Weekly Example of Media Bias - March 26, 2014
1. What type of bias do the networks display in their coverage of the California drought?
2. Define 'fit the narrative.'
3. NOAA climate researcher Dr. Martin Hoerling said the current drought in California “resembles the droughts that afflicted the state in 1976 and 1977. Those years were at least as dry as the last two years have been.” He also said that “the scientific evidence does not support an argument that the drought there is appreciably linked to human-induced climate change.” Do you think the networks are choosing to portray the drought as "historic" because it doesn't 'fit the narrative' that man-made global warming is causing severe weather? Is it willful ignorance or lazy reporting? Explain your answer.