Media Bias on Steroids. A great example of media influence is the book written about steroid use in baseball. The book is titled Game of Shadows. This non-fiction book was written by two reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle.

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Media Bias on Steroids

Everyone has heard about Barry Bonds, and the BALCO steroid scandal.  Barry Bonds has denied ever using steroids, but nobody will ever really know.  This situation first started as a small story, but then the media got a hold of it.  The media began to run stories every few hours on this and other steroid investigations.  Then rumors started going around about players being on steroids.  Players fought back with remarks saying that the media was making outrageous accusations.  Then the media began making baseball out as a steroid infested zone, where players use steroids like people need oxygen.  So the question arises, does the media influence, or change the way we portray the steroid investigation?  I think the media does change the way we portray the steroid investigation.  The media has shown that it is willing to do anything to show its point of view on this story, and many others just like it.  The media is in every part of our lives through the Internet, television, radio, and newspapers.  The question that I will answer throughout this paper is how, why, and when does the media influence the way we portray the steroid investigation.  

The first question to answer is how the media has influenced the steroid investigation.  The media obviously has influenced the steroid investigation in many ways.  One way that the media influences the steroid investigation is by pressuring players to admit that they have used steroids or that they knew somebody who did.  They may do this through blackmail or other extreme methods.  Also, the media may show the player some good reason to do it.  Take Barry Bonds for example he has been hassled this past year about steroids and if he had used them.  The media has not gotten off his case, and they started saying that he has used them.  Now most people think that he has used them, and his career has been tarnished.  I am not trying to say that I believe that he used steroids; I am just showing how the media has influenced the way we think.  Barry Bonds currently is not playing baseball and has not been signed by any professional team.  No team wants to deal with all the controversy and media influence that will come with him.  Who can blame them?  The media has also influenced the steroid investigation by convincing Major League Baseball’s Commissioner Bud Selig, and Congress, to conduct an investigation into steroid use.  Selig and Congress were soon made out to be clowns, by the media, because they weren’t doing what the media wanted them to do.  Then Selig and Congress caved in to their demands and began the investigation.

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A great example of media influence is the book written about steroid use in baseball.  The book is titled Game of Shadows.  This non-fiction book was written by two reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle.  In the book they allege extensive steroid use by Barry Bonds.  The book is based on allegations not proven facts.  It, however, created basically all the controversy leading to Congress’ investigation into Major League Baseball.  It is a bestseller and a main reason why people believe Barry Bonds used steroids.  I am not saying whether the book is true or not, I am showing how ...

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