it has a liberal bias and 13% say the opposite. For CNBC, 29% say it has a liberal bias and 14% say a conservative bias.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) say local television stations deliver news without bias while 36% say the same for the Associated Press.

Perhaps Journalism 101 should be required for everyone. That way they'll know that reporters are neutral and unbiased.

What we should be more interested in is the fact that poll respondents were evenly divided as to whether or not the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated (41% for and 41% against). Bias isn't the problem so much as a refusal to admit it exists. Be frank with your audience, and let us work out the truth for ourselves. Or does that idea frighten you?

Even worse would be the government sticking its nose into the free dissemination of information. Because once the government gets its teeth into something, it's like a rottweiler going for the kill: it doesn't let go.