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Helping Students Identify Media Bias

February 15th, 2022

In an information-saturated world filled with bias, fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, it is crucial to recognize, utilize, and promote quality material. Just as important is teaching those skills to students. They need to be taught how to decipher media bias and become critical analyzers of information. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, bias is defined as “a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others; misinformation is false or inaccurate information mistakenly spread; and disinformation is false information that is deliberately created and spread.”

TOOLS TO IDENTIFY BIAS

News reliability runs on a XY continuum, existing with factors such as factual reporting as well as political bias. Generally speaking, information found from sources closest to the top and in the middle are the most “reliable” sources, while others found on the left and the right and closer to the bottom have an increase to their ‘bias’ or perspective. 

There are many news bias charts available and all can be considered “biased” because of who and how their sources are ranked. One of the most crucial and important steps to detecting bias is to consider the source.  Keep this chart in mind the next time information comes your way.

Both receptive (listening/reading) and expressive (speaking/writing) language skills are used when processing and sharing information. This requires the user to read and process information before they can share it with others, often in a very short period of time. If individuals are not able to process what they read or decipher the purpose of the information, how are they then able to know if that information should be shared with others?

A CASE STUDY

Knowing the source or author and the intent of the information is important in recognizing its purpose. What does the information make you think? Feel? Act? Take for example the news that broke on Saturday, January 29, 2022, around 2:45 p.m. that former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was retiring from football after 22 seasons. ESPN first reported that he was retiring, and other sources picked up that “news” and it spread. ESPN is considered the gold standard for all things sports. Good source, right?  In most cases, yes. However, in this instance, it was not accurate. When asked about the claims, Brady reminded the media the importance of “going directly to the source”—Tom Brady himself—for accurate information. Just two days and several tweets, interviews, and podcasts later, Brady did indeed retire from the NFL.  

STEPS TO TAKE

What does this recent kerfuffle show us about trusting media sources? There are steps that should be taught to students to stop the cycle of misinformation and red flags to alert you to fake news, misinformation, or disinformation.

  1. Talk about “news” that is found on media sites. Who is reporting it? Is it simply a retweet/repost of a previous message? What/who is the message promoting?
  2. Encourage them to stop and think, especially before sharing information. This is especially true of “breaking news.” Do not share what was read with others unless you have checked the information yourself. How does it make you feel? Typically, emotionally charged topics are used as “clickbait” and include very little accurate information.  
  3. Review best practices on how to check the authenticity of a source. Who is reporting the information? Can you find the same information on several sites? Is it a reputable news agency or your friend’s Instagram account? This may require you to search several sources before arriving at the facts.
  4. Have them evaluate what they read. What is the purpose of the information?  Is it meant to inform? Persuade? Who is the intended audience?

Social media sites are typically not known as reliable media outlets. Therefore, be aware of red flags that appear in the headlines or body of the post:

  • emotionally charged topics (politics, religion, race, gender norms, science)
  • excessive (or ill-used?!?) punctuation!!!!
  • errors (in spelling and facts)
  • bold or outrageous claims that promise quick fixes/the easy way out 

Always rely on trusted media and news sites for information. Steer away from social media as a credible source to get your news. 

For more tips, advice and best practices, check out the News Literacy Project and Common Sense Media. The 2022 news media bias chart 9.0 can be found on Ad Fontes Media.

Author

Amy is the librarian at Landmark’s High School campus. She began her career at Landmark in 1996, teaching Literature and Study Skills, one-on-one Language Arts Tutorials, and held the Assistant to the Department Head position in the Reading Department. Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Gordon College, a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Simmons College, and a Master's in Education in Library Media Studies from Salem State University. She is passionate about research and loves helping students explore their love of reading.

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