<snip> As noted here, I think US national media is pretty much middle of the road, except on social issues. If it has a bias, it may be that it does not often present things in a greater international perspective, which makes it more conservative. Some of that is understandable: we are a large country with only two borders, and tend to look inward as much as outward. And media often cover the horse race rather than the issue. But my experience with reporters and media both local and national, doing a couple of interviews a month in my past life, showed me that they may have a bias towards reporting conflicting opinions or towards the underdog, but in general try to get it right.
But you may also still be in a smoke filled house. We are a center-right, conservative nation where money is key in politics. Consider current US positions on climate treaty, international law and agreements, Guantanamo, healthcare, etc., issues already resolved in countries similar to ours. We have been the sole, dissenting vote on many international decisions, not as bad as the Soviet Union used to be in the 50s, but still pretty noticeable. I remember speaking with a conservative politician from England or Holland, who told me that he would probably be considered left-wing here. Down the middle reporting, if that is possible, can seem leftish to us. I think our media is biased towards a pretty liberal (in the old sense of the word) center, geared towards a socially progressive, generally fiscally conservative audience?
Years ago the media noted daily the toll of days our people had been held hostage in Iran, their jailing in violation of fundamental principles of law. If the media repeatedly noted the tally of days prisoners were kept without trial, charge or lawyers in GTMO, in violation of fundamental principles of law, they could be called leftish, though I would call them patriotic.
(edited for length-sorry)
What laws cover the incarceration of enemy combatants captured on the battlefield in time of war while the war is ongoing? I think you may have confused US civilian law with the Geneva Convention.
One of the topics you included in the laundry list is the US position on the climate change treaty. This is an excellent example of selective news reporting. The Trillion or so dollars it will cost the world to implement the climate accord policies are said by experts to hopefully produce a reduction of warming of about one tenth of one degree by 2100. What's wrong with this picture? Also, with or without that expenditure of cash, the globe will STILL not be as warm as it was during this interglacial's climate peak or at the peak warmth of any interglacial over the last half million years.
This should tell you a couple very important facts about the reporting on this topic: 1. The relative coolness of our current climate is COMPLETELY AND ENTIRELY UN-reported. 2. The NATURAL warming of the relatively recent geological global climate was greater than the ANTHROPOGENIC PLUS NATURAL warming of today. IF this is not readily apparent to everyone, THEN the reporting is biased and probably intentionally so.
A robust debate should progress in our society and that debate should be reported by the media. However, that debate is being CONDUCTED BETWEEN the biased media organizations.
The result is that Candy Crowley assists Barrack Obama in a debate, Anderson Cooper rolls his eyes during an interview he is conducting as a hostile interrogator and Martha Raddatz is on the verge of tears reporting that Donald Trump won the election.
If these are not examples of a ridiculous extreme of Liberal Leaning bias in the CNN crew, you will need to explain to me what bias is. The FOX crew is also biased, but not invested so emotionally as the Liberal debating opponents at CNN.
In Indianapolis where I watch local news, the lean is pretty much non-existent. Our mayor is Democrat and our Governor is Republican. I happen to have voted for both, but the reporting would not betray their party affiliation. That is ignored.
The first 15 minutes or so of every local news cast is murders, rapes, assaults, fires and traffic accidents. If it bleeds, it leads.
As a top 20 market, the production values are pretty good. The on air talent are professional, polished and slick. When the President or Vice President visits and is covered, the coverage is a news report. He went here, he said this, he left on an airplane. No value judgements, no framing of message with biased edits. News reporting.
Andre Carson is my Congressman. When his comments are aired, his comments are aired. Same with Todd Young and Joe Donnelly. Party affiliation is rarely reported. Only if it's essential to the story.
THIS is reporting.
Our national media is cheerleading.