What do media outlets have to gain by rallying hatred and rivalry (other than money)? Why don't more outlets try to do things like Politifacts -- fact-checking of what people say -- wouldn't showing factual information about what candidates say be the best way to really get at the true knowledge a candidate has?

Media should show public accountabilities for independent power from National sovereign clearly. That is fundamentals of constitutionalism.

How can media avoid bias?

"Goodnight, and Goodluck" :)

We have rarely seen honesty, never-mind "un-biased" media since the times of newscasters such as Edward R. Murrow...

Most media is biased, but what is critical and missing then, is accountability. If you make biased programing you have responsibility to public not to call it "fair and balanced" or "news" when its really advertising for profit!

However, the public also has a responsibility to not believe everything found in any one media source. If something is reported as news, it doesn't mean that we have the right to assume its true without further review. This is largely not done. Societies become complacent as a general rule, particularly less impoverished ones, and as a result reduce the "democratic ozone".

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." ~ H. L. Mencken

"Democracy without education is hypocrisy without limitation." ~Iskander Mirza

Isn't the role of the media just a sub-question of the role of money in the election?

I agree with that to an extent. I also think that news journalism today is basically editorial and far less "unbiased" than they claim. You could say that is a result of cash flow into the media markets, but I also think it's the attitudes of Journalists who care more about making another buck than standing for something, than deciding not to intentionally mislead their fellow citizens in order for career advancement or monetary gain. So as citizens we are now more than ever obligated to filter our news and research our understanding of the world. Freedom and democracy are easily defeated by people who are to lazy to challenge what they hear or read. It brings a whole new meaning to the term "tube-feeding"
When I see a piece of news, I say to myself "Is this undeniably a fact? Or can it be motivated journalism?" If we are not staunch advocates for the truth we become the very people who we claim to be against. Iskander Mirza said "Democracy without education is hypocrisy without limitation."  !!

I think that social media is also very important since people spend more and more time online. All the social media channels are important for the "buzz" effect and the benefits are that the word is spreading much faster in online.
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