A Balanced Take

  On Tuesday November 2nd, residents of Virginia will vote for a new governor. The candidates, Democrat (and governor from 2014-2018) Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin, could not be more different. Polls are showing that it's a close race, and it's expected to serve as a referendum on President Biden's performance thus far. Skews toward the right: Breitbart: Joe Biden Campaigning for Terry McAuliffe After He Called President ‘Unpopular’ in Virginia This headline takes an antagonistic approach to the topic, highlighting the irony of the President campaigning for McAuliffe after the candidate called Biden “unpopular” in Virginia earlier this month. The article uses carefully chosen language to paint an unpromising picture of the situation, mentioning that “McAuliffe continues struggling in the race as Biden’s approval ratings have cratered.” It states that the campaign is trying to “limp across the finish line” by bringing President Obama, Stacey Abrams, and Vice ...

  On Monday, it was announced that four-star general and former secretary of state Colin Powell died at age 84 due to complications from COVID-19. He was fully vaccinated. Here is how a selection of media outlets covered his death. Tends to skew right: Fox News: Remembering Colin Powell upon his death: Former President Bush calls him 'a great public servant' This headline is interesting in that it informs the reader that Colin Powell has died, but uses a comment from former President Bush to characterize Powell rather than simply stating that he was a general or former secretary of state. As two significant figures of the Republican party, putting Bush’s name in the headline with Powell’s was likely done on purpose to attract more readers. The article itself opens with President Bush’s quote that Powell was a highly respected man, using the credibility of Bush to vouch for the credibility of Powell. The author describes Powell as a “trailblazer” and includes statements of memor...

  Last week, former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to a Congressional subcommittee that the company knows how to make its platform safer and prevent the spread of misinformation, but has decided not to in order to boost its profit margins. Here are the takes of various media outlets on the situation: Tends to skew right: Fox News: Whistleblower says Facebook is a US 'national security issue' This article focuses on the reported threat to America’s security that Facebook poses, which caters to the priorities to right-wing readers by centering the United States’ and its citizens' interests. The statements made by the Facebook whistleblower to Congress are featured predominantly through the article, with her claims of Iran’s espionage and Facebook’s “understaffing of the counter-espionage information operations and counterterrorism teams” mentioned early on. It notes the “rare bipartisan fashion” of the hearings and the desire of both parties to r...

  Last week, Congress passed a bill to temporarily fund the federal government through December 3rd, averting an imminent shutdown. Here is an analysis of how a variety of media sources covered the story.  Tends to skew right: Breitbart: House Passes Funding Bill to Avert Government Shutdown This headline is very to-the-point, with no noticeable bias in its language. However, the article uses a photo of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi looking stern, which seems picked to display her in an unflattering light. The article itself features accurate details about the bill, such as that it passed with 254 votes in favor and 175 votes against and that it will fund the federal government through December 3rd. The author mentions that “Senate Republicans continue to fight against raising the debt ceiling while Democrats want to spend $3.5 trillion on a reconciliation bill that has little to do with infrastructure,” a statement that mixes facts with significant bias. It tries to pass ...