Example Of Media Bias
As you have learned throughout this module, media bias may play a role in society’s perception of police. The media have the ability to sway the public’s opinion of police in either a negative or positive manner, depending on how they portray an incident to the public. For this discussion, you will provide an example in which media bias played a role in the public’s perception of police.
For your initial post:
Describe an instance in which you have seen media bias play a role in the public’s perception of police through a public example:
This can be an instance that you read about in the news, saw on TV, or read online. Please focus on a public instance and do not share a personal example.
Provide background information regarding the incident. Address all aspects of what occurred: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Address the following questions:
Did media bias affect the public’s perception of police in a positive or negative way? How do you know?
Whose perception of police did the media bias affect?
How did the agency respond to the media?
Sample Answer
The Case of Ferguson: Media Bias and Public Perception of Police
The shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014, serves as a prime example of media bias influencing public perception of police.
Background:
On August 9th, 2014, Darren Wilson, a Ferguson police officer, shot and killed Michael Brown following a confrontation. Details surrounding the incident were initially unclear, with varying accounts from witnesses and the police officer involved.