Spinnerama

Peter Kent, erstwhile Global TV News anchor (although still holding the title of Deputy News Editor), has finally issued his ''journalistic challenge'' to the nation's journalism schools. Recall that, earlier this summer, the declared candidate for the federal Conservatives (Toronto-St. Paul's) claimed that the media were biased against his party of choice. (Ironically, he got a lot of ink for that.)

Anyway, last night he emailed me a "copy of the letter sent to 27 journo school profs and administrators last week.. to coincide with the new University year..and the new political season in an American-style election year." It's really long so I won't post it all. Here is an excerpt:

I've cast off the cloak of "fair and balanced" reportage worn with care during four decades practicing the craft. (I must have worn it fairly well, given the surprised reaction of so many of my former colleagues in newsrooms near and far when I revealed my Conservative colours.)

That said -- and given my first-hand experience in newsrooms across Canada over the years -- I believe that most Canadian Journalists are small "L" liberals.

It is also clear that Canadian journalism schools tend to be staffed by predominantly liberal professors who, year by year, turn out even greater numbers of liberally-conditioned graduates and post-grads.

I do concede that, most of the time, that liberal tilt isn't reflected in news content.   (editorial and opinion columns, of course, excepted) That's because - most of the time - responsible practitioners of our noble craft sublimate personal and political inclinations in their news-gathering and reporting.

But, over the past couple of years ­ and, certainly since the June 2004 federal election ­ there have been been a disturbing number of exceptions to the rule, particularly in Toronto.

Last month Canadian Press quoted me as saying that that, in an election year, "..is not a complaint as much as a statement of reality -- something Conservatives have to deal with -- the apologists for the Liberal government in the Toronto media".

Is there an inherent liberal bias in some of our leading news organizations?

Or, asking the same question another way, is there an inherent anti-conservative bias in some of our leading news organizations?

I can't prove my beliefs statistically because no measurement has ever been taken.  But, a study would certainly shine some much-needed light on the issue.  There might be even be findings unflattering to news organizations on the right as well as the left.

A noble effort to be sure. But such a content analysis would be enormously expensive and complex. Who would decide which media would be monitored? How would the content be coded as biased? What constitutes bias? Are there enough PVRs in Canada? Who could watch all that video?

By the time those questions are ironed out, the next election will have come and gone.

Besides, during the last election, the most oft-cited and credible study showed the media -- or at least newspapers -- were biased against the Liberals.

Negative coverage dominated positive coverage, particularly for Martin and the Liberal party. And when shifts in coverage occurred, these appear to have been driven by parties and public opinion rather than proactive journalists.

Whoever would want to condemn journalism students to such an enterprise does not get my vote.

Comments

[Robert McClelland]

There was a time when we'd simply ignore crackpots who ranted and raved about media conspiracies; particularly those who thought it was dominated by the Jews. What has happened to change that?

[starboardside]

In answer to the question,"Is there an inherent anti conservative bias in some of our leading news organizations"?.I answer that question,"Do bears s--t in the woods?I think most journalists today graduated from the same school that Wile E Coyote graduated from,the ACME school of journalism(propaganda).

[Neil]

Journalism schools are fine institutions no doubt, but shouldn’t Mr. Kent be offering some policy initiatives rather that ranting about a perceived bias in media reporting (guess he is following his leader I suppose). I hope his platform is going to be stronger than that and don’t forget, journalists and students of that profession are voters also who may take exception to a bias partisan tag…..

What a laugh. CanWest apologist Peter Kent is now criticizing "the media" for bias. This from a man whose paycheque comes from one of the most biased "news" organizations in Canada. And what, pray tell, would the noble Mr. Kent propose as models of fairness and balance? The National Post? The Vancouver Sun? Global TV? Oh yes, of course, all that unbiased news and commentary on Israel, where the Palestinian perspective on the occuption, to name but one topic, is systematically censored. It boggles the mind that anyone would take this man seriously.

[True North]

Kent is only fooling himself as he imagines his bias was out of view all these (recent) years.

"Fair & Balanced" indeed!

He looks like a Fox/Bill O'Reilly wannabe - trying to bully journailism schools with his half-baked, neo-con, faith-based bias. ("I believe that most Canadian Journalists are small "L" liberals") Beliefs are not facts!

Journaism schools teach how to report FACTS and let viewers decide. Where are Kent's facts? Did he take that class?

Come the election, it will be amusing to see him trying to sell his right wing agenda in Toronto.

I suppose he'll accuse the Toronto School board of liberal bias after voters show him the door.

[Jason]

Kent obviously hasn't read the many credible academic studies of this issue that have been done, particularly in the United States. This is Media 101 stuff in university level courses -- maybe Kent should have gone to j-school?

In the US, this issue of the "liberal media" is even more contentious... and nobody has proven a liberal bias exists. But identifying the problem is difficult. I mean, are newspapers supposed to reflect the views of the people? Well, if the people are left wing, then the newspapers should reflect that....

[T.R.Y.]

So, news anchor Peter Kent is up and running to get elected as a
Conservative Party candidate. On the face of it, Kent has always
seemed balanced and otherwise sane. Who'd have thought he's been
dogged by a career Death Wish? Well, go figure...

I meant his brother, Arthur, once, BTW. What a Dreamboat!...

[JK]

If Peter Kent really understood journalism schools, he'd know that (some of them, at least) accept far too much corporate money to be especially liberal. But I do believe he's right that there's something compatible with the journalist's need to see the many sides of a given story and sympathizing liberal on social issues. That said, most of the journalists I know are as conservative as anyone when else when it comes to e.g. deficit financing and big-L Liberal corruption.

[Dana]

Kent has the same debilitating disorder as all the rest of our current political class.

They don't have much to say that most Canadians are much interested in hearing so rather than examine what they say they attack the airwaves through which what they say travels.

As though a child who has disobeyed insists that the air didn't vibrate properly when daddy said obey.

[David Imrie]

Peter Kent? Bias? Hah! Interesting that after all these years, Kent shows his true colours and perhaps lets the public know what's already obvious. This is the same Peter Kent who, in 1977, chided the CBC and walked away from his anchor position at The National (for one night) in protest of a rendition of "O Canada" at the start of a "Wayne and Shuster" special, claiming it was deliberate Liberal propaganda (it wasn't - it was shortly after the PQ's 1976 Election; its producers wanted to speak for Canada). Kent now joins the likes of his esteemed colleagues such as Bruce Phillips, Tom Gould and others who shed their journalistic "objectivity", jump down from the press box and join the cheerleaders. And why run against one of the best MPs in the house, Dr. Carolyn Bennett?

I agree with the assertion that many j-schools (and other university faculties) outlook tends to be more conservative thanks to government underfunding and the dictated needs of the private sector. Look nor farther than the University of Regina. (I'm an alum - 1998)