Rating: 
Summary: Not a Shadow of a Doubt
Review: When I picked up Bias, I already believed that the network news was neither fair nor balanced, but after even a few short pages I was shocked. Goldberg's evidence is solid. In case after case he reports instances in which a bias is simply undeniable. For a taste of what is covered, Goldberg reports that the number of homeless people has been exaggerated from a factual 300,000-600,000 (measured by the government in the early 80s and 90s) to 3 million (in 1989), 5 million (in 1993) and eventually 19 million (estimated in 2000). In the least the American Public received a number 18 million shy of the truth. Rampant distortion such as this is documented additionally under the topics of aids, gender discrimination, and race discrimination (among others). The book isn't perfect and clearly repeats at times, rehashing the story of Goldberg's Wall Street Journal op-eds and Dan Rather's reactions unapologetically. The repetitions, however, do make a point. The real meat of the story lies in the topical chapters dealing directly with issues (e.g. homelessness). While not all possible topics are extensively discussed (e.g. abortion-related bias receives merely a passing reference), the instances that do get attention leave little room for doubt that the media is indeed biased. Incidentally, conservative bias (in talk radio) is mentioned but not examined. Since this is a book about TV news and his experiences in CBS, that is permissible.
Rating: 
Summary: An aptly titled book
Review: There's a certain poetic justice in Bernhard Godberg's lashing of the liberal national media elites in the same sort of biased and loaded style that he accuses his quarry of using. He makes some good points along the way, but I agree with other reviewers that there is a lot of repetition for such a thin book--and not a lot of documentation. But it's the tone of his rhetoric that really does him in as a source of even remotely objective inforamtion. He repeatedly and gratuitously refers to his ex-boss Dan Rather as "the Dan," an eggshell egomaniac who would rather read a Goldberg-sponsored ad in the NY Times that Rather "wears black stiletto do-me heals and red miniskirts behind the anchor desk" than hear of a bias problem in the media. (P. 29). Just as I know there must be another side of the story when I watch a liberally slanted evening news piece, I feel equally sure of the same thing regarding Golberg's first book, only it's coming from the other side.
Rating: 
Summary: affirming the paranoia of neo-conservative aparatchiks
Review: Since 1992, American neo-conservatives have been fervently pushing an agenda (some might call it wish-fulfillment) of being persecuted by the godless American Left, capital "L." Well, if you fall into the camp of the rabid far-right and seek affirmation of your morally bankrupt fascist world view, by all means pick up a copy. It comes with a free copy Hooked On Phonics, which you'll probably need first.
Rating: 
Summary: Gauging the Accuracy of News Reports
Review: That someone wrote a book about the media's liberal bias is not surprising. That Bernard Goldberg did so is remarkable. Goldberg -- himself a liberal with nearly thirty years of experience at CBS News -- had often voiced his concern about liberal bias to network executives. After _CBS Evening News_ aired a blatantly slanted "Reality Check" report on February 8, 1996, Goldberg decided to take stronger measures. He submitted to the _Wall Street Journal_ an op-ed piece detailing the report's bias. The piece was published five days later. _Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News_ analyzes the bias that has developed in the news over the past several decades. In addition, the book reveals the personality of some media celebrities and executives. It seems impossible to completely extricate "the news" from the people who report it. Goldberg traces the problem of bias in the news back to _60 Minutes_, the pioneer of news magazines. In the early days of television, the networks viewed comedy, drama, and variety shows as their moneymakers. The news, however, was different. Once network executives discovered that even the news could be profitable, news programs began competing for ratings. Rather than simply reporting the news objectively, networks tried to ensure that the news would have entertainment value, that people would like what they saw and would tune in regularly. As Goldberg points out, many journalists selected that career in order to improve the world. Eventually, however, their compassion began to interfere with their objective reporting. They took on the work of activists. In order to motivate people to support causes -- perhaps financially -- they made the people who would benefit from that support look like the prospective donors. Thus, homelessness and AIDS were portrayed as problems of mainstream America. Facts were distorted; numbers were exaggerated. The ratings and the causes are only part of the problem, however. Goldberg is most alarmed that reporters and executives are not even aware of much of the bias in the news. No one at CBS News, for example, had seen any problem with the report that had sparked Goldberg's initial op-ed piece for the _Wall Street Journal_ -- even though a reporter had in the guise of a "Reality Check" ridiculed Presidential candidate Steve Forbes and his flat-tax proposal, using such words as "scheme," "elixir," and "wacky." In network newsrooms the middle of the road between liberals and conservatives is off center. Virtually everyone in the newsroom is a liberal. People are so insulated that they don't even know anyone whose opinions are different from theirs; they genuinely believe they represent the middle of the road. Goldberg cites the example of film critic Pauline Kael, who was astounded when Nixon was elected President in 1972. "I don't know a single person who voted for him!" she said. Yet Nixon carried forty-nine states. Is it healthy for those who report our news to be so out of touch with the populace? Freedom of speech and of the press are among the highest ideals in our democracy. Even Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, valued newspapers (the principal news medium of his day) above government. If we are to be responsible citizens, we must be able to gauge the accuracy of news reports. _Bias_ provides information that will help us to raise necessary questions about the news -- what is reported and what is not -- in order to discern the truth.
