Studying media bias : print coverage of the top 2004 presidential candidates / Moniq M. Muyargas, Cristina J. Montiel, Archimedes H. Viaje

News bias between two leading candidates, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Fernando Poe, Jr., of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Philippine Star during the 2004 Presidential Elections were compared. Both newspapers were content analyzed extracting a specified sample of 30 issues for each, those from April 11, 2004 through May 11, 2004. The study used frequency of names of each candidate and adjectives used to describe each candidate on the publication. Results showed difference in adjective use for each candidate indicating that Philippine Star used more positive adjectives describing GMA by 86.11% compared to positive adjectives associated with FPJ which depicted 30.49%. The findings confirm the existence of media bias, particularly in print media, affirming media’s significant role in Philippine society.

Psychology.