Bias in Newspapers and Readers' Perception of Media Literacy

This study explores the trend of publishing news with positive and negative bias and its impact on readers’ perception of media literacy. It primarily aims to investigate how biased news affects audience perception. It also seeks to understand how media bias and media literacy influence newspaper readers’ ability to critically evaluate and analyze information. Despite the rapid growth of online news media, printed newspapers still serve as an important source of information in Nepali society. National broadsheet Nepali dailies remain primary channels for disseminating newsworthy information, often presenting stories with varying degrees of positive or negative bias. Emphasis on such biases can significantly affect audience perception and interpretation. Several indicators and determining factors—such as framing, sourcing, language use, and tone—play a vital role in shaping readers’ perceptions. This study aims to identify the distinction between positive and negative bias in newspaper reporting and how it relates to perceived credibility. Thus, the research essentially seeks to answer how readers’ perceptions are shaped by positively and negatively biased news, in conjunction with varying levels of media literacy. To address this question, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, including surveys of respondents’ opinions, observations, and content analysis of articles published in major daily newspapers. Newspaper readers in the general public possess different levels of media literacy. These differences influence their ability to understand, evaluate, and analyze the information presented to them, particularly in recognizing bias. This highlights the importance of professional ethics in news reporting and the need to enhance media literacy among readers to promote neutrality, balance, and credibility in journalism and media.