East Coast bias (transplants, salon, live)

[sinatras]

I live on the East Coast, born and raised in Philly, and I am often left appalled by what I consider to be extremely biased coverage from the news media toward East Coast news.

Is it my imagination, or is it true that the media tend to cover news events on the East Coast a lot more than news events on the West Coast? That is what it seems like to me. I mean, I have traveled to Cali and the West Coast many many times, and I don't think that CNN Live is any different there than it would be in NYC, for instance. And the Today Show, that is also usually very much East Coast-focused.

And most of the major news media journalists live on the East Coast, and talk about it a lot more than the West Coast.

Am I correct? And if so, why is this acceptable?

[CAVA1990]

Because the East coast has more than twice the population as well as the political and financial capitals of the U.S.? Only one in six Americans lives on the West Coast.

[Fontucky]

Speaking as a Calif native, the answer to all your questions is: "I dunno." Most of us don't pay attention to stuff like that.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Speaking as a Calif native, the answer to all your questions is: "I dunno." Most of us don't pay attention to stuff like that.

Yeah, that storm was on the news but other than that, not really a topic of conversation anywhere Ive been. Not in meetings, not at lunches, dinners, not at the gym, salon or at the office.

[sinatras]

That is so bizarre to me. I would think that most Californians/West Coast people would be constantly annoyed by the relentless East Coast bias. For example, because all the major media are based in NYC, the major networks are reporting on the NYC storm as if it were a local story, not a national story. Meanwhile I have yet to hear of one mention of the Giants series win or parade, or the USC shootings, or any other West Coast news.

It seems to me that every time I turn on CNN or FOX or whatever, there's never talk about West Coast news. And the fact that the morning shows are tape delayed and not broadcast live on the West Coast is really unfair, I think.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by sinatras

I live on the East Coast, born and raised in Philly, and I am often left appalled by what I consider to be extremely biased coverage from the news media toward East Coast news.

Is it my imagination, or is it true that the media tend to cover news events on the East Coast a lot more than news events on the West Coast? That is what it seems like to me. I mean, I have traveled to Cali and the West Coast many many times, and I don't think that CNN Live is any different there than it would be in NYC, for instance. And the Today Show, that is also usually very much East Coast-focused.

And most of the major news media journalists live on the East Coast, and talk about it a lot more than the West Coast.

Am I correct? And if so, why is this acceptable?

Other than the population difference (less population = less news to report on), I don't have an answer for that.

It reminds me of a funny story, though. When I was much younger, someone asked whether I'd heard something I'd quoted on the local news or national news. At that point I realized that I wasn't even aware of local news vs. national news. After all, both covered my area (MD/DC).

Now that I'm much older I know the difference, but at that age, it was very much to me like our news was the news, barring any large natural disasters, etc, elsewhere in the country.

So, the short answer is, I do get what you're saying.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by sinatras

I live on the East Coast, born and raised in Philly, and I am often left appalled by what I consider to be extremely biased coverage from the news media toward East Coast news.

Is it my imagination, or is it true that the media tend to cover news events on the East Coast a lot more than news events on the West Coast? That is what it seems like to me. I mean, I have traveled to Cali and the West Coast many many times, and I don't think that CNN Live is any different there than it would be in NYC, for instance. And the Today Show, that is also usually very much East Coast-focused.

And most of the major news media journalists live on the East Coast, and talk about it a lot more than the West Coast.

Am I correct? And if so, why is this acceptable?

You are correct. There is an east coast bias. "..broadcast NN Eastern time, check your local listings for your time zone...."

I think the network news is live back east and on tape delay in the west, or at least it used to be....I haven't watched TV in 20 years.

And when these east coaster move to CA they bring with them the same bias, self importance, one upsmanship...."You call dese westawants? You chould tsee da westawants back in new york....."

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by sinatras

That is so bizarre to me. I would think that most Californians/West Coast people would be constantly annoyed by the relentless East Coast bias. For example, because all the major media are based in NYC, the major networks are reporting on the NYC storm as if it were a local story, not a national story. Meanwhile I have yet to hear of one mention of the Giants series win or parade, or the USC shootings, or any other West Coast news.

It seems to me that every time I turn on CNN or FOX or whatever, there's never talk about West Coast news. And the fact that the morning shows are tape delayed and not broadcast live on the West Coast is really unfair, I think.

For what purpose would our getting annoyed serve?

The vast majority of people, including people that run things, whether nations or news organizations, tend toward the tribal, the local, the easily accessible.

National news circuits, especially for a nation the size of ours, would unsurprisingly focus on the seat of government, finance and other things, their powers of being able to absorb all that goes on in this country being not inexhaustible.

If you want local news, speak with and listen to the locals.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by sinatras

I would think that most Californians/West Coast people would be constantly annoyed by the relentless East Coast bias.

We sort of are. We're reminded of it when sitting in bumper to bumper traffic behind some dude with an "I LOVE NY" sticker on his car or at a mets at Dodgers game or yankees at Angels game.

[SunnyTXsmile]

Originally Posted by Charles

You are correct. There is an east coast bias. "..broadcast NN Eastern time, check your local listings for your time zone...."

I think the network news is live back east and on tape delay in the west, or at least it used to be....I haven't watched TV in 20 years.

And when these east coaster move to CA they bring with them the same bias, self importance, one upsmanship...."You call dese westawants? You chould tsee da westawants back in new york....."

I have lived in many, many places so I don't think that's a fair statement. Yes, some transplants in CA make comparisons to what they know back home, but so do transplants in every other city I've ever lived in.

Oh, and so do immigrants to the country. How many times do I have to listen to how things were done in their country, but I never once complain. It's part of them. It's what they know. Nothing wrong with that. I personally enjoy learning how things are done differently elsewhere.