The Opinion Blog

Media ARE biased -- just not in the way you think

Ripped from the wires ... Here's a short piece from Florida writer Eric Deggans explaining the true nature of media bias:

By ERIC DEGGANS

As everyone from Katie Couric to Bill O'Reilly debates whether the press was too easy on the President before war in Iraq thanks Scott McClellan I'm thinking they've missed the point.

Of course news outlets are biased. But not in the political way some imagine. Here are the real biases that drive mainstream news reporting, beyond the obvious one: profits.

Innocent Hannah morphs into Vanity Fair vamp

Ripped from the wires ... What's wrong with sexing up a 15-year-old pop star? In an editorial last week, The Chicago Tribune answered: Plenty.

If you're a parent of a 12-year-old girl, you don't need to be told what was wrong with Miley Cyrus appearing in Vanity Fair wrapped in a satin bedsheet, shoulders and back bared. You already know that popular culture pressures kids to grow up fast, fast, fast. And now you have Exhibit A: A national magazine sexes up a 15-year-old girl and takes photos of her. With her parents' permission.

Miley, the idol of preteens and the star of Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana,'' has apologized for the photos. But she's the only one in this thing who has no culpability. She's 15, and had a lot of adults telling her this was all a great idea.

Ease off on negative male stereotypes

Ripped from the wires ... Columnist Kathleen Parker argues that the Bad Dad show Fox TV is considering for broadcast is unfair to men and harmful to children. This article will appear on the Saturday Op-Ed Page.

By KATHLEEN PARKER

Of those everyone loves to hate, few can compete with the deadbeat dad for longevity.
How much do we hate him? While we're counting the ways, Fox TV may try to help America organize its contempt and put a face on this loathsome character.

"Bad Dads,'' redundant in these male-bashing times, is the name of a new reality show Fox is considering. While the network reviews the pilot, outraged fathers' advocates are trying to nip this bad seed before it buds.