Conservatives have long accused traditional media outlets of having a liberal bias. Are they correct? If so, to what degree?

Question

Conservatives have long accused traditional media outlets of having a liberal bias. Are they correct? If so, to what degree? Regardless of whether this particular accusation is correct, what other kinds of bias might affect the reporting of prominent journalists? To the extent that the press exhibits political bias, what factors might cause this bias?

Answer 1

Let's start with whether or not the mainstream media has a conservative bias. There have been studies that show a majority of journalists identify as liberal but there is less reliable evidence that stories themselves contain a liberal bias.

Journalists are obviously not supposed to let any bias play a role in their reporting, but bias can always infiltrate reporting -- in a small way, or a significant way. Passion can play a role. For example, if you are reporting on the coronavirus, and you know someone personally who is struggling from the virus, your reporting may have a slant to it.