Conservatives have long felt that the majority of media sources have a liberal bias. Over thirty years ago a study by Robert Lichter and Stanley Rothman offered interesting data on the subject. I think it is unlikely that we will every see a study so revealing of political bias.

(Source: The Media Elite by S. Robert Lichter, George Washington University, and Stanley Rothman of Smith College.)

Showing the imbalance between the media and the electorate: In 1972, when 62 percent of the electorate chose President Richard Nixon, 81 percent of the media elite voted for liberal Democratic Senator George McGovern.

Lichter and Rothman’s survey of journalists discovered that “Fifty-four percent placed themselves to the left of center, compared to only 19 percent who chose the right side of the spectrum.”

It is interesting that basically the same number that said they were right of center also said they voted Republican. Can we call those the honest reporters?

It is reasonable to expect that someone may vote opposite of their political leanings on occasion. Especially when a dynamic politician such as Ronald Reagan or Barack Obama are on the ticket. However none of the politicians in the presidential elections between 1964 and 1976 were that dynamic.

The fact that those surveyed consistently voted Democrat, indicates that the 27% who considered themselves centrists were really left of center. If you consistently vote Democrat for president you are likely a Democrat.

Fifty-six percent said the people they worked with were mostly on the left, and only 8 percent on the right — a margin of seven-to-one.

I doubt journalists would ever be so honest again, however, this trend certainly continued into the 21st century. Public records in 2008 showed that the Democratic Party received a total donation of $1,020,816, given by 1,160 employees of the three major broadcast television networks (NBC, CBS, ABC), while the Republican Party received only $142,863 via 193 donations. That is an 83% lean towards Democrats.

Those in media would say they are impartial in their journalism. I believe that is delusional.