Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
Encyclopedia
Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) is a progressive
media criticism organization based in New York City
, founded in 1986.
FAIR describes itself on its website as "the national media watch group
" and defines its mission as working to "invigorate the First Amendment
by advocating for greater diversity
in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints." FAIR refers to itself as a "progressive group that believes that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting
and promote strong non-profit sources of information."
, FAIR's bi-monthly magazine, features analysis of current media bias
, censorship
, and effects of media consolidation. Covering a variety of issues, FAIR addresses news coverage that it finds biased with rebuttals. FAIR also produces CounterSpin
, a half-hour radio program hosted by Janine Jackson
, Steve Rendall, and Peter Hart, recorded at MercerMedia in NYC. It broadcasts
nationally on over 130 radio stations and is available in MP3
and RealAudio
format on the web.
comparing FAIR and Accuracy in Media
and stated that the two groups' "criticism of television and the press is often provocative. But it is always tendentious", and that FAIR's "target invariably is bias on the right."
, the right side of a discussion is usually represented by a committed supporter of right-wing causes, while the left side is often represented by a centrist.
, a FAIR founder, left the organization to work as a producer on Phil Donahue
's short-lived talk show on MSNBC
.
In October 2002, FAIR's Action Alert citing the underestimate of the size of a massive anti-Iraq War rally led to a National Public Radio apology to its listeners and a followup article in the New York Times that Editor & Publisher
suggested was written "in response to many organized protest letters sent to the Times since the paper's weak, and inaccurate, initial article about the march on Sunday."
In February 2004, a FAIR Action Alert led ABC World News Tonight and the New York Times to expand their coverage of the Federal Marriage Amendment
to explain the legal ramifications of the issue.
In 2006, FAIR criticized U.S. media coverage of Venezuela
n President Hugo Chávez
, taking issue with the assertion that "... Hugo Chávez is an autocrat who has consolidated one-party rule". FAIR has frequently criticized media coverage of the Chávez government.
In 2008, FAIR criticized American media for coverage that was too positive during Pope Benedict
's visit to the United States, claiming that he got a "pass on Church abuse history."
A letter sent out by FAIR in 1993 included the erroneous claim that violence against women
increased by 40% on Super Bowl Sundays. FAIR later told the Boston Globe "It should not have gone out in FAIR materials."
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
media criticism organization based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, founded in 1986.
FAIR describes itself on its website as "the national media watch group
Watchdog journalism
Watchdog journalism aims to hold accountable public personalities and institutions, whose functions impact social and political life. The term "lapdog journalism", for journalism biased in favour of personalities and institutions, is sometimes used as a conceptual opposite to watchdog...
" and defines its mission as working to "invigorate the First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
by advocating for greater diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints." FAIR refers to itself as a "progressive group that believes that structural reform is ultimately needed to break up the dominant media conglomerates, establish independent public broadcasting
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
and promote strong non-profit sources of information."
Media outlets
First published in 1987, Extra!Extra!
Extra! is a monthly magazine of media criticism published by the media watch group FAIR. First published in 1987, its first full-time editor was Martin A. Lee. Since 1990, it has been edited by Jim Naureckas...
, FAIR's bi-monthly magazine, features analysis of current media bias
Media bias
Media bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the...
, censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
, and effects of media consolidation. Covering a variety of issues, FAIR addresses news coverage that it finds biased with rebuttals. FAIR also produces CounterSpin
CounterSpin
CounterSpin is a weekly, half-hour radio program produced by the progressive media watch group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting . It is hosted by Janine Jackson, Steve Rendall, and Peter Hart, and describes itself as offering "a critical examination of the major stories every week exposes what...
, a half-hour radio program hosted by Janine Jackson
Janine Jackson
Janine Jackson is the program director of FAIR , and the co-host and co-producer of FAIR's syndicated radio show CounterSpin --a weekly program of media criticism airing on more than 150 stations around the country.Jackson graduated with a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and has an M.A...
