2 Examples Showing How Biased Journalism Is Actually Good

It’s impossible for journalism to be unbiased because journalists cannot be unbiased—they’re only human, after all!

But as a trained journalist, I want to let you in on a dirty secret most of them will never say directly. The reason journalists are able to tell the truth despite being biased: Some biases are helpful and even truthful!

I’ll show you 2 examples of biases almost all media outlets follow that are both helpful and usually truthful.

1. Journalists are biased towards police.

Reporters tend to take the words of police officers as gospel when writing about instances of crime. Press releases, affidavits, and other official statements from police departments or courts are prioritized over the words of someone else who claims to be a witness, for instance.

Don’t hear me to say that journalists trust law enforcement in all circumstances. Sometimes they don’t, and they shouldn’t. 

But taking police at their word normally works out in journalists’ favor—it keeps them out of trouble with the authorities and other parties. Not only that, but erring on the side of the police is also erring on the side of truth. Police are normally systematized and thorough regarding the information they give to the press because it’s their job.

2. Journalists are biased against politicians.

I’m not saying all journalists are biased against all politicians—but all journalists have politicians they pick on, even if for partisan reasons. 

That’s a good thing!

Politicians can be famously dishonest, so journalists who routinely oppose them hold them to account for lying. Being immediately skeptical of any politician’s claims is a healthy attitude for journalists to take, regardless of his or her political allegiance.

So bias is actually good sometimes, despite what many say. Learning to distinguish between good bias and bad bias, however, can become tricky.

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Matthew Giffin is an independent journalist based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Follow him on X and send him story tips at matthewgiffin2002@gmail.com.

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