Bias Breakdown

Bias Breakdown

Most Americans don’t trust the media because of political biases that have seeped into today’s journalism. Join Straight Arrow News as we break down bias in some of the week’s biggest stories, dissecting how narratives shift based on a news outlet’s left or right political bias. Here, you'll find a balanced approach to presenting the facts—stripped of political opinion—so you can form your own views on issues that matter to you. Welcome to The Bias Breakdown with your host, Karah Rucker.

Episodes

Democrats’ military video and Trump’s response: Spotting omission in the news: Bias Breakdown

November 25, 2025 • 14 mins
In episode 47 of Bias Breakdown, we examine how different news outlets decide which stories to lead with and which to downplay. Using a recent social media video from Democrats, the episode explores how coverage varied across networks and how a divided media landscape can create separate news bubbles, leaving Americans with different perspectives and priorities.
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Epstein emails expose media political bias: Choose sources carefully: Bias Breakdown

November 18, 2025 • 11 mins
In episode 46 of Bias Breakdown, the latest Jeffrey Epstein email dump takes center stage, highlighting sharply divided media coverage as left- and right-leaning outlets frame the same information in very different ways. The episode examines how selective emphasis, spin, and viewpoint placement shape the story, showing which perspectives are amplified and which are buried. With insights from AllSides Editor-in-Chief Henry A. Brecht...
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Nigerian Christian death data shows newsroom bias. Here’s how it works: Bias Breakdown

November 11, 2025 • 15 mins
In episode 45 of Bias Breakdown, we examine how left and right-leaning news outlets report dramatically different data on Christian deaths in Nigeria, shaping contrasting narratives for their audiences. Julie Mastrine from AllSides joins the conversation to explain patterns of media slant and bias by omission, highlighting how selective sourcing can distort the story. We also explore how these reporting practices fit into a larger ...
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Trump meets Xi: How media spins summits into win-loss contests: Bias Breakdown

November 4, 2025 • 9 mins
In episode 44 of Bias Breakdown, we examine how media outlets spun President Trump’s meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping into a competition rather than straightforward diplomatic coverage. Left-leaning outlets framed Xi as having the advantage, while right-leaning media praised Trump’s performance as a major success. The episode breaks down how these contrasting narratives reveal a broader pattern of media spin — mixing sensa...
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One story, two versions: Media bias in NYC mayoral race coverage: Bias Breakdown

October 28, 2025 • 12 mins
In episode 43 of Bias Breakdown, we dive into the NYC mayoral race to examine how media coverage can differ dramatically depending on political leanings. From story selection to framing and viewpoint omission, we break down how the same events are reported in contrasting ways — and what that means for how voters perceive the candidates.
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Media coverage of Venezuela boat strikes paints incomplete picture: Bias Breakdown

October 21, 2025 • 16 mins
In episode 42 of Bias Breakdown, we examine how the media is framing President Trump’s authorization of U.S. military strikes off the coast of Venezuela. We unpack the constitutional and legal arguments, including Trump’s use of Article II powers, the classification of traffickers as “unlawful combatants,” and Congress’s role in approving military action. We also explore how news outlets across the political spectrum cover the stor...
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Network silence: ABC, CBS, NBC skip Jay Jones text scandal: Bias Breakdown

October 14, 2025 • 10 mins
In episode 41 of Bias Breakdown, we examine how media silence shapes public understanding. This week, we look at resurfaced 2022 text messages from Democratic Virginia AG candidate Jay Jones that show him making violent remarks about a political opponent and his family. Right-leaning outlets amplified the story, while many left-leaning networks ignored it, highlighting bias by omission. We also draw parallels to past political scan...
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Media’s partial truths on immigrant health care at heart of shutdown: Bias Breakdown

October 7, 2025 • 13 mins
In episode 40 of Bias Breakdown, we explore how coverage of the government shutdown has focused on health care for immigrants and evolved into two partisan narratives. Left-leaning outlets emphasize that undocumented immigrants remain ineligible for Medicaid, while right-leaning outlets highlight efforts to expand or fund care for those here illegally. Both rely on selective facts about a proposal to repeal Medicaid reimbursement l...
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ICE coverage exposes partisan media's not-so-hidden agendas: Bias Breakdown

September 30, 2025 • 9 mins
In episode 39 of Bias Breakdown, we dive into how partisan media shapes public perception of ICE operations. Using the recent arrest of a Des Moines school superintendent as a case study, we explore how Fox and CBS reported the facts with different framing—one highlighting legal violations, the other emphasizing community support — leading audiences to vastly different conclusions. We also examine bias by omission, showing how netw...
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Media fueled assumptions over Jimmy Kimmel, ignoring facts: Bias Breakdown

