Take a look at Political Discussion in America.

[Mikey]

What you say is absolutely true, Ian - although I think you have a better opinion of CNN than I do. However, one can't extrapolate the quality of all American media based on the quality of those two particular outlets.

[sunnyside]

At least on the web side of things it seems like CNN and BBC are about the same for article lengths (3 screens for a large/main story, 2 screens for most).

And FOX news was more or less made to be biased. But I think of major outlets they're fairly alone in the strong conservative slant catagory.

[Captain Seafort]

And FOX news was more or less made to be biased. But I think of major outlets they're fairly alone in the strong conservative slant catagory.

That's the problem - FOX is the only truly right-wing source by US standards. The problem is that by the rest of the world's standards the US is an extremely conservative country, with the result that your "centrist" source are similarly conservative.

[sunnyside]

And FOX news was more or less made to be biased. But I think of major outlets they're fairly alone in the strong conservative slant catagory.

That's the problem - FOX is the only truly right-wing source by US standards. The problem is that by the rest of the world's standards the US is an extremely conservative country, with the result that your "centrist" source are similarly conservative.

Well, not by "world" standards. Though compared to other "western" nations we are.

That said proper news should try to keep bias out. If you're watching an opinion piece that's obviously something else.

I mean. Well, here, lets see what's up now.

OK. The Mexican death penalty thing. Plenty of controversy to be had if you wanted to make it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7542794.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/05/scotus.execution/
(CBC doesn't seem to have it. )

Anyway looking at the stories for bias if anything the CNN one takes a jab saying Bush "reluctantly" order the stay of execution (before getting swatted by the surpreme court).

There also doesn't seem to be much in the way of bias in what stories are reported. Which, actually, is rather surprising. For example in CNN I saw they were reporting on Morgan Freeman and his surgery, and I though, ah, I bet BBC has some "harder" news instead.

But no. The story is right there on the main page on the BBCs site.

[Tsukiyumi]

There also doesn't seem to be much in the way of bias in what stories are reported. Which, actually, is rather surprising. For example in CNN I saw they were reporting on Morgan Freeman and his surgery, and I though, ah, I bet BBC has some "harder" news instead.

But no. The story is right there on the main page on the BBCs site.

Hey, man. That is hard news. I want him to come back for the next Batman movie.

[Aaron]

Yes yes. Canada shits sunshine and roses while America sucks at everything. There really isn't any point to arguing this with you in general terms because I'm not going to be able to integrate something and say X="cnn is unbiased"

However I think I made my case that the whole "atheist panel" business isn't grounds for waving the bias stick at them.

Actually do you even watch CNN or any American news outlet? I'm guessing you've heard about Fox news because it shows up in jokes all the time. But are you basing your general position on anything more than your strong belief that Canada is wonderful, Britain is OK, and America is horrible?

Now to be honest I don't watch TV anymore myself. My news is therefore almost entirely from the web (specifically CNN and BBC usually). And it sounds like most accusations of bias are from stuff somebody says on some show that isn't straight up news (I.e. something like hardball).

Are you so blind that you don't realise that us foriegners can recieve your stations? I get CNN, FOX News + the Beeb, CBC and I can get Al-Jezeera if I so choose. But yes, lets not argue. I despise jingoism and can argue about this shite on other forums if I want.

[Aaron]

What you say is absolutely true, Ian - although I think you have a better opinion of CNN than I do. However, one can't extrapolate the quality of all American media based on the quality of those two particular outlets.

I get about ten other US stations, that I've bothered to take note of. And their local/international news is not much better, the Boston one in particular is absolutely pathetic.

[sunnyside]

Are you so blind that you don't realise that us foriegners can recieve your stations? I get CNN, FOX News + the Beeb, CBC and I can get Al-Jezeera if I so choose. But yes, lets not argue. I despise jingoism and can argue about this shite on other forums if I want.

What made you think I was implying you couldn't get US stations in Canada? I asked if you watched them.

While jingoism and bias are out there you seem to have a knack for finding it where it isn't present.

[Mikey]

And FOX news was more or less made to be biased. But I think of major outlets they're fairly alone in the strong conservative slant catagory.

That's the problem - FOX is the only truly right-wing source by US standards. The problem is that by the rest of the world's standards the US is an extremely conservative country, with the result that your "centrist" source are similarly conservative.

So, you're faulting American-produced programming, made primarily for American consumption, for being "zeroed" to an American scale?

[IanKennedy]

And FOX news was more or less made to be biased. But I think of major outlets they're fairly alone in the strong conservative slant catagory.

That's the problem - FOX is the only truly right-wing source by US standards. The problem is that by the rest of the world's standards the US is an extremely conservative country, with the result that your "centrist" source are similarly conservative.

Well, not by "world" standards. Though compared to other "western" nations we are.

That said proper news should try to keep bias out. If you're watching an opinion piece that's obviously something else.

I mean. Well, here, lets see what's up now.

OK. The Mexican death penalty thing. Plenty of controversy to be had if you wanted to make it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7542794.stm
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/05/scotus.execution/
(CBC doesn't seem to have it. )

Anyway looking at the stories for bias if anything the CNN one takes a jab saying Bush "reluctantly" order the stay of execution (before getting swatted by the surpreme court).

There also doesn't seem to be much in the way of bias in what stories are reported. Which, actually, is rather surprising. For example in CNN I saw they were reporting on Morgan Freeman and his surgery, and I though, ah, I bet BBC has some "harder" news instead.

But no. The story is right there on the main page on the BBCs site.

A news channel should not be doing opinion at all. It's fine for it to say that this group think this and these others think that, but the opinion of the channel has no place on a news channel.

[sunnyside]

A news channel should not be doing opinion at all. It's fine for it to say that this group think this and these others think that, but the opinion of the channel has no place on a news channel.

Hmmm I think most channels have something that's moving away from hard news, though I think usually things are obvious when switching to more opinion based. Wasn't there something like STORYFix for the beeb?

Poking around on that it seems like the Canadian news is all owned by the government. Is that right?

I suppose it would be nice to have a pure hard news channel. Though I think the crying bias fad is a bit of a new one.

[Aaron]

Poking around on that it seems like the Canadian news is all owned by the government. Is that right?

I suppose it would be nice to have a pure hard news channel. Though I think the crying bias fad is a bit of a new one.

Not it's not. CBC is a Crown Coporation but the others are privatrely owned.