A Quest for Truth: List of Top 8 Unbiased News Sources

Good read.

http://blog.debate.org/2012/08/24/a-quest-for-truth-a-list-of-the-top-8-unbiased-news-sources/

By Alex Chrum

For anyone interested in things like politics, society, religion, etc., it is often difficult to accept that the information we are receiving might be coming from biased sources. We all like to hold faith in the idea that the journalists we look to for insight about the world around us are presenting nothing more than neutral, hard-hitting facts.

Unfortunately, however, that is too rarely the case. After all, we are only human, and as much as we are inclined to look at the media as some great, independent, self-fulfilling entity, the fact of the matter is that it is people who keep this machine running—real, living, breathing human beings with individual experiences, brain chemistries, educations, ideas and opinions.

Try as one might, it is next to impossible to deliver anything of value that is devoid of your own figurative fingerprint. It is, arguably, our emotion, our experience, and our education that form every singular idea we have. That is how we prioritize what is important and what is not. It is how we decide which facts are important enough to include, which moments are important enough to capture on film, and which stories are essential enough to put on the front page. Regardless of what one might think about the media, it all comes down to individual human decision.

Moreover, we, as humans, seem to naturally default to those areas that we find comfort in—places of camaraderie, communion, self-affirmation and self-improvement. We try, as often as possible, to avoid situations that are harmful to our success, happiness and overall well-being. As a result, we tend to neglect those people and ideas that might seem threatening. It’s our “fight or flight” instinct. If you’re gay, chances are you aren’t going to actively seek out the company of violent homophones. If you’re a person of color (any color, that is), you most likely won’t accept an open dinner invitation from a group of white supremacists. Similarly, rarely do we ever seek out stories and viewpoints that run contrary to our own. I, like anyone, am guilty as charged. As a self-professed non-partisan liberal, my default news source (and predictably so) is NPR, along with a handful of other blogs on feminism and human rights. I wouldn’t be caught dead reading Fox News, and I’m sure none of my conservative friends would ever even consider touching the Huffington Post.

What I’m saying here isn’t really a secret. Almost all of us educated, free-thinking, political whistleblowers realize that we’re selling ourselves short. So how do we fix it? I have scoured the Internet for recommendations on unbiased, trustworthy news sources. While the majority of respondents echo the same sentiments as above (“There’s no such thing as an unbiased news source!”), a few notable contenders have proved themselves somewhat worthy. What follows is a concise list of these nonpartisan think tanks. Some I visit regularly, others simply come at the recommendation of others. As always, feel free to criticize any of these choices, and make your own suggestions in the forum or in the comments below.

Wikinews
Wikinews is perhaps one of the best places to find original and unbiased news stories. Like Wikipedia, it allows for collaboration with and feedback from the general public, ensuring that differing viewpoints are heard, and that lies and partisanship are actively called out.

AlterNet
AlterNet is one of my favorite online news sources. Their mission describes them as “award-winning news magazine and online community that creates original journalism and amplifies the best of hundreds of other independent media sources.” Their goal is “to inspire action and advocacy on the environment, human rights and civil liberties, social justice, media, health care issues, and more.”

The Real News
The Real News is another one of my favorites. The header of their website proclaims, “NO GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE OR ADVERTISING $$$,” which stands as a marker of self-proclaimed nonpartisanship, political and otherwise. They report on news from all around the world, offering stories ignored by most other major outlets.

Reuters
Reuters, an international news agency stationed in London, is so dedicated to journalistic objectivity that they sometimes receive criticism for it. After the September 11 attacks, they were accused of insensitivity because of their reluctance to use the word “terrorist” except when in quotes.

The Independent
The Independent is a U.K. newspaper that reports on news from around the world. While its status as “independent” often garners accusations of liberalism, the paper does not endorse any political party and offers a wide range of views on different topics.

PBS, BBC and CSPAN
PBS, BBC and CSPAN are also major notable outlets. When compared to others, such as Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN, they offer unprecedented objectivity

 

I'd also add ThevChristian Scuence Monitor. (Don't let the name fool you and Al Jazhira America. Both solid news sources. Vice is, too. But, its more of a news magazine.

 

Do all these organizations do independent reporting??

Meaning do that have a cadre of reporters who go out collect first hand source info??
Just 'reporting' the news without the editorial spin is no better than the corporate news organizations.