September 23, 2025 • 15 mins
In episode 38 of Bias Breakdown, we dive into the suspension and return of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, examining how media outlets pushed competing narratives that ignored the facts. From claims about plummeted ratings to alleged FCC pressure, we break down how speculation, flawed logic, and unsubstantiated reporting shaped the story—and what the facts actually show.
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Kirk assassination exposes America’s deepening partisan divide: Bias Breakdown

September 16, 2025 • 13 mins
In episode 37 of Bias Breakdown, we examine the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the polarized media coverage that followed. From left-leaning outlets labeling him “controversial” and “divisive” to right-leaning commentators using emotionally charged rhetoric, this episode breaks down how word choice, framing, and opinion-as-fact reporting shape public perception. We also explore polling data showing widening partisan divides on k...
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Trump Death Hoax: Speculation and spin overshadow facts: Bias Breakdown

September 9, 2025 • 9 mins
In episode 36 of Bias Breakdown, we unpack the recent Trump death hoax and how it exposed contrasting media narratives. Left-leaning outlets fueled speculation about the president’s health, while right-leaning outlets largely deflected, criticizing what they saw as liberal hypocrisy over Biden's health. The episode explores how these framing choices, whether through speculation or omission, shape public perception and highlight the...
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Guns or mental health crisis? Narratives over Minneapolis shooting: Bias Breakdown

September 2, 2025 • 10 mins
In episode 35 of Bias Breakdown, we explore how media coverage of the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting split along partisan lines. Left-leaning outlets focused on gun laws, while right-leaning networks emphasized mental health and the shooter’s identity. We examine examples of media framing, bias by omission, and flawed logic, and look at polling showing Americans are nearly evenly divided on the causes of school shootings.
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Newsom trolls Trump online — and the media has opinions: Bias Breakdown

August 26, 2025 • 11 mins
In Episode 34 of Bias Breakdown, we dive into how media bias shapes coverage of Governor Gavin Newsom’s new Trump-style social media strategy. From one-sided cable news panels that exclude opposing viewpoints to networks cherry-picking voices like Charlamagne tha God, Steve Bannon, and Joe Scarborough when convenient, we break down the tactics that steer public perception.
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Trump, Smithsonian framed negatively in museum review: Bias Breakdown

August 19, 2025 • 10 mins
In episode 33 of Bias Breakdown, we examine how the Smithsonian review is covered through a partisan lens. Both left- and right-leaning outlets frame the story with negativity—either casting President Trump as authoritarian or portraying the Smithsonian as an institution steeped in bias. We break down how this illustrates negativity bias in the media, where narratives emphasize criticism over context, shaping audience perceptions b...
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Media slants statistics in coverage of D.C. crime: Bias Breakdown

August 12, 2025 • 11 mins
In episode 32 of Bias Breakdown, we dive into how media slant shapes the coverage of crime statistics in Washington, D.C., following President Trump’s move to federalize the city’s police force. We unpack how different outlets highlight conflicting data to fit political narratives, and explore why understanding the full picture behind the numbers is key to spotting bias and staying informed.
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Partisan lines drawn in media coverage of Texas redistricting: Bias Breakdown

August 5, 2025 • 13 mins
In episode 31 of Bias Breakdown, we analyze how major media outlets are covering Texas’ latest redistricting fight — and where bias shows up in the headlines and framing. From The New York Times to The New York Post, we break down examples of viewpoint omission, subjective language, and sensationalism that shape how the story is told. This episode helps you spot the difference between information and influence.
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Media splits on significance of Gabbard's Obama intel: Bias Breakdown

July 29, 2025 • 12 mins
In episode 30 of Bias Breakdown, we explore how media outlets on both sides of the aisle covered—or ignored—Tulsi Gabbard’s release of declassified Obama-era intelligence reports. The episode highlights how left- and right-leaning networks often offer only one perspective, omitting alternative viewpoints and shaping contrasting narratives. It also reveals how bias by omission influences which stories receive national attention. Ult...
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Right-leaning outlets divide as Fox and Newsmax clash over Epstein: Bias Breakdown

July 22, 2025 • 13 mins
In episode 29 of Bias Breakdown, the Epstein files are creating a divide within right-leaning media over how—or whether—to cover the story. Two of the top conservative networks are at odds, reflecting a broader split within the Republican Party over the Trump administration’s handling of the case. Tune in as we explore the differences, the divide, and the reasons behind the silence—while the nation waits for answers in this high-pr...
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Mamdani for NYC mayor splits the left in politics and the press: Bias Breakdown

July 15, 2025 • 9 mins
He’s the progressive candidate shaking up New York City politics — and he’s getting attention from both sides of the aisle. Right-leaning outlets are quick to sound the alarm over Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid. But it’s the split inside left-leaning media — led by The New York Times — that’s catching many by surprise. In Episode 28 of Bias Breakdown, we analyze how Mamdani’s rise is revealing a fracture in left-leaning narratives — ...
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