Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting
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Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR), founded in 1986, is an American organization that works against and documents what it perceives as bias in the media, censorship, and erroneous reporting.
FAIR describes itself on its website as "the national media watch group" and defines its mission as working to "invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the press and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints." FAIR refers to itself as a "progressive group"<ref>What's FAIR?, FAIR Website</ref>. It is described by Columbia Journalism Review<ref>[1] Columbia Journalism Review website</ref> and Media Matters for America<ref>[2]Media Matters for America</ref>as a "liberal media watchdog".
FAIR claims that in the range of opinion discussed in the mass media, the right edge of discussion is usually represented by a committed supporter of right-wing causes, while the left edge, by contrast, is often represented by a centrist. <ref>[3]</ref> This has caused some critics of FAIR to contend it has an anti-conservative bias<ref>discoverthenetwork.org</ref><ref>Passing Lane: Left-wing attacks help boost John Stossel's and Brit Hume's audiences John Fund, The Wall Street Journal Editorial page. July 9, 2001</ref>, although one of these critics, Discover the Networks, acknowledges that FAIR "attacks" not only conservative and moderate media but also "allies and comrades of the left."
First published in 1987, Extra!, FAIR's bimonthly magazine, features analyses of current media bias, censorship, and effects of media consolidation. Covering a variety of issues, FAIR addresses news coverage that it finds biased with rebuttals. FAIR also produces CounterSpin, a half-hour radio program hosted by Janine Jackson, Steve Rendall, and Peter Hart. It broadcasts nationally on over 130 radio stations and is available in MP3 and RealAudio format on the web.
In May 2002, Jeff Cohen, a FAIR founder, left the organization to work as a producer on Phil Donahue's short-lived talk show on MSNBC.
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