[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4753]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL MEDIA IS NOT MAINSTREAM

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today's so-called ``mainstream'' 
media is not mainstream. The modern encyclopedia, Wikipedia, says, 
``The term `mainstream' media denotes those media generally reflective 
of the prevailing currents of thought, influence, or activity.'' But 
the opinions expressed by the media are neither widespread nor accepted 
by the majority of Americans.
  For example, journalists and the public have very different views 
regarding illegal immigration. According to a Pew Research Center poll, 
less than one in five journalists said they thought ``reducing illegal 
immigration'' was a ``top priority.'' Yet over half the American people 
rate illegal immigration reduction as a ``top priority.''
  The national media should not be considered ``mainstream'' until the 
majority of Americans and journalists are on the same page. The bias of 
the national media's journalists has caused them not only to be on a 
different page but also to be in an entirely different publication than 
the typical American. To call today's national media ``mainstream'' is 
simply inaccurate. The national media is better described as the 
``liberal'' national media.

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