3 ms·

> About 90% of reporters are left of center How would one even go about defining what center is? And when we say "left of center," how far to the left are we t

> About 90% of reporters are left of center How would one even go about defining what center is? And when we say "left of center," how far to the left are we talking about?

mAEStro-paNDa 7y ago
This is an important point. One could argue, and some have, that the center of US political discourse is actually firmly right of center, especially when compared to European nations for example.
- UncleOxidant 7y ago
  The US has been a right-of-center country since at least Reagan.
- andrekandre 7y ago
  that definitely seems the case to me the other thing is, in the us, people say “left” a lot which they really mean is “liberal” (which itself is a very blunt word to be sure) if put in that context, then saying the media is slanted liberal (market oriented, individualistic, capitalist etc) is probably true (at least from a layman’s eyes) when reframed in that way, there are very few “left” media in the us; it’s either conservative (socially, right-wing) and liberal corporate media
- chrisco255 7y ago
  Obviously "center" is an ephemeral term that oversimplifies a complex spectrum of political positions.
rayiner 7y ago
Left of what is the center in the audience of people they are talking to. About equal numbers of Americans identify as Democrat or Republican: https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx. Meanwhile, self-identified Democrats outnumber Republicans 4:1 among the news media: https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/05/survey-7-percent-of-reporters-identify-as-republican-188053 https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/05/survey-7-percen.... Another analysis: https://www.businessinsider.com/charts-show-the-political-bias-of-each-profession-2014-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/charts-show-the-political-bi.... Reporters and news media are close to entertainment workers in donation patterns. They lean left more than mining and agricultural workers lean right.
- sosborn 7y ago
  > About equal numbers of Americans identify as Democrat or Republican: We say this as though Democrats and Republicans fall neatly on a straight line.

> About 90% of reporters are left of center How would one even go about defining what center is? And when we say "left of center," how far to the left are we talking about?

mAEStro-paNDa 7y ago

This is an important point. One could argue, and some have, that the center of US political discourse is actually firmly right of center, especially when compared to European nations for example.

UncleOxidant 7y ago
The US has been a right-of-center country since at least Reagan.
andrekandre 7y ago
that definitely seems the case to me the other thing is, in the us, people say “left” a lot which they really mean is “liberal” (which itself is a very blunt word to be sure) if put in that context, then saying the media is slanted liberal (market oriented, individualistic, capitalist etc) is probably true (at least from a layman’s eyes) when reframed in that way, there are very few “left” media in the us; it’s either conservative (socially, right-wing) and liberal corporate media
chrisco255 7y ago
Obviously "center" is an ephemeral term that oversimplifies a complex spectrum of political positions.

rayiner 7y ago

Left of what is the center in the audience of people they are talking to. About equal numbers of Americans identify as Democrat or Republican: https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx. Meanwhile, self-identified Democrats outnumber Republicans 4:1 among the news media: https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/05/survey-7-percent-of-reporters-identify-as-republican-188053 https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2014/05/survey-7-percen.... Another analysis: https://www.businessinsider.com/charts-show-the-political-bias-of-each-profession-2014-11 https://www.businessinsider.com/charts-show-the-political-bi.... Reporters and news media are close to entertainment workers in donation patterns. They lean left more than mining and agricultural workers lean right.

sosborn 7y ago
> About equal numbers of Americans identify as Democrat or Republican: We say this as though Democrats and Republicans fall neatly on a straight line.