The Intelligence from The Economist
The Intelligence: is America’s media fair?
Dec 14, 2023
Ainsley Johnston, a data journalist at The Economist, dives into the evolving landscape of American media. He reveals the complexities behind accusations of bias, particularly the leftward shift in language since 2017. Johnston discusses the declining trust in media, especially among conservatives, and The Economist's unique neutral stance. The conversation also touches on Poland's military expansion amid the Ukraine conflict and how a British property show reflects the nation's changing attitudes towards home ownership.
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Quick takeaways
- The public trust in American media has declined, with many supposedly centrist news organizations exhibiting a left-wing slant.
- Poland has increased military spending in response to the war in Ukraine, with widespread support for record levels of military expenditure.
Deep dives
American Media's Partisan Slant
The public trust in American media has significantly declined, particularly among conservatives who accuse non-partisan news sources of liberal bias. The Economist's data team conducted a rigorous analysis to measure the partisan slant of different news organizations. The results showed that many supposedly centrist news organizations exhibit a left-wing slant, with conservative language being more predominant only on Fox News. The disparity has grown since Donald Trump took office, and the number of media sources that cover both sides with balanced language has fallen to zero.
