News coverage refers to the reporting of events and issues in newspapers, magazines, news broadcasts, news blogs, and other media. A variety of sources produce news, including government agencies, corporations, and individual journalists. Regardless of their source, it is important to realize that the people who present news may have ulterior motives. This can cause them to skew their news coverage in favor of their own beliefs and agendas.
Often, the goal of a journalist is to present the news in an unbiased way. However, the men and women who present news are humans and they can be influenced by anger, jealousy, anxiety, ambition, or impatience. Additionally, they work in complex organizations that sometimes have competing goals and needs. As a result, it is impossible to present news in an unbiased manner all the time.
A common practice is to report on the actions of a government without explaining the underlying motivations that lead to those actions. This is especially true for stories about domestic terrorist groups or foreign policy. As a result, many Americans receive a false impression of the world in which they live.
For example, CBS news covered a hearing in which the Secretary of Defense asked Congress to resist further cuts to military appropriations. Instead of simply reporting on the request, they showed a heated exchange between the Senator and the Secretary that sounded like an angry political debate. As a result, many viewers were left with the impression that the United States is a dangerously belligerent country that has no real concern for world peace.
