With the deeply divided state of American politics, it’s critical to understand the way that news is shared and distributed. Unfortunately, bias in the media can often be difficult to identify, as reporters and journalists strive for impartiality. But a recent admission from a high-ranking CBS insider is raising questions about how much of the news we see is actually distorted.
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In an eye-opening exposé written by Robert Greenwald and published on the Intercept, CBS News executive producer Alan Gold responded to allegations that his network downplayed or ignored important stories of national importance due to ideological favoritism. Gold acknowledged that, even though he personally works hard to keep his coverage unbiased and impartial, he cannot always guarantee that everyone will feel the same way.
Gold also made reference to "text-sentiment analysis" software used by some networks, which evaluates words and expressions used in certain stories for positive or negative slants or associations. This kind of software allows for automated pre-broadcast checks of scripts and storylines for hidden bias, further helping news producers keep their reporting free from political agendas or inaccuracies. However, Gold did note that it isn’t always effective in identifying subtle forms of bias, which may be overlooked by unsuspecting audiences at home.
Gold detailed several key examples of biased coverage in specific stories over the past few years, including how CBS reported on President Trump’s travel ban proposal as well as his controversial executive order concerning transgender military service members. In Gold’s view, these exchanges demonstrated deep distinctions between what was reported versus what really happened according to both first-hand accounts as well as other credible sources outside CBS News itself.
This powerful admission by one executive producer has forced many people across America—and all over the world—to consider how much media bias may have been influencing their decision-making processes all along without them ever knowing it was happening at all. It has also shone a bright light on text sentiment analysis technology being employed by networks such as CBS—a technology that might help protect us from biased reporting but also potentially rob us viewers of full exposure to differing opinions while believing they are getting an accurate representation of reality through our TV sets each night.
The disturbing revelations highlighted in this exposé make it clear that there must be greater transparency when it comes to our sources for news gathering — something only possible with full disclosure about who is behind our information sources and how their messages are being filtered so we can better understand if what we think we know might not be completely true based on hidden factors such as political ideologies — even those held within our own trusted institutions like CBS News itself.