Sniffing out bias?

I was just sent a link to NewsSniffer a new site which tracks changes to the BBC website and the Guardian and Independent. I assume it does it by comparing RSS feeds in some way. The intention is to "monitor corporate news organisations to uncover bias".
Well it's true that some items are amended after publication and some comments are removed. Looking through the examples offered there doesn't appear to be much that's sinister there. However as bias is often in the eye of the beholder I'm sure some conspiracy can be concocted if needs be.
I actually think it's a good idea and no news organisation should be worried about being held to account for changes made - usually it's for clarification or accuracy or of little consequence. And when it may be of some consequence news organisations should be prepared to explain.
There is a frequent confusion between censorship (the suppression of information) and editing (the prioritisation or choice of what to present). They could overlap - but usually don't.

It's a shame the site's owner isnt prepared to put his or her name to it.

(Update: He now has. Such is the power of this blog...)

Comments

[Robin Hamman]

It's pretty easy to sniff out the owner of these things if you really want to: http://amail.co.uk/cgi-bin/atrace.pl?ip1=www.newworldodour.co.uk&who=YES

[Richard S]

Some interesting thought on NewsSniffer here:

http://www.currybet.net/cbet_blog/2006/10/sniffing_out_bias_and_censorsh.php

[Ian Mason]

I was with you up until: "It's a shame the site's owner isnt prepared to put his or her name to it." - which carries the clear implication that there's something wrong, or underhand about them. Why? If they are performing a purely mechanical monitoring of your output and there's no comment or opinions then there's no subterfuge, no hiding behind anonymity going on.

Maybe you're critical because there clearly *is* censorship going on and this has revealed it. "Have You Say" comments that meet the rules and are polite and relevent have been removed. That isn't editting, it's selecting what voices get heard and that, my son, is what censorship is.

[Richard S]

Thanks Ian - I just think it's better if these kind of debates are held in the open with people putting their name against them rathr than making anonymous criticisms. John now has to his credit.

Do you detect bias in the kinds of comments which have been removed? I don't think selection is necessarily the same as censorship unless there is a clear pattern to the kinds of voices heard or removed. Editing is selection too but can have motivations other than suppression (and usually does) - like trying to make it easier for readers to see and read a representative range of views.

Newssniffer allows you to judge whether that selection is fair or not.

[riddiford]

The BBBc to its credit does not deny that it is institutionally biased.
It has stated often that it embraces the concepts of Transparency and Accountability.

News Sniffer provides an independent mechanism to help it achieve those goals.

It is of note to see that the number items Moderated out on Reactively moderated topics is in steep decline.

News sniffers next help to the BBc will be to take a pre copy of all submissions to Actively Moderated topics to illuminate the number that dont even reach the starting post... Pre Actively Moderated i suppose.

To further the spirit of full transparency and accountability may we be told who are The Public Moderators?

Something like this would help to allay any suspicions of bias.
e.g.
Andrew Graham - former adviser to the Labour Party, part opwner of the Guardian, which is one of two papers to get all BBC advertising.
Steven Barnett - frequent guest on BBC programmes.
Andrew Gamble - co-editor of the totally impartial Marxism and Social Science.
Donald Sassoon - author of 100 Years of Socialism.
Tom O’Malley - co-author of a book with a Labour MP.
David Marquand - former Labour MP.
Jean Seaton - widow of Labour historian Ben Pimlott.
Sonia Livingstone - media-studies professor.
Sylvia Harvey - media-studies professor.
Bob Franklin - media-studies professor.
James Curran - media-studies professor.
Simon Frith - sociologist who specializes in popular music culture.
Georgina Born - social and political sciences lecturer.

MY respects to BBCEye.

riddiford

[Richard S]

None of the above!