 

I used to subscribe to the CSM. It's an awesome paper. A little Left, but possesses integrity.
Al Jazhira show what Stations won't. For a recent example, the documentary on P.E. drugs in the NFL.
Don't sugar coat the news and don't lie to me. LET ME decide if l want to digest it or not.

 

You bring up a good point. I believe Rueters actually send out reporters, of which many news outlets borrow from. I'm also wondering why the AP wasn't on his list.

There are some he mentioned that I have never heard of which I plan to check out, and now that you mentioned it, shall see whether they independently research or merely parrot. Because indeed, the source of stories matters, and questioning the source matters just as much.

 

wasn't it Al Jazhira that just reported that Peyton Manning used drugs to recover from neck surgery...they are going to get their asses sued for that hot mess...

 

Yes, l had noted that...IDK if you can sue a reporter or station for airing what someone said on tape. He retracted his comments, but he owns them.

 

Peyton is HOT and it's tough to get a reaction out of him...he said that he plans to sue but I have no idea who or how...

 

Let's face it..HGH could explain his incredible season after neck fusion surgery.

All these actors and actresses looking like they did when they were 20 years old and I'm not talking the face ...they most all take HGH, and the only one to admit it is Suzanne Somers. I would think athletes would be drawn to it.

Who would test The Peyton, you know..

 

I thought Wiki anything was not so reliable...? I've read some stuff from from AlterNet and The Real News through links on FB. Never really knew if they were legit or not. Guess now I know.

 

putting HGH on my shopping list...I need to do some research on side effects...

maybe Peyton has us all fooled...that would be disappointing...but it does happen...

 

l'd watch Death Becomes Her before buying it, lol.

 

is that a documentary...too many people looking good in their caskets

 

HGH doesn't make you a HOF QB.

Peyton's arm strength has been among the worst in the NFL for about 6-7 years.

If he took HGH, it was just to help him recover faster physically.

There are too many moving parts and player synchronicity in an actual football game, unlike baseball, to say that performance enhancing drugs are the primary reason for any one player's success.

Besides so many NFL players are probably taking stuff to make themselves bigger/stronger/faster that taking gear only allows you to walk up the starting line in NFL and be able to compete at the pro level.

If you don't have innate physical skills to be great, pinning a needle in your ass isn't going to magically make an athlete a pro bowler.

I think that's part of the reason the NFL has never really been all that anti-steroid usage throughout the history of the league, because they place such an emphasis on their athletes being as big and strong as humanly possible.

 

You've never seen the movie? It's awesome. It stars Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, and Isabella Rossellini.
Goldie plays an author who gets very obese and stops dressing nice.
Meryl, who is rich, steals her husband (Willis) a noted scientist, and marries him..
Goldie after years as a recluse, discovers an elixir that transforms her into a gorgeous goddess, losing the weight and reversing her age.

Naturally, she is out for revenge to get her man back.

Meryl, suspicious at her stunning transformation, finds out about the elixir, and takes it too.
The only drawback... Well...
I won't tell you more, but l think you would love it..it's full of dark humor.

Here is the original trailer

[HDYT]2ko2dB8Jk_o[/HDYT]

(The complete movie is available online.)

 

No, it doesn't. But it makes you recover much stronger, much quicker for a man his age.

HGH
It's produced by the anterior pituitary gland under the stimulation of the hypothalamus (like LH, the testosterone precursor). The effects on our system are tremendous: HGH promotes and increases the synthesis of new protein tissues, such as in muscle recovery or repair. This is the way new muscle is built.

 

Political outriders are the ones to watch out for the most, as they are the ones that dictate what the news is or isn't.

Here we have the Tax Payers Alliance a very deceptive title that puts forward tax payers concerns and potential solutions "think tank" one would think it was your average tax payers they were concerned about with a title like that, wouldn't you?
Nope they are subsidised, bought and paid for by big business like the McAlpines and the JCB guy Anthony Bamford among a massive host of others all interested in lower tax for big business and shrinking the unions and the state.
I think one of their consultants is an independent Journalist if I'm not mistaken.

Everyone is dressed as someone else.

 

Death becomes her is one of the funniest films ever, I had this on VHS lol my fav is the spraycans in their bags and the one on the steps at the end lol

The Living dead in Beverly Hills

 

That film is called Death Becomes Her it was the first time I ever saw Isabella Rossellini nude. Lovely woman.

 

What role did Isabella Rosselini play in the film? I've seen it a couple of times, but don't remember seeing her.