Lead Story and Priority of Political News
On March 15, 2023, Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News, the focus was on the rise of gas prices, and their analyst examined American household budgets as the top story. Political news received more attention than other content, but moderation was a notable exception. Carlson, talking about the administration of the Democrats on energy strategies and the reaction of the Republicans, was a part of that report (OmniMedia). Conversely, on Rachel Maddow’s show, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC, which aired at 9:00 p.m. EST, the top headline focused on the ongoing probe into suspicions of Russia’s meddling with the United States Polls (MSNBC). It prioritized politics in the news, as it housed extensive investigations, even of the casual congressional hearings, and how they affected national security.
Similarities and Differences in Story Nature
Despite the difference in their types of focus on communication, both programs have similarities in their storytelling approach. They both focused on the importance of the particular topics, presenting detailed descriptions and bringing empirical views on matters. Carlson and Maddow also used various exhibits, like charts and graphs, to increase the viewer’s awareness. Although similar in coverage, disparities were observed in how they presented things. Carlson’s, to a large extent, focused on the criticism of the efficiency of the governmental policies; specifically, those policies were focused on the economic issues that may negatively affect ordinary people (OmniMedia). Maddow, however, appeared to move beyond this superficiality, exploring political intricacies in detail and providing historical context and sensible consequences of polarization on the democratic governance of the United States (MSNBC).
Relevance to Media Literacy
The noticeable biases in the coverage align with the media style characterized in the course text, in which media continuously looks to fit its audience’s expectations (Baran and Davis). Sensationalism and biased frames were seen in both broadcasts; hence, we should not just trust what we see in the media and be careful with our reviews of the facts. By noticing these patterns, consumers could become more discerning viewers of any news offers and remain inoculated against the risk of being misinformed or falling into the hands of propaganda merchants.
Political Bias
Tucker Carlson Tonight portrayed bias as shown by a conservative view, with the tendency to support Republican policies and positions and to critique the Democratic government (OmniMedia). In a similar vein, Rachel Maddow tends to have a liberal bias, and on most of the issues, she is quite critical of what Republicans do and holds them accountable for their wrong actions (MSNBC). These racial biases came across even in the language used, the guests invited, and how news stories were framed, which molded the public’s perception of political events and issues.
Impact on Viewers, Thinkers, and Voters
The potentially biased nature of media news content can have a massive impact on the target audience, which consists of television viewers, thinkers, and voters. As audiences, many may find their beliefs reinforced or polarized, leading us to miss diverse perspectives because we may be protecting what we believe to be true. In the meantime, critical thoughts occupy the central spot and help determine the truth and uncover hidden agendas by distinguishing facts from conclusions drawn from news remarks. Moreover, biases can prejudice and penetrate voters’ views, which may affect the upcoming election results. It brings media literacy and the audience’s scrutinizing attitude to the fore, which is the key to avoiding repeating such biological accidents in the future.
Accessing the Broadcasts
As for this assignment, I chose Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News and Rachel Maddow’s show or The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC from the network websites. It was such an advantage that these online platforms served as the raw materials that provided easy access to the episodes, allowing me to watch them and fulfill the assignment criterion.
Work Cited
Omnimedia. “Tucker Carlson Tonight – March 15 2023 – Fox News – Video Dailymotion.” Dailymotion, 16 Mar. 2023, www.dailymotion.com/video/x8j58qi. Accessed March 19. 2024.
MSNBC. “Watch the Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Highlights: March 18.” Www.youtube.com, 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCd-lyzpu24 . Accessed March 19. 2024.
Baran, Stanley, and Dennis Davis. INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL for MASS COMMUNICATION THEORY: Foundations, Ferment, and Future Sixth Edition. 2012
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