As important as it is for kids and teens to pay attention to the news, it is even more important that they learn how to differentiate between biased and unbiased news. This is a crucial step on the path to critical thinking. In fact, noticing news bias is easier than you may think it is.
Consider Viewpoint Representation
When reading a news article or watching televised or streaming newscasts, consider what viewpoints are being represented and what viewpoints are being left out. When only one way of thinking is being represented, you can be assured that there will be some bias at play, even if it is not immediately noticeable.
Sweeping Generalizations
When a newscast or article makes a sweeping generalization, the people behind it are attempting to sway public opinion by preying upon people’s preconceived notions. Anecdotes masquerading as facts are an easy and effective way to get people to think what you want them to think. This is something that newsreaders should be on the lookout for.
Framing And Wording
Another way that pundit news sources try and influence opinion is to frame the facts or word them in such a way that a certain viewpoint is portrayed in a favorable light. Statistics is another tool that pundits use to commit news bias and is one of the more difficult things to argue against because so many people take stats at face value.
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