What is the story/ event?
I selected the topic “Trump Sits Down with NBC.” This discusses former President Donald Trump participating in an interview with Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” In the interview, Trump mentioned that his decision to file lawsuits in Georgia and federal courts was his decision after consulting with his lawyers. He refrained from answering numerous questions during the interview.
What facts were included in all three stories?
From the Left： Trump redirected serious questions about abortion policy, the war in Ukraine, and economic and fiscal policies toward his concerns about the 2020 election. While this interview obscured Trump’s detailed policy positions, his discussion about election-related issues caught his supporters’ attention. For instance, Trump provided ambiguous responses on the topic of restrictive abortion policies for women, but at right-wing events, he expressed support for exceptions like cases of rape, incest, and the mother’s life. Additionally, Trump vaguely promised to facilitate negotiations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also mentioned plans to lower corporate income tax rates, although the tax cuts during his first term did not have a domestic impact. Gross Product (GDP) has a significant impact. Notably, Trump tends to make statements in the media that resonate with his followers.
From the Right： Former President Donald Trump, in his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, stated that he had consulted with various lawyers, but ultimately, it was his decision to challenge the results of the 2020 election. This challenge led up to the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
From the Center： Regarding the attack on the White House, Trump declined to confirm whether he had watched the coverage of the event on Kristen Welker’s “Meet the Press” show. It’s important to note that Trump, who is considered the frontrunner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary, faces charges in four separate cases.
Was there one news source that contained facts the other two did not? Why might that be?
Yes. This causes readers to take a different view and require more facts to prove their point of view.
What did you notice about the language/word choice?
Trump is referred to differently in articles, From the Left’ Trump’, From the Right’ Mr. Trump, or Former President Donald Trump‘
Was there leading or subjective language to favor one point of view over another? Can you detect any examples of bias? Explain.
Yes. For example, ‘ his trademark blend of self-aggrandizement and conspiracy theory.’ Trump still lacks the vision, understanding, and capability to effectively govern — and that his only goal, as always, is self-promotion.’ These sentences have a very negative positioning of Trump.
One thought on “Conversation 3 Minna Weng”
Your analysis provides a clear overview of the topic, “Trump Sits Down with NBC,” and the common facts across the three stories. You correctly point out differences in language and terminology used to refer to Trump in each article. Regarding bias, you effectively identify subjective language in the left-leaning article, such as “his trademark blend of self-aggrandizement and conspiracy theory,” which paints a negative picture of Trump. This demonstrates a clear bias against him in that article. Your response is well-structured and provides a balanced assessment of the articles, highlighting where bias is present while also acknowledging the differences in the news sources.