My attempt to quantify bias in news media | Sophia Lobkowicz | TEDxYouth@ISPrague

so how many of you in the audience have

so how many of you in the audience have ever emigrated to another country or

ever emigrated to another country or

ever emigrated to another country or know someone who has just a show of

know someone who has just a show of

know someone who has just a show of hands well well my grandfather also

hands well well my grandfather also

hands well well my grandfather also emigrated from Czechoslovakia during the

emigrated from Czechoslovakia during the

emigrated from Czechoslovakia during the Second World War and was an immigrant to

Second World War and was an immigrant to

Second World War and was an immigrant to the United States he was able to adapt

the United States he was able to adapt

the United States he was able to adapt and integrate very easily but this

and integrate very easily but this

and integrate very easily but this doesn’t seem to be the case for many

doesn’t seem to be the case for many

doesn’t seem to be the case for many immigrants today but why after doing

immigrants today but why after doing

immigrants today but why after doing some research I wanted to see if perhaps

some research I wanted to see if perhaps

some research I wanted to see if perhaps it has something to do with language and

it has something to do with language and

it has something to do with language and perception which might have play a role

perception which might have play a role

perception which might have play a role in our opinions of immigration so I

in our opinions of immigration so I

in our opinions of immigration so I wanted to start by playing a quick game

wanted to start by playing a quick game

wanted to start by playing a quick game with you all I’m going to give you a

with you all I’m going to give you a

with you all I’m going to give you a list of terms and I’m going to ask you

list of terms and I’m going to ask you

list of terms and I’m going to ask you if you think they are positive negative

if you think they are positive negative

if you think they are positive negative or neutral there’s no right or wrong

or neutral there’s no right or wrong

or neutral there’s no right or wrong answer so please don’t fray too please

answer so please don’t fray too please

answer so please don’t fray too please don’t be afraid to raise your hand and

don’t be afraid to raise your hand and

don’t be afraid to raise your hand and give me your gut response so the first

give me your gut response so the first

give me your gut response so the first word is illegal aliens how many of you

word is illegal aliens how many of you

word is illegal aliens how many of you think this is positive anyone thinks

think this is positive anyone thinks

think this is positive anyone thinks this is negative neutral the second term

this is negative neutral the second term

this is negative neutral the second term is Muslims how many think this is

is Muslims how many think this is

is Muslims how many think this is positive negative neutral okay third

positive negative neutral okay third

positive negative neutral okay third term is terrorists how many of you think

term is terrorists how many of you think

term is terrorists how many of you think this is positive any negative neutral

this is positive any negative neutral

this is positive any negative neutral the last term is undocumented migrants

the last term is undocumented migrants

the last term is undocumented migrants how many of you think this is positive

how many of you think this is positive

how many of you think this is positive any negative neutral okay I would like

any negative neutral okay I would like

any negative neutral okay I would like you to note that there are a variety of

you to note that there are a variety of

you to note that there are a variety of different responses to each of these

different responses to each of these

different responses to each of these words I will explain this game a little

words I will explain this game a little

words I will explain this game a little further later but first I would like to

further later but first I would like to

further later but first I would like to introduce my topic which is a corpus

introduce my topic which is a corpus

introduce my topic which is a corpus based discourse porosity survey of

based discourse porosity survey of

based discourse porosity survey of immigrants and they’re synonyms and

immigrants and they’re synonyms and

immigrants and they’re synonyms and through US media everyone understand

through US media everyone understand

through US media everyone understand okay for those of you who don’t know and

okay for those of you who don’t know and

okay for those of you who don’t know and I didn’t know about three months ago I

I didn’t know about three months ago I

I didn’t know about three months ago I looked at how three US media portrayed

looked at how three US media portrayed

looked at how three US media portrayed immigrants specifically through the

immigrants specifically through the

immigrants specifically through the language that was used in their written

language that was used in their written

language that was used in their written articles so I first collected around 20

articles so I first collected around 20

articles so I first collected around 20 articles dealing with immigration

articles dealing with immigration

articles dealing with immigration from three US media’s The Washington

from three US media’s The Washington

from three US media’s The Washington Post

Post

Post Fox News and CNN and the reason I chose

Fox News and CNN and the reason I chose

Fox News and CNN and the reason I chose these three specifically was because

these three specifically was because

these three specifically was because they all had different reputations the

they all had different reputations the

they all had different reputations the Washington Post is reputed to be very

Washington Post is reputed to be very

Washington Post is reputed to be very unbiased while Fox News is reputed to be

unbiased while Fox News is reputed to be

unbiased while Fox News is reputed to be to have explicit right-wing political

to have explicit right-wing political

to have explicit right-wing political views and might portray immigrants in a

views and might portray immigrants in a

views and might portray immigrants in a more negative way and CNN is right in

more negative way and CNN is right in

more negative way and CNN is right in between the two so I really wanted to

