Rating: 
Summary: Like I did't already know this.
Review: What was outlined in Bias, has been common knowledge for years. Any time one watches the major networks its obvious how the facts are painted, omitted,twisted and just plain lied about.
I think it was well written. I liked the way information was documented. This book gave me facts and didn't once tell what to think about it. Every thinking American should read this book.
Goldberg exposes one of the most insidious threats to American security. "The Mainstream Media".
Rating: 
Summary: More Successful Conservative Marketing
Review: A generation ago, a survey found that slightly more than half the working media in a poll considered themselves "Liberal", and the Conservative media has been shouting about it ever since. Of course, ask every reporter in the biz and you may still find a similar result... but poll editors, owners, board members and the others who call the shots and you would find something very different. If you looked at the top of the media food chain, the bias would be extremely Conservative, and that's where it matters. Think to yourself: When you see a major media figure like Dan Rather or Rupert Murdoch being "interviewed" off the job for perspective on this or that, why are they always in tuxedos at some fancy function? Because this is where these people spend their evenings, among other rich men. Do Peter Jennings and Ted Turner count among their friends dozens of we "average Americans" who work two jobs and live check to check. These are rich men, with rich men's political attitudes. It's true what Goldberg says, that the media bias is shaped by the lifestyles of those who control it. But there are no punk rockers, socialists, people of color or anything else who might have "left" views in ownership of major media today. How many of your lefty friends own a newspaper or a TV network? As Rupert Murdoch (Fox) said when asked if he felt his network was too conservative: "If you don't like it, buy your own network." (paraphrased) Murdoch doesn't deny the rich and conservative control the media - why does Goldberg? Because Conservatives have learned a valuable lesson about marketing. You can take a man who has executed hundreds and call him a "Compassionate Conservative" and have people believe it, or say you are fighting a "War for Freedom" while stripping away civil liberties that have existed for generations. You can also state the "fact of the Liberal Media" over and over again til it too becomes seen as fact. In that sense, Goldberg has an agenda. O'Reilly is another guy you often see using this phrase or a variation on it without supporting it in any real way. We've heard it so many times, although it's never been backed up, many of us believe it. Of course the truth is very different. The US media suffers from a rightward tilt that hurts us all, especially when essays like this rob us of any serious dialogue by nurturing these political mythologies. I'll grant Goldberg some because he correctly states the "Bias" in the media is a simple, organic outcome of the interests of those who run the business - and doesn't promote the idea of conspiracy. But his premise that grassroots activists, non governmental organizations and poor folk hold all the cards and control major newscasters like puppets.... Oh, please! I know in the season of Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings "Fantasy" is popular, but let's not let this get out of hand.
Rating: 
Summary: Goldberg Misses the Point
Review: Like McGowan's recent book on how minorities are reported on in the media, Goldberg misses the point for the biases. Here's the truth that Goldberg and McGowan either don't understand or ignore because it's too hot to handle (and therefore they would never find a major publisher). The media stands for the status quo. The last thing the major media wants is societal instability. Why? Because the huge companies that own the media want you to buy or view all the other TV programs, radio shows, movies, music, books, etc. that they are selling. What happens if there is societal unrest because there is racism, homophobia, sexism, religious animosity, etc? People stop buying their stuff! People stop watching their shows and programs! And then what happens? These huge media conglomerates start losing tons of money! The peaceful status quo has to be maintained in order for this business model to continue. Therefore, the media is "liberal" on social issues in order to keep everyone numb and fuzzy. The last thing the media want is riled-up and angry consumers. Second, the media is "conservative" on business issues. Ever see any positive reports on labor unions, anti-globalization groups or blue-collar workers? No! Why? Because big media is big business. They are not going to report on issues that would hurt themselves and their bottom line. Unlike, Goldberg you can now put one and one together to get at the real reasons big media reports the way it does.
Have a nice day!
Rating:
Summary: A revelation and a truth long, long overdue!
