Good reason to see the media as liberal

Referring to the “First Take” by news center director Terry Ross on Sept. 21, and his wondering “how anyone can possibly make (the) claim today” that there is a “liberal mainstream media”, I would like to give evidence that the liberal media is alive, well and extremely influential, using the Yuma Sun as an example.

The time period tracked is Sept. 17-23. The publication is the Yuma Sun.

Over this period, with respect to Associated Press articles, there were six pieces with negative connotations regarding Mitt Romney's general policies, only one negative regarding President Obama and two that could be considered “balanced.”

During this same time period, there were national reports of two comments previously made by both candidates.

On Sept. 19, there were two AP stories printed in the Yuma Sun reporting Mitt Romney's 2011 comment: “47 percent of Americans pay no income taxes and are dependent on government.”

At about the same time, only the “conservative media” reported President Obama's 1998 comment: “I actually believe in redistribution (of wealth).” There has been no mention of the president's comment in the Yuma Sun, editorially or otherwise.

In addition to the above data regarding the Romney comment, the Yuma Sun ran three negative AP articles, three negative editorial cartoons and one negative “Editor's Notebook” column.

Do you see why people can, and do, make the claim today that there is, in fact, a dominant “liberal” media?

SANDRA HAYES

Yuma