The Media's Diversity Problem

The Public Believes the Media is Biased, Mainly Because ItIs

The recent Rasmussenpoll finding that now 49% of Americans think the mediawill try to help Obama win the election has been noted repeatedlyin the blogosphere.

To add some extra data to back up that finding, here is Fox's latestnational poll on the race.

Headline: Obama 41, McCain 40.

As I read through the poll qustions, I noticed something I don'tusually see: media bias questions. Rasmussen got the ball rollingbut the questions below echo the problem. The MSM is totally in thetank for Obama and (almost) everyone knows it. Even 61% ofDemocrats agree think the media want Obama to win and 31%of Democrats think the media is reporting in Obama's favorrather than being objective. The independent numbers are even moreaware of the deception.

As Instapundit would say: looks like a diversity problem.

Questions below the fold:

25. Which presidential candidate -- BarackObama or John McCain -- do you think most members of the media wantto win the election? (ROTATE)most members of the media want to winthe election? (ROTATE)

OBAMA MCCAIN NEITHER

All Voters 67% 11 11 (+57)

Democrats 61% 14 10 (+47)

Republicans 77% 10 8 4 (+67)

Independents 63% 12 17 9 (+51)

For reference: Which presidential candidate -- Bush or Kerry --do you think most members of the media want to win the election?(ROTATE)

Bush Kerry (Neutral)

7-8 Sep 04 LV 26% 46 10 (+20)

26. Do you think the national press is coveringboth presidential campaigns objectively or is one campaignreceiving more positive coverage than the other?

Objectively Obama McCain

All Voters 36% 46 6 (+40)

Democrats 44% 31 8 (+23)

Republicans 24% 67 2 (+65)

Independents 41% 41 9 (+32)