Bias.

• Author: Vatz, Richard E.

BY BERNARD GOLDBERG REGNERY PUBLISHING 2002, 214 PAGES, $27.95

Bernard Goldberg's Bias has not only appeared on The New York Times' best-seller list, but has made the number-one ranking for several weeks. This is an unusual period in best-seller lists, wherein conservative works have become very popular, especially if they attack the Clinton Administration. The book is consistent with the conservative agenda of maintaining that the media "distort the news." Thus, readers should not approach the work unquestioningly.

The thesis of the book is clearly and repeatedly stated that "there is in fact a tendency to slant the news in a liberal way" and, secondarily, that there are penalties for those who do not adhere to the liberal line. There is particular attention to the imperiousness and vindictiveness of CBS anchor Dan Rather in this regard.

Although many of Goldberg's media sources would not allow their names to be used, the author nevertheless names names in this work. He cites the few fellow conservatives in television news who indicate that their observations mirror his own, such as ABC's John Stossel. He also cites those who will not suffer ideological deviation, such as the very recently retired CBS reporter Eric Engberg. In addition, he names reporters who he claims politicize the news, such as CBS's Richard Schlesinger and Diana Olick, who provide false rates of HIV-infected teens and exaggerate the fears of AIDS in suburban America, respectively. Goldberg also names those who with impunity personally denigrate conservatives, such as Newsweek's Anna Quindlen and CBS's Roxanne Russell.

Credibility is primarily a function of two qualities: fairness and expertise. Goldberg is an excellent, credible source on both these counts. He is not a conservative, which makes his testimony somewhat reluctant. From Goldberg's account, readers learn that he never voted for Ronald Reagan, and he voted for George McGovern both in a Democratic primary and in the general...