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To the victors go the backhand

By Mark Obbie

In his report yesterday on California voters' approval of Proposition 8 -- endorsing a state constitutional amendment to reverse the effects of the California Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage -- NPR's Richard Gonzalez is guilty of telling the news from the losers' perspective. First, All Things Considered host Robert Siegel describes the vote in his intro as "a crushing defeat for supporters of gay marriage." Then Gonzalez opens his report on location with opponents of the proposition. Only after we hear from the losing side are we introduced -- by phone, halfway through the story -- to a spokeswoman for an organization that supported the proposition. Gonzalez's report is factual and dispassionate. But by emphasizing opponents' perspective, and by not also quoting average citizens on the winning side, NPR's story comes off as biased in favor of same-sex marriage supporters.

Full post as published by Lawbeat on November 06, 2008 (boomark / email).