Bloggers and Bias

Norm Farrell writing on his interesting and enlightening blog Northern Insights said recently

In the non-commercial blog world, many bloggers hear the call, but most are overcome by the demands of maintaining a readable site. Published statistics range all over the map. One ad agency claimed in 2008 that "184 million people had started blogs" but no one seems to have counted the number who stopped. Ephemerality is a condition commonly ascribed to blogs. Rightly so since perhaps 80% of blogs last barely a month.

Bloggers who stay in the game for mere days probably had little to add to public dialogue anyway but successful blogs become demanding and need to be fed often. A writer must have substantial interest in the chosen subject matter along with time to pursue the avocation

Having recognised the growing influence and power of the blog world, business strategists are establishing their own loyalists posing as citizen bloggers. Remember, whatever you read, wherever you read it, including this place, stay sceptical. Little you read comes free of bias.

I cannot help but agree with his statement that "blogs become demanding and need to be fed often". Writing a daily blog can be demanding even if you don't have an audience. I find the writing to be challenging but it gives me an interest and a reason to do some research into areas, I would not have had a chance to explore. I have an interest in the political world but choose not to write about it too much because there are so many other passionate people who I follow that present many of my views.

My friends do not follow politics as they are too involved in the daily excitement of life and life unexpected. Every now and then we talk about the British Columbia or the Federal politic and we agree to disagree on issues and ideas. As my friends get older they are becoming more conservative (fiscal--not social) in their views, while I am becoming more liberal (small l).

Churchill once stated. "If you are not a liberal at the age of 20, Then you have no heart. if you are not a conservative by the age of 40, then you have no brains." I would add to this quote the following: "If you are still a conservative at age 60, you have lost your youth"

The attitudes of my friends are shaped by the Mainstream Media (MSM), and what is frustrating to me is that many of my friends do not see the bias that is in the MSM. When I was a reporter in my University days, I quickly learned that a reporter's job is to present a balanced story. I don't believe this is true anymore. I believe that a reporter is hired by his/her media to present the news that reflects the position of the ownership of the media, in a balanced format. This is different than presenting the information in an unbiased manner. 

The MSM is controlled by a very few number of players and they have either a Liberal, Libertarian or a Conservative agenda. The reporters and editors who work in the MSM present the views of the owners very well. So in order to get the complete picture we have to, I believe read, listen, or watch all of these views. This is hard, time-consuming and may be exhausting, so many of us do not because we are too busy living life and enjoying life unexpected.  So from time to time, we are surprised by events creeping up on us. 

So as you read, listen or watch, I would encourage you to reflect on and think about the biases in what you are seeing, hearing or reading.  I believe we have a responsibility to understand the biases or the agenda of the people we read, watch and listen to for our information. Only when we understand their bias can we make a decision to believe what they are saying.