We will touch upon the “Myth of a Liberal Media Bias” frequently on this blog, since it is one of the most powerful lies that conservatives have peddled for three decades. It has drastically shaped how politics is covered in America. Because Republicans have been so successful in convincing a large portion of the public, and the media, to believe there is a Liberal Bias, everyone just takes it for granted that political coverage is tilted to the left. This also affects how the media treats stories. Out of fear of being labeled “biased” by the Right, the vast majority of major media either is afraid of tackling obvious lies and falsehood by Republicans, or worse yet, uses conservative talking points as the basis for their news coverage.
Proving bias one way or another is difficult, but when you are presented with numbers (or as they used to be known, “facts”) that are so glaring, you have to take notice.
Media Matters has, on more than one occasion, documented the extent to which Sunday morning shows rely heavily on Republican guests. Most recently, Roll Call took a crack at it, referencing its own database of lawmakers’ television appearances.
Not surprisingly, Roll Call found, “If you were watching the major Sunday morning talk shows last year, your odds of seeing a Republican Member of Congress in the guest chair were far greater than seeing a Democratic Member of Congress.”
