Anti-Abortion Legisla in That It Restricts a Woman's Access Tion Ih Louisiana Last Month, It Editors Insist That's Exactly What to an Abortion
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coverage slanted, study says By David Shaw Los Angeles Times ~1 Y 1b Television, newsmagazine and big-city newspaper coverage of the abortion issue often is biased in favor of abortion rights, according to an 18-month study by the Los Angeles Times. The study, whit:h included inter views with more than 100 journalists and activists on both sides, found that coverage tends to be presented from the abortion rights perspective. For example, when the U.S. Su preme Court last year gave states more latitude regulating abortion, · many stories termed the ruling "a major setback for abortion rights." It could have been called "a major victory for abortion opponents," but most reporters don't identify with abortion opponents. "The culture in newsrooms just assumes that abortion is right," said John Buckley, a former spokesman for .conservative politicians. It's not that there is a conscious bias to slant coverage, Buckley ac knowledged. But he said abortion is the first issue since the Vietnam War in which some journalists' instinc tive allegiance to their own "social class and generational world view is stronger than their professional alle giance to objectivity." Most major newspapers support abortion rights on their editorial pag es, and two major media studies have shown that 80 percent to 90 percent of U.S. journalists personally favor abortion rights. Moreover, some reporters partici·· pated in a 1989 abortion rights march in Washington. The Newspa per Guild union that represents newsroom employees at many major papers, including The Detroit News and Free Press, has endorsed "free dom of choice in abortion decisions." Although responsible journalists try to be fair and many charges of bi as in abortion coverage are not valid, examination of published and broad cast st0171es reveals that: • The media consistently use words and images that implicitly favor abortion rights advocates. • Abortion rights advocates are quoted more often and characterized more favorably than abortion oppo nents. • Events and issues favorable to abortion opponents sometimes are ignored or given minimal attention. Surveys consistently show abor tion is essentially a class issue in the United States. The more money and education a person has and the less religious a person is, the more likely he or she is to favor abortion rights. Since most urban journalists tend to be better-paid, better-educated and less religious than the general public, they also tend to favor abor tion rights by a large margin. Richard Harwood, who critiques the Washington Post as its ombuds man, wrote last March that "any reader of the paper's editorials and home-grown columnists is aware (that it is) institutionally 'pro choice.' ... Close textual analysis probably would reveal that, all things considered, our news coverage has fa vored the 'pro-choice' side." Managing editor Leonard Downie later acknowledged: "I am concerned about whether we are paying enough attention to the other side ofthe ar gument." As in any debate, "the language is everything," said Douglas Gould, for mer vice-president for communica tions at Planned Parenthood of America. And in the abortion debate, the media's language consistently embraces the rights of the woman (the primary focus of abortion rights advocates), not the fetus (the prima ry focus of abortion opponents). When TV networks broadcast an abortion story, the backdrop has of ten been the large word "ABOR TION"- with the first "0" stylized into the biological symbol for female. The networks couldjust as easily stylize the "0" to represent a womb, with a drawing of a fetus inside, but they don't. When Time magazine published a lengthy story on abortion in May 1989, the cover was a drawing of a woman. When Newsweek published its version two months later, its cov er featured a photo of a pregnant woman. Neither depicted a fetus. When theWashington Post wrote Please see Media/58 28/Sunday, July 8, 1990 - Editorials I There are only three seriously c ries in Michigan's 18 U.S. House , In Detroit, the hot race is to 13th District Democratic Rep. Since the primary is effectively th overwhelmingly Democratic dist1 crowded and high-powered. City Barbara-Rose Collins, who came s to ousting Rep. Crockett two year again. State Rep. Juanita Watkim gynecologist Dr. Charles Vincent, candidate Tom Barrow and lawy terson. On balance, however, we County Commissioner Albert Iiams. Ms. Tinsley-Williams best rep repponsible change for the 13tl agenda includes adopting a "home of economic development, high 1 troubled public schools and new s( replace a bureaucracy more cc traditional social services. She is planned expansion of Detroit Ci realizes her already overburdened not need more taxes. Ms. Tinsley-Williams faces hea• her opponents have union supp( from Mayor Coleman Young's f01 zation. But in 1987, sheer will an · won her a county commission s U,S. Rep. Charles C. Diggs Jr. T take all that - and more. The other contenders had streJ nesses. Dr. Vincent impressed us \1 for the health care needs of the ar( last year's unsuccessful mayora ceived serious consideration for h edge of district needs. Less imp1 Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Co ment with the old political esta ' impair her independence. For The Michigan Court of Appe often noted, is one of the most im] known governmental bodies in tli court of last resort in four out of f1 tried in Michigan. Its judges ha influence in shaping our law and thus our society. Although the rulings of the judges apply on a statewide basis, they are elected from one of three districts. Next ' month, residents of the 2nd District will have a chance to vote for one of four candidates to fill a vacancy on the appellate court. The top two vote-getters will then run in the fall general election. The 2nd District includes Arenac, Bay, Genesee, Gladwin, Huron, Ingham, Lapee1 land, Oakland, Ogemaw, St. Clai wassee and Tuscola counties. Of the four candidates, we President Bush attended NA1 week in Europe and will host the summit this week in Houston. T at a critical moment for the which is divided on the subjeo provide direct economic aid to tl The Bush administration's posit would be premature at best is cm Substantial amounts of aid al pledged to Poland and Hungary. ! Group of 24 industrial nations w an aid program for Czechoslov1 Bulgaria and East Germany. often has the effect of undercu processes that need bolstering, a can be made for "rewarding" cm held free elections and implement ic reforms. The case for sending taxpayer other assistance to the Soviet l mains a strategic threat, is far VI France and Italy understandably lever for persuading Moscow to from East Germany. If such an 1 reached, a limited number of econ be warranted. ' But the West needs to be very set itself up to be blackmailed on It makes little sense to establisl program in the absence of fun within the Soviet Union itself would only shore up the Commur tchiks who are attempting to st in its cradle. Hard-liners in the Soviet Ur stand that the West won't allo white in pursuit of economic a ' --~------------------------------------------------------------------~------------- .. ;.., ; ·• Media ''The culture in newsrooms just Study criticizes assumes that abortion is right.'' John Buckley media for bias in A former spokesman for conservative politicians abortion coverage From page 1B Virtually all media refer to anti many facts and arguments to read abortion legislation as "restrictive," ers." about proposed anti-abortion legisla in that it restricts a woman's access tion ih Louisiana last month, it Editors insist that's exactly what to an abortion. But abortion oppo their reporters do. spoke of the state House of Repre nents would describe the legislation sentatives making a decision on "a as "protective" of the fetus. "I believe in the good judgment of woman's reproductive rights." the people on the staff," said Robert Wire sth-vices and many newspa The media generally have accept H. Giles, editor and publisher of The pers, including The Detroit News, ed the abortion rights view that there Detroit News. covered the same story by referring is no human life before birth. That is to the proposed legislation as "the why the media use the term fetus, At the Chicago Tribune, editor nation's harshest." That's the view of rather than words preferred by abor Jack Fuller commented: "We've abortion rights advocates; it is tion opponents- baby, unborn child made an awfully big effort to be "harsh" toward women's rights. But or "pre-born child." balanced, and I just don't see a abortion opponents regard the legis pro-choice bias." Editors say fetus is medically cor lation as benevolent - toward the rect, value-free and unemotional. Ac Fuller said he's not "blinded by a fetus. cording to the dictionary, a fetus pro-choice bias" since he personally Newsweek said last summer that does not become a babY until birth. favors some restriction on abortion. under new abortion regulations, But he doubts that abortion oppo "many women will be forced to seek But to the chagrin of abortion nents are satisfied with fairness. out-of-state abortions - incurring opponents, the media sometimes use travel expenses and losing time and "baby" when speaking of a fetus in a "They want support," Fuller said. ·income in the process." But abortion story that doesn't involve abortion. opponents argue that no one is forced Abortion opponents deny that. to have an abortion and that News Nancy Myers, director of commu But they're clearly worried that what week's statement is tantamount to nications for the National Right to they see as media support for the saying that if guns were outlawed, Life Committee, wants reporters to other side could have an enormous "many murderers would be forced to "recognize the validity of both sides impact on individual belief and the use knives." of the debate and .