Entry #3: Slanted Reporting

Slanted reporting occurs all around; from news sources, articles, videos, advertisements, company marketing, campaigns, politics, independent sources such as blogs, etc., and even in the scientific community. The underlining message is that we are not immune. Usually sooner rather than later, most will face the underlying bias that is presented at times, ever so slightly and at other times as bold, unrestricted, plainly-evidenced biased statements.

This slanted reporting can come in many forms: by the use of descriptive words that are otherwise unnecessary, such as "The incredibly important,  field-changing scientific discovery/advancement..." (made-up example). "Incredibly important, field changing" are descriptive opinions that could be debated. Someone could agree that, yes, the scientific discovery is that as described; but just as easily someone could argue that the importance of the discovery is relative and not actually applicable as "changing the scientific field." To be free of slanted biased reporting, the sentences would have to read as, "The scientific discovery/advancement..."; which may not be as attention-grabbing as the previous version and that may be why such descriptive tactics are used.

An example of this is the media coverage regarding recent reports that at times seem to use vastly different descriptive words based on the color of skin of the participants. They downplay the acts of some, and harshly condemn the acts of others, in what appears to be a continuing pattern based on antiquated racial discriminatory divides. The following video is a compilation made by bravenewfilms.org, of news clippings that highlight this issue.

Reporting such as seen in the video, or in my example of the scientific discovery, create associations in the mind that play on the thoughts, ideas, emotions by suggesting what one should react. To the not subjective viewer/reader, their thoughts could be influenced into thinking, "Why yes, this scientific discovery is incredibly important to the field." Or, "Yes, those acts committed by those people are horrific. And the acts (equally or more violent or destructive) committed by this other group are just a little out of control, nothing major. Such things happen. They're just displaying their passion on the topic. It's harmless." Such slanting reminds me of the Watson and Rayner 1920's well-known experiment involving an infant nicknamed Little Albert, where the child was conditioned to fear/create an association of fear for an object he previously had a neutral, if curios perception of ("Little Emotional Albert). He then showed fear of similar objects, that previously also did not enact a fear response. In a similar way, we humans are many times easily influenced by what we're told, what we're made to feel or not feel, and what associations and conclusions we're guided to make. It's one reason marketing and advertising with its slanted reporting is successful; it conditions our way of thinking and responding.

Another way slanted reporting occurs is when information is purposefully withheld, or not focused on as much, to change the perception of the information presented. An example of this is a video I found on the history of Country Music. [The first part of the BBC documentary is shown below]

 It states that the origins are from a "distant time and place", yet it only focuses on the contributions to country music from white Americans and makes it seem as if it was their creation. In the video it is stated that country music's "niche was the white working class." Yet it fails to mention that the origin and creation of country music, country style of clothing, techniques of the ranching livelihood and the country lifestyle were from Mexico. History shows that the first vaqueros, Spanish for cowboys, were Native American, Mexican and African American people hired by Spanish settlers in the southwest of the U.S. and northern Mexico (as is now geographically defined) as early as the 1500's as contractors in cattle and horse ranches (Livingston, "Vaqueros"). It was they, and later, largely and mainly the Mexican people who made, developed and made known, the vaquero/cowboy way of life to what it is now know as (Livingston, "Vaqueros"). Later on, white American's living in nearby areas adapted the Vaquero customs, music, lifestyle, livelihood, and clothing. The following pictures show the similarities in the style of dress used widely to represent American county music and the style of dress of the original Vaqueros, and creators of the image, lifestyle and music.

Gene Autry: A White American cowboy of the 1930's

White American cowboy in 1939

Painting of a Mexican Vaquero around 1830; unknown artist.

19th Century (1800-1900) Mexican Rural Vaquero Guards

Mexican Revolutionary (Emiliano Zapata) who made use of the Vaquero style of dress. He died in 1919.

The video documentary on the history of country music is not complete and therefore slanted in its reporting because it fails to mention where the White American cowboys first observed and later imitated the music, lifestyle, etc from.

All in all, slanted reporting in itself is not necessarily harmful. A descriptive word(s) to describe the "unusually hot weather" instead of reporting the weather as simply, 110 degrees Fahrenheit (example from ENG 102 class), is nothing to think twice about, or shocked at. But slanted reporting can make a source seem not credible and faulty, especially what is meant to be a news source or a documentary; when and if they present what could be described as vastly different discriminatory verbiage, or when they omit information. Unless all news sources, documentaries, advertising, etc change these tactics, the only real solution is to be mindful of what we see, read, and ultimately think.

[Disclaimer: I actually have no affinity for country music, neither the original Mexican "rancheras, norteñas, corridos" or the influenced "American" country music. I actually can't stand most of either. And the style of dressing doesn't appeal much to me either.]

Sources:

"Little Emotional Albert." Edmond Schools. Edmond Public Schools. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://www.edmondschools.net/Portals/3/docs/Terri_McGill/READ-LITTLE ALBERT.pdf>.

Livingston, Phil. "The History of the Vaquero." The History of the Vaquero. American Cowboy. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://www.americancowboy.com/article/history-vaquero>.

"Vaqueros." Bullock Museum: The Story of Texas. Bullock Texas State History Museum. Web. 15 Nov. 2015. <http://www.thestoryoftexas.com/discover/campfire-stories/vaqueros>.

Picture sources:

Gene Autry: www.upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Gene_Autry.JPG
1939 Cowboy: www.archive.sltrib.com/images/2012/0728/lookback_cowboys_072712~4.jpg
1830's Vaquero: http://www.thestoryoftexas.com/upload/images/characters/vaqueros/vaquero-painting.jpg?1432927335
Rural Vaquero Guards: www.lib.utexas.edu/benson/briquet/lgimages/briquet%2023.jpg
Mexican Revolutionary: www.vallartatribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Emiliano-Zapata.jpg