Cover title. "Based on critical thinking concepts & tools"--Cover

Democracy and the news media -- Myths that obscure the logic of the news media -- Bias and objectivity in the news media -- Forms of objectivity -- Perception of bias in the mainstream -- Propaganda and news story writing -- Protecting the home audience from guilt feelings -- Fostering sociocentric thinking -- Slanting stories to favor privileged view -- How to obtain useful information from propaganda and standard news stories -- Steps in becoming a critical consumer of the "news" -- Media awareness of media bias -- Sensitivity to advertisers -- Sensitivity to government -- Sensitivity to powerful interests -- Sensitivity to their competitors -- Bias toward "Novelty" and "Sensationalism" -- Critical consumers of the news -- Is it possible for the news media to reform? -- Is the emergence of a "critical society" possible? -- Dominant and dissenting views: finding alternative sources of information -- Becoming an independent thinker -- Buried, ignored, or underreported stories -- Summary -- Using the internet -- Additional alternative news sources -- Conclusion -- Abbreviated glossary -- Thinker's guide library.