between the two so I really wanted to

between the two so I really wanted to get this broad spectrum in hopes of

get this broad spectrum in hopes of

get this broad spectrum in hopes of getting a variety of different results

getting a variety of different results

getting a variety of different results so after collecting these 20 articles

so after collecting these 20 articles

so after collecting these 20 articles from each medium

from each medium

from each medium I used a digital software called aunt

I used a digital software called aunt

I used a digital software called aunt conch to analyze the language and I was

conch to analyze the language and I was

conch to analyze the language and I was able to find the collocations and the

able to find the collocations and the

able to find the collocations and the clusters and the small difference

clusters and the small difference

clusters and the small difference between these two is that a collocation

between these two is that a collocation

between these two is that a collocation are terms that Co occur more often than

are terms that Co occur more often than

are terms that Co occur more often than expected an example of this could be a

expected an example of this could be a

expected an example of this could be a swarm of immigrants and clusters are a

swarm of immigrants and clusters are a

swarm of immigrants and clusters are a set sequence of words surrounding the

set sequence of words surrounding the

set sequence of words surrounding the term and this could be immigrants or

term and this could be immigrants or

term and this could be immigrants or terrorists so after I collected the

terrorists so after I collected the

terrorists so after I collected the results from both the collocation

results from both the collocation

results from both the collocation collocations and the clusters I then had

collocations and the clusters I then had

collocations and the clusters I then had to identify if I thought each one was

to identify if I thought each one was

to identify if I thought each one was positive negative or neutral and I might

positive negative or neutral and I might

positive negative or neutral and I might have gotten an example is migrants when

have gotten an example is migrants when

have gotten an example is migrants when looking at this term I might have

looking at this term I might have

looking at this term I might have thought that it was neutral but then if

thought that it was neutral but then if

thought that it was neutral but then if I looked at how was used in the context

I looked at how was used in the context

I looked at how was used in the context of the sentence might have been a swarm

of the sentence might have been a swarm

of the sentence might have been a swarm of migrants so this changes it from

of migrants so this changes it from

of migrants so this changes it from being neutral to negative so this is

being neutral to negative so this is

being neutral to negative so this is what I had to do with each one of my

what I had to do with each one of my

what I had to do with each one of my results to see if my predictions were

results to see if my predictions were

results to see if my predictions were correct

correct

correct I then formed all of my results into pie

I then formed all of my results into pie

I then formed all of my results into pie charts – to really get a better view of

charts – to really get a better view of

charts – to really get a better view of what my results look like so starting

what my results look like so starting

what my results look like so starting with CNN in their mission statements

with CNN in their mission statements

with CNN in their mission statements they say they strive to provide the most

they say they strive to provide the most

they say they strive to provide the most neutral and unbiased stories so their

neutral and unbiased stories so their

neutral and unbiased stories so their audience can obtain the most accurate

audience can obtain the most accurate

audience can obtain the most accurate information now let’s see what my

information now let’s see what my

information now let’s see what my results tell me as you can see around 50

results tell me as you can see around 50

results tell me as you can see around 50 percent around 50 percent use neutral

percent around 50 percent use neutral

percent around 50 percent use neutral language to describe immigrants but as

language to describe immigrants but as

language to describe immigrants but as you can see around 50 percent is giving

you can see around 50 percent is giving

you can see around 50 percent is giving some sort of opinion and negative is

some sort of opinion and negative is

some sort of opinion and negative is predominant over the positive now for

predominant over the positive now for

predominant over the positive now for Fox News

Fox News

Fox News according to the mission statement they

according to the mission statement they

according to the mission statement they say that they are committed to the core

say that they are committed to the core

say that they are committed to the core principles of tolerance open debate

principles of tolerance open debate

principles of tolerance open debate civil discourse and fair balanced

civil discourse and fair balanced

civil discourse and fair balanced balanced coverage of the news now let’s

balanced coverage of the news now let’s

balanced coverage of the news now let’s see what my results tell us so as you

see what my results tell us so as you

see what my results tell us so as you can see around over fifty percent give a

can see around over fifty percent give a

can see around over fifty percent give a neutral opinion of immigration and only

neutral opinion of immigration and only

neutral opinion of immigration and only a small quarter use neutral language to

a small quarter use neutral language to

a small quarter use neutral language to describe them now for the Washington

describe them now for the Washington

describe them now for the Washington Post they say that their reporters and

Post they say that their reporters and

Post they say that their reporters and editors are pledged to approach every

editors are pledged to approach every

editors are pledged to approach every assignment with fairness of open minds

assignment with fairness of open minds

assignment with fairness of open minds and without prior judgment now for my

and without prior judgment now for my

and without prior judgment now for my results I got around from out of the

