Media Analysis

To demonstrate your critical reading skills and to practice evaluating texts, use this worksheet to find and analyze media
sources on the same issue along the journalism continuum. (See Think Like a Writer - Chapter Three: Critical Thinking.)

Step One: Read Along the Continuum

Fact-Based Journalism
According to Dr. Grover, fact-based journalism articles simply report the facts: “They don’t comment on or interpret the
facts, and they endeavor not to spin the reader’s perception of events through their choice of words or tone.”

Find and read three breaking news or basic reporting articles focused on the same issue or news event from news outlets
across the ideological spectrum. For example, you might pull one news article from a more conservative source like Fox
News, another news article on the same issue from a more liberal outlet like The Washington Post, and a third article from a
news outlet more in the middle of the spectrum like The Wall Street Journal or USA Today.

Opinion-Based Journalism
According to Dr. Grover, opinion-based journalism pieces are “inherently biased” because they make an explicit argument.
Instead of evaluating an argument based on bias, “we examine the quality of its reasoning. We ask how well the evidence
proves the claims, we look for logical fallacies, and we examine the assumptions it makes.”

Find and read three opinion pieces or editorials on the same issue or news event you read about in the fact-based journalism
category above. Again, read pieces from across the ideological spectrum.

If you’re unsure where different news organizations may fall along the ideological spectrum, this graphic on the following
page may help. It places different news outlets along the spectrum from left to right based on the political views of their
readers.
Fact-Based Journalism
Source Facts Inferences Judgments Reaction
Title: “Biden aides find WASHINGTON — - Carol E. Lee as a - Carol E. Lee - This has raised a lot of
second batch of classified Aides to President Joe reporter believes believes that questions from people as
documents at new Biden have discovered that Biden take somebody like to whether Biden would
location” at least one additional takes classified Biden will speak really cooperate with the
Author: Carol E. Lee batch of classified documents on this very soon justice department
Media Outlet: CBS NEWS documents in a seriously, and with because people review.
https:// location separate from the believe that know him that he
www.nbcnews.com/ the Washington office Biden will takes these
politics/white-house/ he used after leaving cooperate fully with classified
biden-aides-find-second- the Obama the justice documents very
batch-classified- administration, department review. seriously and will
documents-new-location- according to a person address the issue
rcna65371 familiar with the with full
/ matter. cooperation from
the justice
Since November, after department
the discovery of review.
documents with
classified markings in
his former office,
Biden aides have been
searching for any
additional classified
materials that might be
in other locations he
used, said the source,
who spoke on the
condition of anonymity
to provide details
about the ongoing
inquiry.

The White House did

not reply to a request
for comment. The
Justice Department
had no comment.

The initial discovery of

classified documents in
an office used by Biden
(Source: https://adfontesmedia.com/static-mbc/?utm_source=HomePage_StaticMBC_Image&utm_medium=OnWebSite_Link )

Step Two: Analyze Texts Along the Continuum

Use the following table to record your analysis of each article. In the first column, provide a full citation for each source: title,
author, media outlet, and URL. In the next three columns, list the facts, inferences, and/or judgments you find in each article.
In the final column, record your own reaction to the article.

Step Three: Reflect on Your Reading Practice

Please write one well-developed paragraph answering the following questions:
● What have you learned about the differences between fact-based journalism and opinion-based journalism?
From a Fact-Based reporting, it depends more on cold-eyed, punctual, and very much incisive because of the fact that
it is manipulated, but rather presented in its original context giving the node for people to their own conclusions.
Without any doubt, all journalist must adhere to the very core standard in order to verify the facts and present a very
exact information or news. Where else, with opinion base, journalism is quite about the presentation and
argumentation of confirmed media outlet’s perspective on a said matter. Nevertheless, journalism of today is quite
about opinion-based rather than fact-based. There has been a quite some development in the area of judging
information or news over the years. This time, it more founded on the originality of the information or news because
of the pressure from the media outlets. The media’s highest preferences is quite more based for the source of
information or news which is normally because of pressure from the media.
● How can this understanding help you become a more critical thinker?
After thoroughly reading quite a lot on this assignment, I have realized there is the need for me to be extra careful
when dealing with sources from information or news. I think for me to develop and become a great critical thinker I
will have to begin using sources that are specifically based on genuine facts to help me apply wisdom and knowledge
when making certain decisions in life.
● In what way did your own bias influence your response to each article?
From fact-based journalism, I need to be sure I am being neutral as much as possible to avoid being bias or unfair, but
from an opinion-based journalism, I need to become overly crucial and accorded myself to be dragged in by my own
biasness. It very critical to acknowledge the fact that how crucial our bias is when jumping into conclusion.