Media Biasby Prof Brian Martin

On Tuesday 28 January 2014, The Australian newspaper published a news story by journalist Rick Morton titled “University paid for anti-vaccine student to attend conference.” It provides an illuminating example of how to construct an article that is misleading in several different ways.

Here, I offer a critique of Morton’s story, pointing out a number of its shortcomings and biases. I first give some context about journalistic codes and practices, and my own involvement. After providing some background about the vaccination debate, I go through Morton’s text, presenting information to highlight how it is misleading. In the conclusion, I summarise the types of bias involved and comment on how readily they can be detected.

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Biased reporting: a vaccination case study.

Please note: Blog posts are opinion pieces which represent the views of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the AVN National Committee. The AVN is a forum, support and information organisation and outlet for discussion about the relative benefits and risks of vaccinations in particular – and medical procedures in general. We do not provide medical advice but believe that everyone has the opportunity and the obligation to do their own research before making decisions for their families. The information we provide (including your personal review of the references we cite) should be taken in conjunction with a range of other data, including that obtained from government, your health care provider and/or other medical source material to assist you in developing the knowledge required to make informed health choices.

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4 Comments

  2. This is exactly why I stopped reading anything about vaccination in mainstream media years ago – the bias is blatant and disgraceful. A truly balanced article is rarely published in the paper, yet alone aired on TV or over the radio.

  3. Thank you all for standing for truth. i’m sure you’ve seen this from here in America.>>Sebelius Asks Media to Censor Autism Debate
    Zip lips By Katie Wright

    “There are groups out there that insist that vaccines are responsible for a variety of problems, despite all scientific evidence to the contrary. We (the office of Secretary of Health and Human Services) have reached out to media outlets to try to get them not to give the views of these people equal weight in their reporting.”
    See Reader’s Digest HERE.

    That’s right. Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of HHS, has asked newspapers, magazines, television journalists, who knows who else- specifically NOT to listen to parents and scientists in the autism community, not to respect their concerns, not to take seriously the condition of chronically ill children with autism and to disregard a growing body of evidence questioning the safety of our infant and toddlers’ immunization schedule. If I have got anything wrong I would love to hear a tape or see a transcripts of these media “outreaches.”

    source: http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/03/sebelius-asks-media-to-censor-autism-debate.html

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