Mainstream bias explained
Mainstream bias is the inclination of major media outlets to prioritize conventional viewpoints, often sidelining alternative perspectives or emerging ideas. This can shape news coverage through selective story choice, issue framing, and the sources that are featured.[1] [2]
The rise of digital and social media has challenged traditional mainstream bias by offering platforms for diverse and alternative viewpoints. However, it has also raised concerns about the spread of misinformation and the formation of echo chambers.[3]
Types
There are three main types of mainstream bias.
- Status Quo Bias: The media’s tendency to support established social, political, and economic structures, frequently displaying resistance to change or skepticism toward more radical ideas.
- Objectivity Bias: Paradoxically, the journalistic commitment to objectivity can introduce bias by giving equal weight to both established views and fringe opinions, which may inadvertently legitimize misinformation.
- Source Bias: Mainstream media frequently depend on official sources and established experts, which can result in the neglect of alternative viewpoints and grassroots perspectives.[3]
Impact on Public Discourse
Mainstream bias can significantly shape public opinion and political discourse. By favoring established narratives, it often reinforces existing power structures and can slow social change. This bias may also marginalize minority perspectives and emerging social movements.[4]
Criticism
Historically, mainstream bias has faced both critics and supporters. Critics argue that it restricts the range of acceptable discourse in society, often narrowing it to what is known as the "Overton window." Proponents, however, maintain that mainstream media’s approach promotes reliability and helps prevent the spread of misinformation.[4]
See also
References
- Goncalves . Jesse . 2017 . Status Quo Bias in the Mainstream American Media Coverage of Senator Bernie Sanders . SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal.
- Book: Morrissette . Elizabeth . McKeon . Grace . Louie . Alison . Luther . Amy . Fagen . Alexis . Media Bias . Introduction to Media Studies . Press Books . en.
- Strydhorst . Natasha . Morales-Riech . Javier . Landrum . Asheley R. . 2023-10-10 . Exploring partisans' biased and unreliable media consumption and their misinformed health-related beliefs . Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review . en-US . 10.37016/mr-2020-125. free .
- Huang . Hong . Zhu . Hua . Liu . Wenshi . Gao . Hua . Jin . Hai . Liu . Bang . 2024-05-22 . Uncovering the essence of diverse media biases from the semantic embedding space . Humanities and Social Sciences Communications . en . 11 . 1 . 1–12 . 10.1057/s41599-024-03143-w . 2662-9992. free .
Further reading
