Are Wisconsin Media Biased?

press release: Accusations of bias toward reporters are as old as the news media itself, but the Trump administration has put discussion about media objectivity at the forefront of national conversation like at no time in the recent past.

So how are things here in Wisconsin? While reporters, like everyone else, have biases, do the news media here unfairly slant stories? Or are those accusations unfair themselves, part of some larger agenda? The business models of news organizations are under great pressure now — does that play any role in the discussion about objectivity?

And while the phrase “media bias” often means political bias, that’s not the only variety out there. How do the gender and ethnic makeups of newsrooms affect reporting in Wisconsin? The Cap Times has assembled an outstanding panel to discuss those questions. Reporter Katelyn Ferral will moderate the panel, whose members are:

• Derrell Connor, WTMJ radio host

• Matt Kittle, investigative reporter for MacIver News Service

• Bill Lueders, managing editor of The Progressive

• Sue Robinson, associate professor at UW-Madison's School of Journalism and Mass Communication

The event is free and will start with a meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m. The discussion itself will start at 6, ending after an hour or so.