, Steve Rendall, and Peter Hart, recorded at MercerMedia in NYC. It broadcasts
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
nationally on over 130 radio stations and is available in MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and RealAudio
RealAudio
RealAudio is a proprietary audio format developed by RealNetworks and first released in April 1995. It uses a variety of audio codecs, ranging from low-bitrate formats that can be used over dialup modems, to high-fidelity formats for music. It can also be used as a streaming audio format, that is...
format on the web.
Reception
In 1990, Walter Goodman wrote an article in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
comparing FAIR and Accuracy in Media
Accuracy in Media
Accuracy In Media is an American, non-profit news media watchdog founded in 1969 by economist Reed Irvine. AIM describes itself as "a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that...
and stated that the two groups' "criticism of television and the press is often provocative. But it is always tendentious", and that FAIR's "target invariably is bias on the right."
Positions
FAIR has said that in the range of opinion discussed in the mass mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, the right side of a discussion is usually represented by a committed supporter of right-wing causes, while the left side is often represented by a centrist.
Notable events
In May 2002, Jeff CohenJeff Cohen (media critic)
Jeff Cohen is a journalist, media critic, professor, and the founder of Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting , a media watchdog group in the US. He was formerly a lawyer for the ACLU and authored or co-authored five books that criticize media bias, mainly written with Norman Solomon...
, a FAIR founder, left the organization to work as a producer on Phil Donahue
Phil Donahue
Phillip John "Phil" Donahue is an American media personality, writer, and film producer best known as the creator and host of The Phil Donahue Show. The television program, also known as Donahue, was the first to use a talk show format. The show had a 26-year run on U.S...
's short-lived talk show on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
.
In October 2002, FAIR's Action Alert citing the underestimate of the size of a massive anti-Iraq War rally led to a National Public Radio apology to its listeners and a followup article in the New York Times that Editor & Publisher
Editor & Publisher
Editor & Publisher is a monthly magazine covering the North American newspaper industry. It is based in New York City. E&P calls itself "America's Oldest Journal Covering the Newspaper Industry" and describes itself on its website as "the authoritative journal covering all aspects of the North...
suggested was written "in response to many organized protest letters sent to the Times since the paper's weak, and inaccurate, initial article about the march on Sunday."
In February 2004, a FAIR Action Alert led ABC World News Tonight and the New York Times to expand their coverage of the Federal Marriage Amendment
Federal Marriage Amendment
The Federal Marriage Amendment H.J. Res. 56 was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution which would have limited marriage in the United States to unions of one man and one woman...
to explain the legal ramifications of the issue.
In 2006, FAIR criticized U.S. media coverage of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, taking issue with the assertion that "... Hugo Chávez is an autocrat who has consolidated one-party rule". FAIR has frequently criticized media coverage of the Chávez government.
In 2008, FAIR criticized American media for coverage that was too positive during Pope Benedict
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's visit to the United States, claiming that he got a "pass on Church abuse history."
A letter sent out by FAIR in 1993 included the erroneous claim that violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
increased by 40% on Super Bowl Sundays. FAIR later told the Boston Globe "It should not have gone out in FAIR materials."
See also
- Accuracy in MediaAccuracy in MediaAccuracy In Media is an American, non-profit news media watchdog founded in 1969 by economist Reed Irvine. AIM describes itself as "a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that...
- Columbia Journalism ReviewColumbia Journalism ReviewThe Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
- Media Research CenterMedia Research CenterThe Media Research Center is a content analysis organization based in Alexandria, Virginia, founded in 1987 by conservative activist L. Brent Bozell III...
- Media Matters for AmericaMedia Matters for AmericaMedia Matters for America is a politically progressive media watchdog group which says it is "dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." Set up as a 501 non-profit organization, MMfA was founded in 2004 by journalist and...
- Media biasMedia biasMedia bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the...
- Media Lens
- Norman SolomonNorman SolomonNorman Solomon is an American journalist, media critic, antiwar activist, and current candidate for the United States House of Representatives. Solomon is a longtime associate of the media watch group Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting...