Survey: Slight discrepancy between percentage of conservatives in media and in general population
posted at 7:13 pm on March 18, 2008 by Allahpundit
Nothing to get excited about. Nothing that can’t be explained away by one of Eric Boehlert’s “the right controls the media” columns at Media Matters. Look forward to that if the result here depresses you:
Only 6 percent of the national press corps describe themselves as “conservative” in a population that includes reporters, editors and producers from major television and radio networks, daily newspapers, news wires and online sources…
In contrast, 36 percent of the overall population generally consider themselves conservative.
There are more conservatives in broadcast than print — 10 percent and 2 percent, respectively. Among online journalists the figure was 8 percent.
The majority of nationally ranked journalists — 53 percent — described themselves as moderate, 24 percent were liberal and 8 percent “very liberal.”
Exit question: Any of our liberal commenters want to challenge Ace’s assertion here that if McCain had dropped the Wright stuff on the media instead of Hillary it would have been greeted with headlines about a RethugliKKKan whispering campaign? I’m in the mood for a fight. Challenge me.
Blowback
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In other news, the world was shocked to learn that it was round.
flipflop on March 18, 2008 at 7:15 PM
and the sun rises in the east, news at 11!!!
Defector01 on March 18, 2008 at 7:18 PM
More breaking news…Water is wet…
doriangrey on March 18, 2008 at 7:18 PM
News Alert: Water is Wet!!!!
Seven Percent Solution on March 18, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Obama lied, voters cried.
Zorro on March 18, 2008 at 7:20 PM
Great minds think alike…….. right…….?
Seven Percent Solution on March 18, 2008 at 7:21 PM
I love it when you talk like that…
Jaibones on March 18, 2008 at 7:21 PM
Depressing: 64% of the population doesn’t understand that the greatness of our country came from limited government, free markets, personal responsibility and everything that goes with that.
Sigh.
DavidM on March 18, 2008 at 7:21 PM
Has anyone noted that water is wet yet?
doubleplusundead on March 18, 2008 at 7:21 PM
I have to say AP, you are on quite a legendary roll today. Picking fights, calling Obama an outright fraud, fortifying apartments… it’s a banner day! Well-done, sir.
Wineaholic on March 18, 2008 at 7:22 PM
53 percent consider themselves… moderate.
Multiple painstaking layers of editorial fact-checking. Gives me a thrill up my leg…
Mark V. on March 18, 2008 at 7:23 PM
Exit question 2: Why? What conditions or climate exists in Western universities & campii (?) that attract and/or produce such a large army of dissonant, utopian word smiths?
locomotivebreath1901 on March 18, 2008 at 7:24 PM
“Moderate” as compared to whom?
SouthernGent on March 18, 2008 at 7:24 PM
But don’t worry, I’m sure their coverage isn’t affected in any way by their personal opinions.
Right?
Right?
cs89 on March 18, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Newsflash! Posters at Hotair are sarcastic!
Wyrd on March 18, 2008 at 7:25 PM
Go get ‘em Allah!!
omnipotent on March 18, 2008 at 7:27 PM
The New York Times no doubt would describe itself as moderate.
aunursa on March 18, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Was this a poll taken at a Liberal cocktail party!
And third News Flash: Water is Wet,and Slippery when Wet!
canopfor on March 18, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Castro.
spmat on March 18, 2008 at 7:29 PM
What’s worse is that includes the ones who call themselves conservative, but have no idea that those concepts are associated with the label.
AUINSC on March 18, 2008 at 7:30 PM
The majority of nationally ranked journalists — 53 percent — described themselves as moderate
Lying liars telling lies.
24 percent were liberal and 8 percent “very liberal.”
So 32% admit to being libs, I wonder what the REAL number is?
Tony737 on March 18, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Newsflash! Posters at Hotair are sarcastic! – Wyrd
hehe
Newsflash! Men like women with big boobs!
Tony737 on March 18, 2008 at 7:32 PM
We need the fairness doctrine!
Those damn moderates are taking over.
Speakup on March 18, 2008 at 7:32 PM
I think an attempt to infer one’s liberalism from their disagreement on an issue shows laziness on our part, AP. It would have been much better to phrase the question as follows: Any filthy, black racist, America hating bastards want to challenge… ?
freevillage on March 18, 2008 at 7:32 PM
our=your
freevillage on March 18, 2008 at 7:33 PM
Unfortunately, this includes the Republican leadership!
roosterman on March 18, 2008 at 7:33 PM
This…this is inconceivable. Next thing you know they’re going to tell us that most actors aren’t conservative or that most prison inmates aren’t conservative. It boggles the mind that those who gravitate towards such incredibly logic-oriented professions are often liberal.
Grayson on March 18, 2008 at 7:35 PM
You get the Government YOU deserve…I love reminding Pseudo Conservatives who have now found themselves saddled with McCain… If Issues count to Conservatives then how did we get here? I want ONE honest answer from someone who is honest about what they believe to be right and just? Does John McCain stand for what You Believe in and if not, as I’ve heard it said over and over on this board, why would you Vote for Him? The posts on Michelles board has significantly decreased since McCain won the Nomination by default.. This is a very small cross section of who will and will not vote Republican come Election day 2008.. and it is dwindling as fast as those who will pull the lever for the Liberal who we would call our Leader..The Liberal with an R in front of his Name. Sloppy seconds never much appealed to Real Conservatives. Maybe that “fire in John’s belly” will rouse the base… Again… YOU get the Government YOU deserve.. :)
LibsREvilDoers on March 18, 2008 at 7:36 PM
Times reporters and editors constituted the entire 8% that self-identified as conservative.
Jaibones on March 18, 2008 at 7:36 PM
There, fixed it for you.
Annoying Old Guy on March 18, 2008 at 7:36 PM
There are actually 6% that are conservative? Where are they?
thatcher on March 18, 2008 at 7:37 PM
Yeah right. 100% of the 53% are in serious denial.
infidel4life on March 18, 2008 at 7:38 PM
But then we also have to remember that idiots like Chris Matthews consider themselves to be conservative so they probably skewed the numbers so they aren’t as bad as they should be.
Benaiah on March 18, 2008 at 7:38 PM
“I am in the mood for a fight.”
Are you Irish by any chance ?
SIJ6141 on March 18, 2008 at 7:39 PM
I figure about 94%. In the media a moderate is just a lib without any backbone.
conservnut on March 18, 2008 at 7:39 PM
fresh fileted sturgeon on a platter Allah
windansea on March 18, 2008 at 7:40 PM
We always have an uphill battle, thats a given!
The Main Stream Media Bias stinks!
Chakra Hammer on March 18, 2008 at 7:41 PM
So, you concede defeat. Discretion really is often the better part of valor. Well done, sir!
Bugler on March 18, 2008 at 7:42 PM
As a former college employee, the REAL reason there are so few conservatives in the academy is because the liberals and Marxists who run them refuse to consider anyone who even knows the definition of conservatism, much less claims to be one. Believe me, I know… I’ve seen it up close and have been made privy to the conversations they have behind closed doors. “I can’t hire a bigot” is a commonly heard statement at almost every college in the nation. They prefer people who admire Ward Churchill and Noam Chomsky.
As for the media… same thing. Libs hire libs, conservatives hire the most qualified, period.
Gartrip on March 18, 2008 at 7:43 PM
Yea right! thats moderate by what standards?
Moderate compared to who?
Michael Moore? Jeremiah Wright? Malcolm X?
LMAO!
Chakra Hammer on March 18, 2008 at 7:44 PM
And bears…well, you know…
I was one before I was laid off from my job as a reporter. We had another one who sat next to me.
ScoopPC11 on March 18, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Texas didn’t get a choice, so I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve been against McCain since I’ve been eligible to vote, but here we are, stuck with nothing but three horrible choices. I don’t know how I deserve this.
Back on topic… does this mean that no one in the media described him/herself as very conservative?
Esthier on March 18, 2008 at 7:46 PM
This number means nothing when it’s a self-description from people who view themselves as the center of the universe.
What you need to ask is how many of journalists have ever voted for a Republican Presidential candidate. That’s around 2%, which makes the media more than TEN TIMES AS LIBERAL as the average American.
logis on March 18, 2008 at 7:48 PM
Freevillage:
then:
now:
windansea on March 18, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Sure, I do. :)
freevillage on March 18, 2008 at 7:51 PM
And libertarians in the media?
