7 ms·

So the large news outlets have better SEO for their articles? I can't say that's very surprising.

malvosenior 7y ago
Google could definitely do something to democratize this valuable real estate, but they don't. The question is: Do they keep their left wing bias active due to political alignment, financial incentives or a mix of both?
- the_trapper 7y ago
  In their defense the vast majority of mainstream media in the United States is left wing biased. Fox news is pretty much the only major right wing counter balance.
  - AlexandrB 7y ago
    Left wing biased by US standards. By the standards of the rest of the world, most US outlets are pretty right wing, especially on foreign policy matters.
  - malvosenior 7y ago
    I totally agree. It just shows that even though Google has the potential to break up the mainstream media's near monopoly on narrative creation, they choose not to do it. The dream of the Internet (for me and many others) was the destruction of mainstream media and the creation of platforms that gave individuals and independents a voice. That does exist and is growing in momentum but it's clear that Google is on the side of the mainstream media and their political counterparts.
  - jerkstate 7y ago
    WSJ is also less of the left-wing persuasion than most other mainstream outlets. I’m not sure if I’d call it right-wing but I think many would.
  - admax88q 7y ago
    It could also be that "left wing" more accurately reflects reality, hence its apparent "bias" in reporting.
  - tracer4201 7y ago
    Supposedly Fox News has the highest viewership by a large margin, at least according to Fox and Friends last week. It doesn’t make sense to me that the liberal outlets are “mainstream” when supposedly no one watches them, according to conservative talking heads. What exactly makes them mainstream then? Hannity was railing on and on last week too about CNN and MSNBC losing their minds because of some Trump story and that it was fake news, but he clarified their ratings are in the can and no one watches them anyway. But then he also calls them mainstream, and you’re here just repeating what he says. How do you have it both ways? If no one watches these other channels and Fox News has all the viewership, then isn’t Fox News the mainstream? Edit: sitting at -5 downvotes now. Would honestly love a response.
  - tssva 7y ago
    Do you have evidence that they are left wing biased or is this just your opinion presented as fact?
- ahoy 7y ago
  The idea that cnn or the washington post are "left wing" outlets is factually wrong.
  - malvosenior 7y ago
    If you're going to state that a widely accepted opinion is "factually wrong" you should probably expand your argument. Why do you think they aren't left wing? They are certainly not pro-Trump for instance.
    - IfOnlyYouKnew 7y ago
      See https://www.adfontesmedia.com https://www.adfontesmedia.com and their methodology section.
      - malvosenior 7y ago
        I really don't think someone's blog is a canonical source on media bias: https://www.adfontesmedia.com/about/ https://www.adfontesmedia.com/about/
        jasonlotito 7y ago
        > Why do you think they aren't left wing? That was your questions. Someone else answered that question as to why. You've simply dismissed this using some baseless criteria: your opinion. Your being disingenuous at best. This is HN, not some random site. Try to do better.
        IfOnlyYouKnew 7y ago
        Oh, so 30 minutes ago and three posts up you thought "Google could definitely do something to democratize this valuable real estate, but they don't." But, suddenly, you realise the importance of large media brands and their reputation?
        malvosenior 7y ago

Google could definitely do something to democratize this valuable real estate, but they don't. The question is: Do they keep their left wing bias active due to political alignment, financial incentives or a mix of both?

the_trapper 7y ago
In their defense the vast majority of mainstream media in the United States is left wing biased. Fox news is pretty much the only major right wing counter balance.
- AlexandrB 7y ago
  Left wing biased by US standards. By the standards of the rest of the world, most US outlets are pretty right wing, especially on foreign policy matters.
- malvosenior 7y ago
  I totally agree. It just shows that even though Google has the potential to break up the mainstream media's near monopoly on narrative creation, they choose not to do it. The dream of the Internet (for me and many others) was the destruction of mainstream media and the creation of platforms that gave individuals and independents a voice. That does exist and is growing in momentum but it's clear that Google is on the side of the mainstream media and their political counterparts.
- jerkstate 7y ago
  WSJ is also less of the left-wing persuasion than most other mainstream outlets. I’m not sure if I’d call it right-wing but I think many would.
- admax88q 7y ago
  It could also be that "left wing" more accurately reflects reality, hence its apparent "bias" in reporting.
- tracer4201 7y ago
  Supposedly Fox News has the highest viewership by a large margin, at least according to Fox and Friends last week. It doesn’t make sense to me that the liberal outlets are “mainstream” when supposedly no one watches them, according to conservative talking heads. What exactly makes them mainstream then? Hannity was railing on and on last week too about CNN and MSNBC losing their minds because of some Trump story and that it was fake news, but he clarified their ratings are in the can and no one watches them anyway. But then he also calls them mainstream, and you’re here just repeating what he says. How do you have it both ways? If no one watches these other channels and Fox News has all the viewership, then isn’t Fox News the mainstream? Edit: sitting at -5 downvotes now. Would honestly love a response.
- tssva 7y ago
  Do you have evidence that they are left wing biased or is this just your opinion presented as fact?
ahoy 7y ago
The idea that cnn or the washington post are "left wing" outlets is factually wrong.
- malvosenior 7y ago
  If you're going to state that a widely accepted opinion is "factually wrong" you should probably expand your argument. Why do you think they aren't left wing? They are certainly not pro-Trump for instance.
  - IfOnlyYouKnew 7y ago
    See https://www.adfontesmedia.com https://www.adfontesmedia.com and their methodology section.
    - malvosenior 7y ago
      I really don't think someone's blog is a canonical source on media bias: https://www.adfontesmedia.com/about/ https://www.adfontesmedia.com/about/
      - jasonlotito 7y ago
        > Why do you think they aren't left wing? That was your questions. Someone else answered that question as to why. You've simply dismissed this using some baseless criteria: your opinion. Your being disingenuous at best. This is HN, not some random site. Try to do better.
      - IfOnlyYouKnew 7y ago
        Oh, so 30 minutes ago and three posts up you thought "Google could definitely do something to democratize this valuable real estate, but they don't." But, suddenly, you realise the importance of large media brands and their reputation?
        malvosenior 7y ago