New program to spot media bias online
Posted by Katherine Thompson on September 9, 2008 at 9:58 AM
SpinSpotter, a new tool designed to spot media bias launched on Monday, 8 September. The program is designed to work with a toolbar users download called Spinoculars, which is used to spot words and phrases that are considered bias.
SpinSpotter is available through Firefox and scans web pages to spot indicators of bias and highlights phrases that it finds bias in a big red box. Users can then click on the box to get more information on why SpinSpotter found the phrase biased.
The framework is based on algorithms set to identify six key tenets of spin and bias as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics. The six tenets are a reporter's voice, passive voice, a biased source, disregarded context, selective disclosure, and lack of balance. In addition, it will highlight phrases that are similar to the language used in the press release.
According to Todd Herman, SpinSpotter's founder, the technology will rely heavily on the input of its users, much like Wikipedia, allowing users to flag instances of spin. SpinSpotter seeks to highlight bias in order for users to draw their own conclusions and to keep the press' power in check and to "makes news media transparent."
Sources: Business Week, Media Channel, SpinSpotter,New York Times
SpinSpotter is available through Firefox and scans web pages to spot indicators of bias and highlights phrases that it finds bias in a big red box. Users can then click on the box to get more information on why SpinSpotter found the phrase biased.The framework is based on algorithms set to identify six key tenets of spin and bias as defined by the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics. The six tenets are a reporter's voice, passive voice, a biased source, disregarded context, selective disclosure, and lack of balance. In addition, it will highlight phrases that are similar to the language used in the press release.
According to Todd Herman, SpinSpotter's founder, the technology will rely heavily on the input of its users, much like Wikipedia, allowing users to flag instances of spin. SpinSpotter seeks to highlight bias in order for users to draw their own conclusions and to keep the press' power in check and to "makes news media transparent."
Sources: Business Week, Media Channel, SpinSpotter,New York Times
Posted in :
Related Entries
- UK: Allegation of plagiarism at Daily Telegraph
- UK: Telegraph.co.uk revitalises financial coverage, launches new dual mobile and web publishing system
- Interview Globe and Mail - "We are confident in the authenticity of the NATO document"
- Israel: Ultra-orthodox papers refuse to publish photos of female politician
- Netherlands: The next generation of E-Readers
1 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: New program to spot media bias online.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.editorsweblog.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/7550
» Objective? from RatcliffeBrowse
editorsweblog.org: Dan Gillmor, Chris Anderson, and the end of objectivity: "Maybe it's time to say a fond farewell to an old canon of journalism: objectivity," says Dan Gillmor in his posting, "The end of objectivity (version 0.91)." The opportunitie... Read More
![Digg](http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.editorsweblog.org%2Fmultimedia%2F2008%2F09%2Fnew_program_to_spot_media_bias_online.php&bodytext=<b>SpinSpotter</b>, a new tool designed to spot media bias launched on Monday, 8 September. The program is designed to work with a toolbar users download called <b>Spinoculars</b>, which is used to spot words and phrases that are considered bias. <br /><br /><form contenteditable="false" mt:asset-id="825" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.editorsweblog.org/logo.png"><img alt="logo.png" src="http://www.editorsweblog.org/logo-thumb-250x70.png" class="mt-image-left" style="margin: 0pt 20px 20px 0pt; float: left;" height="70" width="250" /></a></form>SpinSpotter is available through <b>Firefox</b> and scans web pages to spot indicators of bias and highlights phrases that it finds bias in a big red box. Users can then click on the box to get more information on why SpinSpotter found the phrase biased.<br /><br />The framework is based on algorithms set to identify six key tenets of spin and bias as defined by the <b>Society of Professional Journalists'</b> Code of Ethics. The six tenets are a reporter's voice, passive voice, a biased source, disregarded context, selective disclosure, and lack of balance. In addition, it will highlight phrases that are similar to the language used in the press release. <br /><br />According to <b>Todd Herman</b>, SpinSpotter's founder, the technology will rely heavily on the input of its users, much like Wikipedia, allowing users to flag instances of spin. SpinSpotter seeks to highlight bias in order for users to draw their own conclusions and to keep the press' power in check and to "makes news media transparent."<br /><br />Sources: <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/sep2008/db2008097_602412.htm?chan=top%2Bnews_top%2Bnews%2Bindex%2B-%2Btemp_news%2B%2B%2Banalysis">Business Week</a>, <a href="http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2008/09/08/spinspotter-debuts-service-to-spot-media-bias-and-inaccuracy-online/">Media Channel</a>, <a href="http://spinspotter.com/">SpinSpotter</a>,<a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/08/start-up-attacks-media-bias-one-phrase-at-a-time/?ref=technology">New York Times</a><br /><br /> <div><br /></div>&title=New program to spot media bias online){kind=link}
Leave a comment