Left-Wing News Media Bias Growing in WY
Trust in the news media by the American people is at an all-time low, especially among those on the right side of the political spectrum. You would think that news outlets and their reporters would respond by rededicating themselves to journalistic integrity. Unfortunately, many instead choose to double down on left-wing bias. Equally disappointing is that Wyoming news media outlets are not immune.
To illustrate this increasing bias, we deconstructed a recent Wyofile article written by Maya Shimizu Harris covering the “takeover” of the Legislature by Wyoming’s “far-right movement”. Harris is a freelance journalist whose articles about the recent elections have been filed as “featured top stories” rather than “opinion,” yet they are full of obvious biases.
In this article on September 21, Harris characterized the contest between Julie Jarvis and incumbent Jeanette Ward as that of a moderately conservative heroine fighting against a radical, aggressive, and dishonest far-right, book-banning villain.
Despite WyoFile claiming on its webpage the goal of reestablishing “the primacy of facts in Wyoming’s public discourse,” this article instead provides a perfect case study in news media bias. Harris uses positive and empathetic language to describe Jarvis while framing Ward in a controversial or even negative light.
How has this type of partisan bias come to infiltrate Wyoming news media organizations? In Wyofile’s case, we can consider influences like sitting Democratic State Representative Liz Storer from Jackson. Representative Storer serves as the president of her family’s private foundation which happens to be a major financial supporter of Wyofile. It seems reasonable to think such liberal funding sources help drive biased reporting. As well as the fact that WyoFile is the Wyoming partner of a national DC-based nonprofit known as States Newsroom. According to Influence Watch, States Newsroom was initially founded to promote progressive ideas and is led by veterans of the left-wing policy world.
It is fair and reasonable to ask if outlets such as WyoFile are truly interested in unbiased local news reporting or if they are laundering progressive ideas into red states like Wyoming.
In her article, Harris describes Jarvis as a reluctant, thoughtful candidate who is uncomfortable with the aggression in the political system. Jarvis is portrayed as a mother, a fourth-generation Wyomingite, and someone who values listening to the people she represents.
Harris frames Jarvis’ initial reluctance to run for office as a virtue, portraying it as evidence of her humility and integrity. Her political associations, such as with Americans for Prosperity, are shown in a positive, moderating light, and the imagery of the article is meant to make her appear wholesome and relatable. Trying to frame her campaign as an organic grassroots affair but somehow failing to mention the multitude of special interest industry PACs that lined up behind her candidacy.
Ward, on the other hand, seems to be treated differently. Harris repeatedly uses the phrase “far right” to describe Ward and her colleagues in the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, and even compares her to Marjorie Taylor Greene. Ward is described as a “lightning rod” due to her political experience in Illinois, and Harris frames her opposition to inappropriate materials in schools and libraries as opposition to transgender rights.
Jarvis’ victory is portrayed as a triumph of good over evil, like David slaying Goliath. Conversely, the fact that the Wyoming Freedom Caucus won enough seats to potentially control the next Legislature is presented as an ominous development, leaving the reader with a sense of impending doom.
There’s nothing wrong with authors crafting narratives from current events or telling stories from one perspective. There’s also nothing wrong with publishing opinions about political figures. However, there is an issue when narratives and opinions are labeled as “news.” The reality is that the people of Wyoming are far more conservative than the authors and editors of outlets like WyoFile, as voters of Wyoming just demonstrated by their strong support of Wyoming Freedom Caucus candidates and overwhelming opposition to longtime political power brokers. Yet, this article — and others on WyoFile — treat this grassroots majority as a fringe minority, a “far right” group of extremists out of step with the mainstream. Trying to obscure the inconvenient election math that clearly establishes who actually is the mainstream.
Perhaps these news organizations should take a closer look at their own positions and ask whether they are measuring themselves by the people of Wyoming or by the ideas emanating from Washington, DC via States Newsroom and other large media conglomerates. The people of Wyoming deserve a news media that is fair, objective, and treats them with respect — not disdain.