Neal Boortz, Tammy Bruce, Larry Elder, John Fund, Dennis Miller, Stossell, do they just get lumped into the “Conservative” column?
Such surveys are meaningless, if they’re just limited to the tired old liberal vs. conservative spectrum.
ericdondero on March 18, 2008 at 7:51 PM
2% of print media consider themselves conservative! c’mon, I mean I new it was a small percentage but that is crazy. Even if the libs applied Affirmative Action for conservative journalists, it would have to be higher percentage than that. Two words are starting to rear their heads here: conspiracy and collusion.
Mallard T. Drake on March 18, 2008 at 7:53 PM
2%?
That seems awful high…
DfDeportation on March 18, 2008 at 8:09 PM
NEWSFLASH!: The government hates black people, we deserved 9/11, and the government knew the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor.
Whew….Sorry, got overcome with The Spirit and had to start sharing the Gospel.
its vintage duh on March 18, 2008 at 8:21 PM
Easy, they cover SPORTS!
Would be even more interesting to get the stats on EDITORS… you know, the ones who actualy control story content?
Romeo13 on March 18, 2008 at 8:57 PM
There are actually 6% that are conservative? Where are they?
thatcher on March 18, 2008 at 7:37 PM
They certainly are NOT on myfoxla….
DfDeportation on March 18, 2008 at 9:12 PM
There’s probably more than 6% (which probably is just all the employees of the National Review and the Stars and Stripes), the rest can’t admit it because they want to keep a job.
Hog Wild on March 18, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Yes, but these stats explain why journalists can’t predict voting patterns if we stand there and tell them, “I’m voting for W.” “I’m voting for W.” “I’m voting for W.”
Really, they all hear, “I’m voting for Kerry.”
Meryl Yourish on March 18, 2008 at 9:41 PM
Liberals are like fish swimming in the ocean everyday without ever knowing they are all wet.
RadioRadio on March 18, 2008 at 9:55 PM
WHAT THEY DIDN’T TELL YOU IS THAT 6% ARE ALL TROTSKYITES.
reliapundit on March 18, 2008 at 10:04 PM
There’s something to be said for that. Sports are inherently a meritocracy. Failures are not rewarded (except in the drafts) and winners are rewarded handsomely. One is loyal to one’s home team because, well, just because. And the people who can’t or won’t succeed by the rules are sent away to Professional Wrestling.
njcommuter on March 18, 2008 at 10:05 PM
The thing of it is, in their minds, they are moderate. Their way of thinking is just the way ‘normal’ people are supposed to think. That’s how they can get away with thinking anyone to the right of Linc Chafee is a reich wing rethuglikkkan nazi.
bikermailman on March 18, 2008 at 10:33 PM
My tag line. “tact is for people who arent witty enough to be sarcastic”
Not like I picked this name on a whim…
CaptainObvious on March 19, 2008 at 12:44 AM
Let’s place the blame where it should lie: the public who willingly and without protest consumes the outrageous propaganda peddled as “news” by leftwing “journalists”. If the public wasn’t happy with the propaganda, the MSM would be out of business tomorrow.
Halley on March 19, 2008 at 1:13 AM
It is called a liberal arts education.
Johan Klaus on March 19, 2008 at 2:36 AM
freevillage on March 18, 2008 at 7:32 PM
Liberals always have got to throw race into every issue.
Johan Klaus on March 19, 2008 at 2:42 AM
Yes Johan.. McCain is notorious for it .. He and his best bud.. Lindsay Graham have a fond nickname for us Conservatives.. If I recall, its “Bigots” He loves to pull that one out when he doesnt want to address ILLEGAL activity coming from South of the Border and He no doubt will feel equally comfortable using it should the “Right” dare to question Obama or His “Reverand” ties. Im waiting for the Press to corner Him on this.. they want the Mavericks’ “seal of approval” for the leftists recent spat of Bigotry… You watch it.. McCain never fails to comply with them.. That is His Moral High Ground.. that and his John Kerry Heroe status he likes to use as well.
LibsREvilDoers on March 19, 2008 at 9:22 AM
CONSERVATIVES? We ain’t got no CONSERVATIVES… We don’t need no STINKIN’ CONSERVATIVES….
pueblo1032 on March 19, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Try winning without them…:)
LibsREvilDoers on March 19, 2008 at 11:54 AM