Review: How will the world, the left, the right and even the so-called, but now lost..."true center," respond and react to Bernard Goldberg's book "Bias"?" As with all things," as Mr. Spock would say, "each according to his or her own talents and gifts," or something to that effect I ordered "Bias" at the same time that I ordered John Adams, The No Spin Zone, The Final days and a few other books. When they arrive I place them neatly in order on my shelf and promise that I will get to them promptly. However as my pile of completed books' increases, so does unfortunately, the pile yet to be opened. For personal and obvious reasons, I moved "Bias" up on my list however and after a healthy dose of Bill O'Reilly, I dove into it. I admit that I did so from a conservative perspective. I make no bones about it, I am right of center, at least the real center not Dan Rathers. I had long ago decided that the media was biased and left leaning, Mr. Goldberg has vendicated myself and millions of others. It was one of those just under the surface frustrations that millions of Americans feel, know and are disgusted about. However we never had the forum or the ability to prove or spread the word to others. Well, Mr. Goldberg has beautifully done so with intelligence, reason, flair, insight and simply truth. I could hear the collective sigh of relief from 100 million Americans to find, that someone has express in print what they have known for decades. Mr. Goldberg should be the next Time Magazine man of the year! Not a snowballs change because Time is just as left leaning as Dan Rather but it would be a great edition to collect. I always looked at myself as leaning mostly right but knew I had a moderate eye towards most things. That comes form believing the political spectrum is not a line but a circle, go to far in either direction and you become the other side. I had that inner eye of understanding, compassion and compromise, but that has all changed now in regards to the media. I feel violated by this welcome truth and it will be hard to watch or trust these charlatans ever again in the TV newsrooms, the major magazines and the intertainment industry who are all involved in this deceiption.
I used to believe that I was in the middle and I may actually be there with millions and millions of other Americans. However Dan Rather always made our skin crawl, as did the other major anchormen and anchorwomen on CBS, NBS, ABC and a few other programs. Something did not feel right. We knew we were being pulled in a direction we did not want to go, but it was being secretly and subtly done. We could sometimes find solace in CSPAN and CNN but were still feeling like outsiders looking into someone else manipulative game. Then came FOX News, fair and balanced reporting, hard questions, no spin zones and people who would not bow down and kiss the feet of politicians, special interest icons nor the high powered, self-righteous egotistical hypocrites of organizations who were accustomed to having their every word obsorbed as gospel. It was grand to see them squirm. Fox has consequently become the most watched outlet in America, simply because we see both sides laid open for inspection where we can decide. No blatant or subtle left leaning manipulation by "The Dan, The Tom, or the Peter" anymore. Thank God. As I said I thought I was in the middle, the center, the moderate position before, but after this new revelation and enlightening insight by Mr. Goldberg I realize that Dan Rather's middle is not, in the middle at all. He is, along with his cohorts falsely portraying the radical left as the middle, which pushes the normal compassionate and reasonable right way over into the far extreme right in his opinion, on the irrational progressive left wing politico-meter and thus deviously creates that vast right conspiracy. Filled with people like you and me who are just normal everyday American citizens. An incredible tactic by Dan Rather and gang, but as Mr. Goldberg says, unprofessional, disgraceful and despicable journalism. Thus making those radical fanatics who sit in the center in his world politically correct and makes the real world, which holds most Average Americans wrong. Mr. Golderg has wiped away the clouds of doubt that Dan Rather and his cronies have for decades placed between the truth and their dirtied character, and he has pulled aside the sable curtain of lies to expose the soft vulnerable biased underbellies of the major TV networks. It is all summed up in one sentence in this book. "The sophisticated media elite's don't categorize their beliefs as liberal but as simply the correct way to look at things. They think they're middle of the road-raging moderates-while everyone else (the people who live in the red states that Gerorge W. Bush carried) is on the fringe. It is scary to think that so many important people who bring America the news can be so delusional." America has had an intuition about this for nearly forty years, but never had the facts, the information or the connections to bring it to the surface. I always called it the great liberal hypocrisy in my weekly columns and the arrogance of self-rightious profession of omnipotence by the far left. Mr. Goldberg has done a masterful job of exposing the truth that we have all known and is a hero to many millions of Americans. I hope he has sent a wake up call to many, many on the left to look into the mirror and finally say maybe "we are the guilty ones." Self examination as they have always told us, is good for the soul, maybe they should take their own advise. Great job Mr. Goldberg, "the truth will set you free." Perhaps the most refreshing, interesting and revealing book I will ever read. Finally, someone tells the truth about the media and it's utter disregard for truth, professionalism, honor and balanced reporting.
Rating:
Summary: Subtitle: BLUNT -- no-holds-barred & fact-filled!!!
