As the 2016 Presidential election is quickly approaching, citizens are forced to make a significant decision in the voting booth: Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, or Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate? The election will be held on Tuesday, November 8. Many people have already chosen the candidate that they plan to vote for. However, as election day is quickly approaching, many are still unsure of which candidate to choose as our next president. Many people are simply planning to abstain from voting.
Political coverage and news is overpowering the media as the election season rolls around, whether it’s about the Trump tapes or Clinton’s emails. Political coverage is often biased, especially when following certain media outlets. For example, Fox News is known for being a conservative network, while MSNBC leans more towards liberal coverage.
In this specific election, there have been patterns of an extreme media bias towards Hillary Clinton. Newspaper endorsements are written in the editorial and opinion sections, yet these endorsements still represent the paper as a whole. Even though the endorsement does not necessarily fit everyone’s beliefs in the newsroom, it raises the question, do they have fair coverage of the election?
According to Business Insider, Trump received four major newspaper endorsements in the primaries, while Clinton received 80 newspaper endorsements during this same time period.
The New York Times outwardly endorsed Hillary Clinton on several occasions, including during the primaries. Their presidential endorsement was released on September 24, proclaiming, “Our endorsement is rooted in respect for her intellect, experience and courage.”
On October 13, The Washington Post also endorsed Hillary Clinton in an article written by the Editorial Board.
The article opens by saying, “In the gloom and ugliness of this political season, one encouraging truth is often overlooked: There is a well-qualified, well-prepared candidate on the ballot. Hillary Clinton has the potential to be an excellent president of the United States, and we endorse her without hesitation.”
Although the practice of endorsing political candidates in editorial sections has been widespread, the sources seem to be showing a bias towards Hillary. There are many voters who are in agreement with the actions of the endorsements, while others find it controversial.
The Denver Post Editorial Board also released an article endorsing Clinton for president, with the title, “It’s an easy call: Hillary Clinton for President.” The article continues to explain why Clinton is the best possible choice and why Trump is a problematic candidate, according to the editorial boards views. The article states, “Democrat Hillary Clinton, the first woman ever to win a major-party nomination, is without question the most qualified candidate in the race for president and an easy call to make when considering the challenges confronting the nation.”
It seems that more and more media outlets are endorsing candidates, especially during this election year. These endorsements create a major bias in the media, who is expected to write in an objective manner. Do you believe that it’s acceptable for media outlets to endorse a candidate, or should the sources remain neutral and present the facts in order to let voters decide? The continuous endorsements raise the question of fair coverage of the election, and if this endorsement will affect the political views of readers.