I'm not saying that the survey is wrong, but I was wondering if there are any independent surveys that verify the results of this one. ANY single survey is inherently suspect and I would claim this one is especially so because it was conducted by a Catholic organization, which tend to lean toward conservative viewpoints. As we all know, it is easy to skew a survey one way or the other based on many factors, including how the questions are asked. This is the reason that several independent surveys are necessary to accept a conclusion as fact.

Starsailor, THAT is a bold claim, considering all the pressures currently on news organizations.

While you might be able to make a claim that the war is under reported or is portrayed in an excessively positive light, I think that the claim that it is being largely ignored is particularly weak. I often see news about more casualties, both Iraqi and American. Again from today's New York Times, there is an article related to the war.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iraq-Soldier-Trial.html?ex=1360386000&en=421654dd2b6939a1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Heh, I know by comparison this post makes me seem real conservative, but really my only other interaction with these boards was to correct someone who was attacking Obama for being Muslim (he is NOT). I have some strong opinions, but what I care about very strongly is balanced debate.

I apologize. I was unaware of the past context and I have seen similar statements used far too many times as a justification for attacking dissent. Again, I apologize for extending that unjustly to your comment.

littleredhen, you have just done what the article accuses the media as a whole of doing. Whether you intended to or not, you have essentially declared that anyone who has a problem with the article is a "hateful 'conservative.' The article says that news organizations "which occasionally tolerate a whiff of dissent, are branded as subversive, ungodly and “out of the mainstream.” By trying to stifle and marginalize any dissent to the article you are guilty of precisely the same tactics which news organizations are charged with.

I personally feel that the article has some good points about the dangers of corporate control of the media. I do however feel that the claims of purely conservative bias are strongly exaggerated. As an example, today the New York Times (if that isn't "mainstream" I don't know what is) website has a front page article about Bush's version of earmarks in the new budget. From my experience there is significant bias in various sectors of the media toward both liberal and conservative points of view, but that if you are careful of your sources you can still find "mainstream media" that pursues decent journalism. Additionally I feel that the article's portrayal of mainstream American opinion is shockingly biased and self-serving. Perhaps someone can come up with surveys that support this assessment of mainstream opinion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/washington/10earmark.html?hp

I don't know where you got your info, but you are flat wrong. You can debate spirituality and government till you are blue in the face, but Obama is NOT Muslim. He is in fact a Christian. You can see information on this on his official website:
http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/11/12/obama_has_never_been_a_muslim_1.php#obama-on-emails