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Show Page 4 Tfte Thunderbird Monday May 20, 1985 Press bias is a problem only public can solve Soviet defector Andrey Sorokun was a recent guest on the Southern Utah State College campus, and he had some interesting things to say about America, freedom and the press. Sorokun, whose visit was by Accuracy in Media, a conservative media watchdog, said that the American press has a blatant liberal bias, and that it spreads misinformation that is often pleasing to the men who run the Soviet government. We think that is, in good part, true. But it is also, in good part, a misreading of the facts. When people think of the press or the news media, the first thing that comes to mind is network television broadcast news. But there is much, much more to it than that. The American press is as diverse and varied as the American people. The media is not a single, homogenous entity. And no matter what some people would have you think, it is not controlled by any single group or mind-set- . There are examples of incredible liberal bias that can be pointed to every day. But there are also examples of incredible conservative bias. To say that this nations press leans in only one direction is to be blind. Many people who work in the profession agree that the national news media tend to have a liberal bias (but not always). On the other hand, most smaller, local news outlets tend to have a conservative bias (but not always). Moreover, reporters often seem to have a liberal bias, whereas owners and management tend to be more conservative (again, not always). In other words, it balances itself. The point is, all of these publications and broadcast programs are controlled by people usually people who, like all humans, make errors. The only solution to this problem lies with the consumer. It is not necessary to seize control of a media organization and switch its bias from one direction to another. It is simply necessary to shop around. If the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather shows a liberal bias, people should spend some time watching the Cable New Network. If The Salt Lake Tribune is biased in one direction, chances are the Deseret News is biased in the other. Frankly, the public would be well served to have at least two different sources of information and news in each media segment two different newspapers, two different broadcast news programs, two different radio stations, etc. That way, the consumer is more likely to get more than one point of view, and can decide things for himself. If necessary, our capitalistic society makes it possible for people to begin their own newspaper, or, as evangelical Christians have done with the Christian Broadcast Network, their own network. If no existing media source has a bias to their liking, they can start their own and compete with the others if their bias is as popular as they think, theyll probably put the others out of wild-eye- d business. .... .. . 0e Cbunderbird . . i . .M 'I .1 ,1 This class was really a torture chamber Jim Knowlton is a sophomore and entertainment editor for 'The Thunderbird. is arts and Last year, when I was going to school at a junior college in California, I took a class which had been described as a torture chamber. Sometimes when students are going through the rigors of a class, they exaggerate how tough the class is. Sometimes they dont. for my Basic Writing When I entered room NH-14- 0 For Broadcast class, I felt relaxed. A few of my friends had uttered some nonsense about the class driving me to madness, but I felt confident. After all, Id had A.P. English in high school, and was planning on journalism as a career. Besides, how tough can a class be that has the word basic in its title? Not very, I thought. All I sat in the front of class (to impress the teacher). man with a In walked a thin, scholarly-lookind had He hairline. glasses, and receeding seemed to be the incarnation of Walter Mitty. I thought to myself, This cant be the monster that has been described to me! However, as I was to learn, g VOLUME 79, NUMBER 32 Editor Doug Christensen Copy Editor Paul Husselbee Photo Editors James Howells Derek Miller Sports Editor Joe Cartwright Entertainment Editor Jim Knowlton Senior Staff Writer Stewart Smith Assistant to the Editors Annette Grooms Production Manager Kelli Foy Advertising Designer Gavin McNeil Advertising Representatives John B. Crcne Marianne Perry The Thunderbird is published each Monday of the academic year by and for the student body of Southern Utah State College. The views and opinions expressed in THe Thunderbird are the opinions of the publications individual writers and do nor necessanlv reflect the views and opinions of the institution, faculty, staff or srudert body in general. The unsigned editorial directly above is the opinion of The Thunderbird as a single entity. Letters to the editor must be typed and include the name, student number (if from a student) and phone number. Only the name will be printed. Names will not be withheld under any circumstances and the editor reserves the right to edit letters for length and to preclude libel. Letters must be submitted by noon Friday for inclusion in the following weeks edition. The Thunderbird: editorial and advertising offices at 52 West 200 South, Cedar City, 7738. UT 84720. Mail at SUSC Box 384, Cedar City, UT 84720 (801) wire-rimme- appearances can be deceiving. The beginning of class was innocent enough. The teacher said there would be two weeks of lecture before the writing started. Then the lights began to dim. I looked back, and the door creaked shut. I peered at the teacher through the darkness, and his features seemed to distort and corrupt. As I began to recall all the horrid tales my friends had told me, he began to speak. There will be no homework this semester, he hissed in ominous tones, except to memorize pages 9 to 97, word for word. And then he let out a cackle the sheer depravity of which I simply cannot describe. I memorized pages 7 to 27, but that was all. I had forgotten about getting an A, or even passing. My thoughts had now turned to survival. I thought when we started writing it would get easier, but instead it got a hundred times worse. The teacher would bind us to our typewriters with the shackles of grades. He would then scourge us stories. mercilessly with labor stories and follow-u- p When one of us would go to him to beg for some crumb of information which would nourish our emaciated grades, he would just stare at us icily with those eyes of his that never blinked, and laugh that evil laugh. Then came the mid-terIf regular classes were unbearable, the m'id-terwas simply hell in a classroom. Instead of two hours to do four stories, we had three hours to do 15 stories. I was like a zombie; I had At the end of the mid-ternothing left. It got easier after that. We had five more weeks of writing, and they seemed easier after the mid-terflogging. Then we had lecture for three weeks, which seemed like a piece of cake. Then came the final exam. final exam was at 1 1 a.m., but it was at 9:45. I asked the teacher if I could have some extra time, but he said no, with quite a bit of pleasure. I worked like crazy, and got all 15 stories done (the format was the same as the midterm). For the first time in the semester, I was the one laughing. I later found out that the Basic Writing for Broadcast class was being canceled. The teacher was never seen or heard from again. May he rest in peace! I thought our at 8. 1 got there |