Author's Bias

Numbers can be manipulated to change the way we think about them.

A candidate committed a small crime 20 years ago. He is now a doctor. The news calls him an "ex-con"

Where does the story originate? Who is the source of the story? Whose point of view are you hearing or reading?

Stories at the top of a webpage, or on the front page of a newspaper are seen as more important.

Sometimes, certain facts will be cut out of a story, and others will be included.

The news in Canada has headline news of an 80' heat wave. A news channel in Florida reports on the 50' cold snap.

An earthquake in California gets front page news, but an earthquake in Africa is put on page three.

The way a person is described or labeled can influence how we think about them.

The images of someone in the news can influence how we think about them.

Buzzfeed uses a photo of a celebrity without makeup on, who had just woken up, and has bedhead.

Our perception of everyday life can vary from country to country, or region to region.

Using positive or negative words can change how we feel about the news story.