Review: Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg's BIAS became politicized even before it was out on the market. And it's a shame. This is a WONDERFUL, important, thought-provoking book and a GREAT READ...no matter WHAT your political stance is. Before this book was even in the general public's hands conservative talk-show hosts glorified it while some liberals (and news figures) badmouthed or down played it. But the bottom line is: Goldberg is a gifted writer who writes with incredible bluntness and supports most allegations with specific names, facts and quotations. Goldberg, the modern media's most high-profile whistleblower, became a non-person and was marginalized until he left CBS due to his sin: he wrote a blunt and thoughtful piece in the Wall Street Journal questioning the objectivity of CBS Evening News reporter Eric Engberg's Reality Check segment in which Engberg ridiculed presidential candidate Steve Forbe's flat-tax idea's "Number One Wackiest Flat Tax Promise." There are two levels to this book. One, woven throughout, is the story of how due to his sin the CBS hierarchy, particularly his one-time friend Dan Rather, shunned him, kept him off the air, and was furious at him. He says one CBS bigwig warned him that the corporation would use "all the big guns in its arsenal against him" if he became too sympathetic. Rather was quoted as suggesting Goldberg, who was NOT a Republican, was trying to intimidate him and, Goldberg alleges, took a "take-no-prisoners" behind-the-scenes stance to undermine him. Even media types outside CBS were not happy with him leading him to conclude that media "elites", which want to report on everyone, don't want anyone to report on them. The other level is more important: he gives specifics examples (names, quotes, specific stories) of deeply ingrained media bias. Some key ones:
--A CBS reporter in a conference call labelling former presidential candidate Gary Bauer "that little nut from the Christian Group." And no editors listening objected.
--How a CBS producer didn't want images of black prisoners on a chain gang story since it might make viewers think many prisoners were black (which they were)...and similar problems on showing black looters in the Virgin Islands.
--How news producers generally don't like to feature blacks in news stories since it means lower ratings.
--How homeless activists bloated statistics and downplayed the role of the mentally ill, alcoholic and drug-users among that population. How the homeless story is heavily reported when Republicans are in power, then suddenly dropped once a Demcrat takes office. He makes a persuasive case.
--How the news media went along with early contentions by AIDS activists that the horrorific disease put the entire heterosexual population at risk versus specific segments (homosexuals, drug users and those that have sex with them).
--How the word "controversial" often means the reporter/show does not agree with the person or issue to which it refers.
--How conservatives are labelled as such but liberals aren't.
This book has a wealth of SPECIFIC, FACTUAL information...all peppered with Goldberg's blunt reporting, hilarious zingers (too many to count here!), and searing sarcasm. This should be required reading for anyone who is in or thinking about going into journalism. Ironically, the book's basic set-up is its FLAW. By being so blunt and taking on the issue head-on Goldberg runs the risk (as his appearances on talk shows prove) of being defined by others as being a disgruntled employee and conservative ideologue. He is truly NEITHER: due to his "crime" he ran into a buzz saw of office politics, sometimes subtle corporate retaliation, blatant efforts to discredit him and his motives -- and is clearly angry. But his ALLEGATIONS here are BACKED UP with SPECIFICS. If nothing else, Goldberg shows how news organizations operate from a ground-level assumption -- a conventional political wisdom. ALL news outlets do (take it from a former reporter, like me): CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN and Fox. In staking out his ground here, Goldberg does too. But unlike others Goldberg's message is "let's THINK about this and let's do SOMETHING to apply the same rules to everyone and be MORE objective." For that he became personna non grata in circles he criticizes, a hero to those who hate those circles -- but his message is a solid one and delivered with all the writing skill of a topflight pro.
Rating:
Summary: Right wing propaganda
Review: Disclaimer: I am not a democrat or a republican, as both are pro-corporate parties with no qualitative differences. This book is the reactionary spin on the neoliberal corporate structure of media. If you want more objectivity, more facts, and oodles of accessable references in a book that talks about media bias and conglomeration, I would suggest Global Media by Edward Herman (professor of finance at Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania) and Robert McChesney (professor of journalism and mass communication at the University of Wisconsin - Madison). If reading a biased book about bias is your idea of objectivity, then by all means, buy Mr. Goldberg's book.
Rating:
Summary: THE TRUTH THE LEFT CANT STAND!
Review: To the people that say Rush, and Ollie, and G Gordon Liddy are to the right, well they are! but what they do is considered an op ed type of reporting, not main stream like Rather, jennings, and Brokaw. So if you want the truth that the Left refuses to tell buy this book its an eye opener!
