My guest today is David Andelman. Yes, he's a cousin. Yes, he's a relative. However, that's not why he's here. David is a veteran correspondent, author, and commentator. He contributes frequently to CNN on global affairs. He writes a column every week. He's a member of the board of contributors of USA today.

And for more than seven years, he was the editor and publisher of the world policy journal. He was also editor executive editor at Forbes, he's been a domestic and foreign correspondent for the New York times in New York, Southeast Asia bureau, chief. He was based in Bangkok, Eastern Europe. Belgrade, he moved to CBS news.

He was seven years as a Paris correspondent. He has written for publications that include Harper's the Atlantic, the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine Reader's Digest Foreign  Policy, foreign affairs. He's a graduate of Harvard and the Columbia University graduate school of journalism.

He's a member of the century association, the council on foreign relations, the Harvard Club of New York, the national press club. He, if he's not qualified to talk about media bias, no one is all right. That's why he's here. 

The basic discussion is people believe news is left-wing or right-winged biased. We talk about how it works as a journalist today.

David believes the political spectrum has shrunk dramatically in the past few years because the moderate middle has shrunk dramatically. 

The role of a journalist is to show exactly what is happening on the ground today. Their obligation is to present the world the way it really is. 

Does CNN have a left-winged bias? David gives his insight. 

We talk about Rick Santorum being fired by CNN because his opinions were so extreme that he couldn't represent a news organization that purports to tell the real truth and present the world the way it really is.

What is the role of opinions in the news? How has it changed over the years?

If there is not a left-winged bias to CNN and NBC is there a bias toward conflict? Is the media driving the polarization of our country or is it simply reflecting the polarization. 

It looks like bias in the media but really it is the bias in our country. ~ David Andelman

What has the role of for-profit news and changes in the monetization of news programs played in the integrity of the news?   

There are two kinds of media: 
• Mediated Media
• Unmediated Media

Unmediated media isn't seen by anyone else before it is shipped. Professional news organizations are mediated media. They may have up to 8 people review, proof, revise, and verify each piece.