Despite myths, U.S. media not utterly one-sided

Nathan Carleton's Aug. 30 assertion that the media purports an overwhelming liberal bias while claiming "middle of the road" status, while thoughtful, is nonetheless regrettably unsubstantiated.

While it is true that what is called the "mainstream media" often conducts sophisticated and unbalanced rhetorical campaigns against their political enemies (most notably former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich), it is similarly regrettable and equally deplorable that conservatives refuse to admit that they can be guilty of the exact same thing. Carleton's evaluation of the entire media seems to be based on Dan Rathers' opinions of Bill Clinton (it seems to me that everyone has one of those nowadays) and of Spike Lee, who frowns at people. He ignores the plethora of conservative-dominated media (such as Rush Limbaugh) as well as FoxNews, the Washington Times and the Wall Street Journal, among others who tout a highly conservative perspective. The assertion that the media has an uncompromising stronghold over public opinion over problems such as HIV and AIDS is also unreasonable. The facts show that our media is more well rounded.

Carleton should focus on fact rather than inflammatory rhetoric; much of what Carleton has to say, as pundits Bernard Goldberg and Ann Coulter would agree, sadly holds true in the conduct of our contemporary political debate.