Biased reporting on the PBS Newshour

I understand that people leaning left or right on the political scale can see bias in reporting and interviewing. I have watched the PBS Newshour on and off for many years and I sense a shift in reporting to the left. For example, following a final report on the unsuccessful impeachment proceedings against the president in late January and February, a PBS Newshour reporter stated that another House Committee would soon launch another inquiry into the president. To which Ms. Woodruff replied forcefully with a smile, "You bet!" This seemed to imply that she wholeheartedly supported yet another attempt oust the president. I thought that was uncalled for and showed extraordinary bias unbecoming a journalist. This is but one example of what I hear regularly on the program. Ms. Woodruff seems to go to great lengths to be harsh and almost uncivil in tone, demeanor and line of questioning of anyone from the Republican side of the political spectrum compared to the softer tone and line of questioning with anyone on the Democratic side and I do not believe I am imagining it. I have seen this in her interviews with the Senator from Wyoming vs. NY's Schumer or Speaker Pelosi. She impatiently interrupts the Republican, not allowing the person to completely answer the question, while letting the Democrat talk on and on without interruption. This results in a different impression of the interviewee, negative as to the Republican and positive for the Democrat. The day to day reporting seems, by implication, to lay the blame for every event at the feet of the current administration, be it a weather event or a racial confrontation or a gun related situation. I get a "gotta" feeling when I watch the Newshour. What I want, and so many other people too, is balanced and fair reporting that the newshour advertises. Reading the CPB viewer comment section, many people do not feel that the PBS Newshour offers balanced, fair reporting. Many Americans do not seem to trust in the news they are receiving from PBS Newshour that is funded, in part, by the taxpayer and viewers. I am one of them. I have found the Wall Street Journal to be far more balanced and educational in the presentation on issues of the day with well written columns and editorials. The news coverage is better too, with reports from many places around the world, rather than touchy feely articles that are weak on information. The WSJ leans conservative, but it provides a forum for differing views, such as a column by Rahm Emanuel on why Biden would be a president for change and Trump is a disrupter, or the column on the background of Harris' mother, a Tamil Brahmin, from a culture that highly values education, who was forced to leave India due to quota systems for employment. This explains why Harris as SF DA prosecuted parents of truant children. She values education too. It's a pity she has been reviled by the black community for this effort. Without an education, there is no hope of becoming a contributing member of our society. What I seek in the news is a variety of opinion and wide range reporting so I can form my own opinions. The PBS Newshour does not measure up and in fact it is a disappointment. Another PBS program, Amanpour and Company is equally disappointing and is even more biased in its presentations. Recently, the program had as guests, the Lt Governor or Michigan (democrat) and the woman who started Republicans against Trump, to discuss the upcoming election in the battleground state. There was no interview with a Republican or a group that is against Biden. There was no balance in the program. Why do you continue to carry such a one-sided excuse for journalism? Ms. Amanpour seems to have abandoned any standards of journalism in her programs and they should be offered as commentary and entertainment. She is reputed to have said, "when you are neutral, you are an accomplice." This should not be the position of a journalist and yet the PBS Newshour program and Amanpour and Company appear to be anything but neutral.

Received: 
California
Workbench Page Type: 
Month and Year: 
October, 2020
Comment: 
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