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SCMP Bias - What & where is it?

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  1. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cho-man:
    Did you actually bothered to watch that Al Jazeera report on the SCMP? Pretty obvious and specific examples cited there of bias.
    That one is not new, has been floating around since the Occupy days and yes, I've watched it and discussed it a few times (including on here in one of the Occupy threads if I recall).

  2. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by er2:
    Obviously the SCMP is not anywhere close as bad as Fox. But in the past electoral reform discussion, I think any self-respecting newspaper should have come to the conclusion that an election mechanism that does not guarantee that a candidate supported by 60% of the electorate can make it onto the ballot _may_ still be an improvement, but may never be called universal suffrage. Instead, they painted the whole debate as a discussion over nuances. That is bias in my book.
    I agree on that point, their editorial views are skewed, severely skewed on democracy related topics. But does this prevent them from reporting pro-dem views or do they bias pro-dem reporting?

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    I agree, but editorials and opinion pieces are why we have blogs, forums and plethora of social media opinions to counter biases. The New Yorker piece goes to the other extreme of the SCMP piece.

    But what about news? News by itself is incredibly expensive to produce (creating a scarcity of sources) and can be influenced severely and perhaps even used to manipulate the opinions.
    I feel that the S.C.M.P. actually tries too hard to be even handed...it seems to play both sides of the fence... for me it's impossible to say the S.C.M.P. is pro establishment as there are far too many stories that portray the establishment in a bad light...I think the problem is the lack of 'neutral' news. S.C.M.P. comes off as schizophrenic to me...I imagine there being two camps at the newspaper who are constantly trolling each other through their pieces and a management tearing it's hair out...

  4. #24

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    all newspapers are biased, even if it's a little. There is always an agenda being pushed. I think when it comes to SCMP it's not the fact it is biased or not, it is just poor quality writing in general. But compared to other HK news it's not bad!


  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by Enderman:
    .I imagine there being two camps at the newspaper who are constantly trolling each other through their pieces and a management tearing it's hair out...
    Management isn't tearing its hair out, so to speak, but you're right about the personalities of those that work within the SCMP, which is a pretty skitzo mix of people. All qualified and experienced of course but I would highly doubt that those who are employed by the SCMP that write for the paper ( inc their freelance contributors ) actually get along with one another. I know hmm maybe 4 long term (living )SCMP journo and past editorial staff ( plus two that have died over the past decade of cancer, Kevin Sinclair being one name some of you will recognise ) you'll find that it's a pretty rare day that these guys and girls actually see eye to eye on nearly any topic you want to poke a stick at. Enderman has spotted it. I totally agree with that assessment. The paper is not consistent if there is a bias.

    The expat journo's certainly arent biased etc but fcuk, they LOVE a good argument, for the sake of one...They make the GEO personality clashes that go on here look like the teddy bears picnic. Some of these guys will punch your fuckin lights out if you dont agree with their view lol Just add alcohol ...
    Last edited by Skyhook; 21-07-2015 at 02:44 PM.
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  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    I agree on that point, their editorial views are skewed, severely skewed on democracy related topics. But does this prevent them from reporting pro-dem views or do they bias pro-dem reporting?
    I think you have cause and effect backwards - of course the fact that they have a biased editorial doesn't mean they cannot report the facts accurately and _comprehensively_. But if they were not trying to spin a story, why would they have such a biased editorial board? And if they are trying to spin a story - should I believe that the factual reporting indeed reports all facts?

    Plutark is right - of course every newspaper has a bias. Yet, the proper bias of a paper is erring on the side of the opposition - not on the side of those in power.

  7. #27

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    Yet, the proper bias of a paper is erring on the side of the opposition - not on the side of those in power.
    Which mean Fox is currently doing the right thing, be in the side of GOP? Weird argument.

  8. #28

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    The problem with fox news is more the magnitude than the orientation. In more sensible terms, yes, right now the more important paper is probably the Washington Post - eight years ago it was the New York Times.
    Of course, once your bias reaches Fox News (or China Daily) levels, you only serve as a source of jokes.


  9. #29

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    A very clear, yet subtle, example of SCMP bias on news comes to when they report on any news from Taiwan.

    SCMP has four main reporting sections – City, China, Asia, World. Taiwan articles are always within the China section, with absolutely no differentiation as compared with articles from other provinces in China. For example you might get a summary of short news items in sequence from Hebei, Guizhou, Taiwan, Shandong and Jiangxi.

    This is just one example, mind. I know not of any other non-PRC paper that doesn't even attempt any distinction between China and Taiwan. Even Straits Times separates news items.

    Last edited by greenmark; 21-07-2015 at 03:16 PM.
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  10. #30

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    This article is from a couple days back, Occupy protester wins right to challenge Hong Kong police to reveal names of officers who allegedly beat him | South China Morning Post

    Note in the end, "The police accused Tsang of taking part in an unlawful assembly and sprinkling liquid on some police officers." How is that information relevant if not to somehow try to justify the assault. Also for that matter, if he did take part in an awful assembly and "sprinkle liquid" on officers, why has charges not been pressed?


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