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: All I can say about this book is that it's a great must read book. All my friends and I have all ready read it at least twice.
Rating:
Summary: Confirms your worst suspicions
Review: I stopped watching network news three years ago when it became very apparent that the newscasters were trapped in a very liberal democrat, very priviledged world and couldn't see past it. Any newscaster who makes millions of dollars a year, sends his kids to private school, asscociates with no one but celebrities and the wealthy, has nothing in common with mainstream America. Brokaw, Jennings, and the rest are anachronisms. If you want to find out what the main stories on the evening news will be, all you have to do is look at the New York Times front page that morning, and then call up the most liberal political action groups to get the slant on that days stories. That is all the big three do - regurgitate political correctness. Where is the journalism? How do they justify the big bucks they get paid? All of their sources come from groups like NOW - liberal, non-representative groups with few members. It seems to me that the big three do nothing but broadcast press releases from these groups. Goldberg shows how corrupt the networks are. For example, (a fact I noticed) as soon as a republican president gets into office, stories about homelessness rise in the media. As soon as a democrat gets in, those stories disappear. I remember how the NY Times said homelessness was careening out of control just 12 weeks (!) after Bush got into office. And all of the stories about homeless people featured laid off white collar workers instead of the alcoholics, drug addicts, and insane that make up the majority of the homeless. All of this would be laughable if I took it seriously. I don't. I get my news from other sources and leave these anachronistic liberal rich guys to propagandize a shrinking audience.
Rating:
Summary: The truth iz
Review: Now all of you conservative cry babies and media types grab your toilet paper and wipe your eyes and acept the truth..For years the media has been lying, denying, blackballing, misquoting, and misrepresenting the truth from the White house to the outhousees that existed in the Nations Capital along with the colored water faucets for years.Now here come somene with a stellar reputation telling the truth and YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT...Peter Jennings, interviewed me during the march on Washington, in 1960's and when asked what I thought would be the outcome of the march..I said and quote...Nothing if the media has any part in telling the story..Now as an Atty. have had my own battles with the media making efforts to put words in my mouth and then using the black community as its whipping boy..I am well read and will make every effort to enjoy this latest book of FACTS...GET over it..and get raal.
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: I was very disappointed with this book. I'm an avid Rush Limbaugh listener and I have heard him often describe the liberal bias in the media. I looked forward to this book as an insider account of that bias. It turns out that about 1/2 to 2/3's of this book is a rehashing of an op-ed piece that Goldberg submitted to the WSJ. He spends more space in this book telling the reader why he should be considered a hero for all of the perceived damage he received for writing that piece than he does proving his case.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, Gutsy Book By A Real Hero
Review: I imagine it is not easy to write a book, that is not expected to be a bestseller, and to KNOW that you will be attacked and vilified. The most amazing part is that you will be despised by your former friends for telling the truth and trying to help people realize the liberal bent in the news.
The most important thing about the book is that Mr. Goldberg relies on his 30+ years in the media to give some shocking and appalling examples of liberal media bias. It is extensively researched, provides precise examples, charts, and graphs all leading to one inevitable conclusion. Anyone who doesn't believe that should read his section on AIDS and the media and you will be amazed at the lack of so-called Liberal compassion when it came to the diverging viewpoints on aids. The homelessness issue talks about how the media PURPOSELY reported on only white, formerly middle class, clean and sober people who were now homeless. Instead of reporting fairly and accurately that this awful problem has more to do with race and mental stability than people would like to admit. This book will stun people with its facts, figures and examples.
I am a liberal and I absolutely believe Mr. Goldberg and I think he writes a compelling book. Others have reviewed it extensively, so I will not do the same, but I will say that this book needs to be read.
Every American who reads magazines and newspapers, watches television news or reads theirs off the internet MUST read this book to help them gain a little perspective on their news content.
Mr. Goldberg did a courageous thing by writing this easy to read, fun well documented and well written book, the least we can do is read it. Anyone who wants to be part of the well informed populous will read this book. Others can bury their head in the sand and hope this question of bias goes away, but I don't think it will.
Rating:
Summary: We Need Solutions, Not Arguments
Review: Whether you like what Bernard Goldberg says in "Bias" or not, the book is certainly well written. I'm against all the unconstructive comments by the readers. We need solutions, not arguments. As a journalist, I think the suggestion made by a reader that we look into a kind of self-policing honor system, as described in Norman Thomas Remick's "West Point: Character Leadership Education, A Book Developed From The Readings And Writings Of Thomas Jefferson", is certainly well worth looking into.
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