NEWS MEDIA INDEX

Perhaps the most powerful single influence on public perception of societal issues is the news media. Hence when these institutions choose to bias their reporting of an issue in some fashion, the potential for injustice is very great. The essays below document some of the long history of ideology-based gender bias in the news in Edmonton. Much coverage has been fair and accurate; far too much of it has not. The general discussions (labels beginning with A) and personal case histories (labels beginning with B) below are meant to reveal problems of gender bias in this arena, in hopes of spurring needed reforms.

  • A1: Censorship BY the press

    • In this article are laid out some general concerns about journalistic ethics, together with an outline--the rest of the story is a long one which must be told over time--of how the Edmonton Journal, in our judgement, has violated them in regard to the issues of gender equality.

  • B1: One year in Canada

    • Originally printed in Balance Magazine (a former publication of MERGE) in 1994, this article reveals how influential Canadian media grossly distorted the facts about events on four campuses in 1989-90 in order to create the appearance of widespread hostility toward women which did not exist.

  • B2: Human rights win: reply to Journal coverage

    • The Edmonton Journal's news coverage of MERGE's human-rights win over biased family-violence literature and of its consequent press conference was basically fair and accurate. But we felt a sidebar article was prejudicial, a throwback to years of earlier distortions, and Professor Christensen submitted this piece to the Edmonton Journal to correct the record. The Journal ignored it. (This letter was a personal reply to comments about Professor Christensen personally; hence it does not necessarily reflect official MERGE positions.)

  • B3: Reply to Montgomery and Sampert

    • The Edmonton Journal prominently featured a pair of letters to the editor critical of MERGE's human-rights victory, but would not publish our reply correcting their distortions; hence it is presented to the public here.

  • B4: The Journalism of gender and race

    • A few years back, this incident involving the Edmonton Journal featured prominently in the nation's news. The full story, however, was seen by few, and so we present this extended account for readers. It too was originally published in Balance magazine.

  • B5: The actual deceivers are Faulder and Ruttan. As usual.

    • Following MERGE's city-hall news conference, both of the Edmonton Journal columnists currently writing on women's issues made scurrilous attacks on us over it. This is an extended reply to them.

  • B6: Reply to Liane Faulder from the women of MERGE

    • This reply to Ms. Faulder's assault on MERGE is sent by women associated with the organization. She wasn't just attacking men.