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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Declining Trust in Media
- Public trust in American media has declined since the 1990s, especially among conservatives.
- This decline is driven by accusations of liberal bias from Republican politicians, making objective assessments difficult.
Measuring Partisan Slant
- The Economist's data team uses a quantitative approach to measure partisan slant in media.
- They analyze congressional speeches to identify partisan terms used exclusively by Democrats or Republicans.
Left-Leaning Media
- Most news outlets, except Fox News, lean left, favoring Democrat language.
- This leftward shift has increased since Donald Trump's presidency.