Chapter 8
1. Journalism scholar Andrew Cline talks about nine structural biases. These, of course, are closely
aligned with the news values and the way journalists do their jobs as discussed in Chapter 3. Split into
2. How forceful are journalists and news outlets at declaring their independence? Working
independently or in small groups, pick a major news outlet. Can you find statements about the
organization’s stance on being objective or independent? These might be on the organization’s website
3. Invite a reporter either via Skype or in person to discuss with the class how he or she works to be
“fair” to all sides when reporting a political issue. Prepare questions based on the chapter. Questions
could include: Are there times when fairness gets in the way of the “truth” and accuracy? Do stories
4. Reflect on the criticism of Edward Snowden for leaking top-secret documents. Compare this with the
criticism leveled at Daniel Ellsberg, the source of the Pentagon Papers, in the early 1970s. Ellsberg and
the Pentagon Papers are the subject of many movies and documentaries. Watch a clip of “The Most
Dangerous Man In America” documentary by First Run Features, starting around the 51:45 mark. While
5. Political bias has been debated ever since printing press started running in the American colonies. In
fact, early newspapers were based on having a political bias. While most news outlets strive for to
present objective versions of events, sometimes even the inclusion of one word can project subtle forms