Rating: 
Summary: Another invective....
Review: ....against the liberal "elite" media. But unlike the usual conservative pundits who routinely remind folks of this, Goldberg is an insider -- and a *liberal* one at that. That's what makes his book all the more interesting. Goldberg notes numerous times that Rather, Jennings, et al most likely do not invoke their bias *consciously*; in fact, they, like most limosine big city liberals, simply think that the tilt they give the "news" is correct -- and that folks agree w/them. I am sure many radicals and progressives out there will laugh and state what they always do -- that the big media are owned by corporations, and as such are inherently conservative. Goldberg addresses this too. The evening news doesn't *make* money! The big TV execs essentially don't care about the news' content b/c they'll make their buck elsewhere. And here, Goldberg notes how these superficial "caring folk" do a 180 degree turn in their "news magazine" shows. Here, big bucks *do* rule, and truth suffers as a result. Since white viewers bring in the most $$ from advertising, you'll see stories on "48 Hours" and "20/20" that feature white people -- in what are supposedly "common" circumstances, but in fact are extraordinary. One case in point: the nonsensical heterosexual AIDS "epidemic." Goldberg's story, in many ways, reminds me of Richard Bernstein's in _Dictatorship of Virtue_. Bernstein, another liberal, examined radical multiculturalism and political correctness across the nation...and in many cases he couldn't believe what he saw and heard. The difference here is that Bernstein (luckily, apparently) wasn't ostracized for his views like Goldberg was. Indeed, it seems to be a common theme among the liberal media elite -- tow the party line or become a non-person. Former radical David Horowitz explores this phenomenon in-depth in his autobiographical _Radical Son_ (among other works), and clearly Goldberg has fallen victim to its clutches. Goldberg also states what clear-thinking people already know: that the continuing myopia of Rather and Co. has led to the incredible growth of folks like Rush Limbaugh and other talk radio voices, as well as cable news, Fox News in particular.
His style makes for interesting reading, although at times his use of the first person is a tad annoying, as is his liberal use of italics for re-emphasis. But listening to a whistle-blower is always intriguing, and _Bias_ doesn't disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: The Media and its liberal biases
Review: Ever wonder why neo conservative and conservative thought gets unfairly treated on CBS/NBC/ABC? Read this expose by a former 25 tear vet of CBS with 7 Emmy Awards . By the time you are through with this, you will probably be watching FOX, reading the Wall Street Journal, Commentary and The New Republic and understanding why the media has no respect for views that fo not fit its politically correct view of America and the dangerous world that we live in.
Rating:
Summary: Bias "Proves" What You Thought
Review: There are many times when I watch the news and think that the opinion given is lacking real merit. On many occasions the opinion seems to be slanted, and in some cases the coverage of a story is only done by one news outlet. I am a native of Atlanta, and in our area a cameraman for a local channel paid a group of teenagers to set fire to the confederate flag while he made a some videotape and created a headline about teens in outrage over racist emblem. Two of the news stations announced the fact that the reporter was arrested, but even they only ran the story for two days. With these thoughts in the back of my mind, I picked up a copy of Bernard Goldberg's Bias. I never read this type of literature, but I thought that I would get an insiders view of the national press. Goldberg has won over 4 emmy awards for journalism among countless other journalism awards with 28 years at CBS, and his writing seemed credible enough for me to purchase his ramblings. What Goldberg does is name names. At times he refers to reporters that one may have never heard of or producers that one may not know, but then he relates their stories to and their shows to the significance that they have on the American public. Some reporters are blatantly liberal such as Dan Rather which Goldberg blatantly states has a 100 vice presidents of CBS as his cronies, and then he shows subconscious liberals such as Susan Sirinsky, the producer of 48 Hours, that unwittingly portray the news from a liberal view without intending to do so. According to Goldberg, the president of CBS admits that the news organization is liberal, but he states that he will deny it if he is ever asked by others. While there is nothing earth shattering in the book, it does confirm the notion of many skeptics that the news is jaded, and Goldberg refers to specific names, shows and examples of jaded reporting. At times I caught myself saying "Damn" on a regular basis while reading. Goldberg's work makes great watercooler conversation and is a tribute to the whistleblower in all of us. While his work may not be as important as Sinclair's The Jungle, it does show how wealth and media control the minds of Americans in a Brave New World type manner.
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