The Impact of Biased American Media on Public Perception and Political Decision Making:

Abstract

This dissertation examines the issue of media bias with a specific focus on the American media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict vs. Russian-Ukrainian war. Through a comparative analysis of media coverage of these two conflicts, this study aims to elucidate the profound impact of media bias on public perceptions and political decision-making. First, this study investigates the problem of the prevalence of media bias in the American society alongside its leading factors and results. Next, it uncovers the underlying mechanisms by which biased reporting shapes public attitudes and further influences electoral outcomes and political decision-making. Then, this dissertation shifts focus to analyse the American media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian and Russian-Ukrainian conflicts and the critical role the media plays in shaping the narratives surrounding contentious geopolitical issues. It concludes that CNN and Fox News exhibit biases in their coverage of conflicts. While both channels lean towards Israel in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, their approach to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict differs from maintaining a factual tone to presenting a mixed perspective. Hence, this biased reporting shapes American audience perceptions and affects their attitudes and beliefs; which sways policymakers, leading to biased decision-making processes in favour of the United States interests.