results I got around from out of the

results I got around from out of the three media as you can see the

three media as you can see the

three media as you can see the Washington Post is most neutral however

Washington Post is most neutral however

Washington Post is most neutral however if my statistics were to confirm their

if my statistics were to confirm their

if my statistics were to confirm their mission statement there should be a

mission statement there should be a

mission statement there should be a hundred percent of neutral of the

hundred percent of neutral of the

hundred percent of neutral of the neutral use of language however there

neutral use of language however there

neutral use of language however there still is a quarter giving some sort of

still is a quarter giving some sort of

still is a quarter giving some sort of opinion but something interesting that I

opinion but something interesting that I

opinion but something interesting that I did find about The Washington Post was

did find about The Washington Post was

did find about The Washington Post was that they would often use the phrase

that they would often use the phrase

that they would often use the phrase people say or people are as a way of

people say or people are as a way of

people say or people are as a way of getting their opinions across while

getting their opinions across while

getting their opinions across while still maintaining this high reputation

still maintaining this high reputation

still maintaining this high reputation of being very unbiased now going back to

of being very unbiased now going back to

of being very unbiased now going back to the game we played earlier you might

the game we played earlier you might

the game we played earlier you might have noted that not everyone had the

have noted that not everyone had the

have noted that not everyone had the same response as you did because we all

same response as you did because we all

same response as you did because we all have different opinions on how we define

have different opinions on how we define

have different opinions on how we define certain words as negative positive or

certain words as negative positive or

certain words as negative positive or neutral and this is sort of where the

neutral and this is sort of where the

neutral and this is sort of where the limitation is in my experiment because

limitation is in my experiment because

limitation is in my experiment because for every person who conducts the same

for every person who conducts the same

for every person who conducts the same research the results aren’t going to be

research the results aren’t going to be

research the results aren’t going to be the same because we don’t all have the

the same because we don’t all have the

the same because we don’t all have the same opinions and even though this

same opinions and even though this

same opinions and even though this experiment isn’t the most accurate for

experiment isn’t the most accurate for

experiment isn’t the most accurate for determining bias it does move us one

determining bias it does move us one

determining bias it does move us one step closer to being able to analyze

step closer to being able to analyze

step closer to being able to analyze bias in language so going back to my

bias in language so going back to my

bias in language so going back to my grandfather news wasn’t really as

grandfather news wasn’t really as

grandfather news wasn’t really as prevalent back then as it is today

prevalent back then as it is today

prevalent back then as it is today around seventy years ago he my

around seventy years ago he my

around seventy years ago he my grandfather would be listening to the

grandfather would be listening to the

grandfather would be listening to the news maybe once or twice a day from the

news maybe once or twice a day from the

news maybe once or twice a day from the radio or reading something in the

radio or reading something in the

radio or reading something in the newspaper but today we are listening to

newspaper but today we are listening to

newspaper but today we are listening to it all the time we are hearing it on our

it all the time we are hearing it on our

it all the time we are hearing it on our television getting notifications on our

television getting notifications on our

television getting notifications on our cell phones reading articles on

cell phones reading articles on

cell phones reading articles on computers and we often because we’re all

computers and we often because we’re all

computers and we often because we’re all so busy and caught up in our own lives

so busy and caught up in our own lives

so busy and caught up in our own lives we often get sound bites so we don’t

we often get sound bites so we don’t

we often get sound bites so we don’t really see the

really see the

really see the full picture and we’re often very

full picture and we’re often very

full picture and we’re often very influenced by what these reporters are

influenced by what these reporters are

influenced by what these reporters are telling us but something we all should

telling us but something we all should

telling us but something we all should remember is that words do matter and

remember is that words do matter and

remember is that words do matter and they can influence our opinion I think

they can influence our opinion I think

they can influence our opinion I think the best way we can obtain the most

the best way we can obtain the most

the best way we can obtain the most accurate and unbiased information

accurate and unbiased information

accurate and unbiased information possible is to really take the time in

possible is to really take the time in

possible is to really take the time in the day to compare different sources to

the day to compare different sources to

the day to compare different sources to one another and to be able to

one another and to be able to

one another and to be able to distinguish between a fact and an

distinguish between a fact and an

distinguish between a fact and an opinion and something that these US

opinion and something that these US

opinion and something that these US media’s should also remember is that

media’s should also remember is that

media’s should also remember is that almost the entire US population is made

almost the entire US population is made

almost the entire US population is made up of immigrants thank you

up of immigrants thank you

up of immigrants thank you [Applause]