There's no such thing as "unbiased reporting"

In CNN's "Creative ways to avoid layoffs", there is this nifty phrase:

"An unfortunate, but often necessary, way to contain costs is by implementing pay cuts..."

Notice how the journalist has taken a fact, that some companies have chosen to implement pay cuts, into a sympathetic statement made to make both the company and its victims feel better.

Company: Gosh, it's unfortunate (for you), but we need to cut your pay.
Employee: I understand that it's necessary right now.
Company: Still friends?

This is atrocious reporting. Injecting sympathy into a story, while perhaps making the journalist feel better about reporting on a difficult topic, has no place in journalism.

"Some companies have chosen to implement pay cuts as a way to contain costs." Period. Then back it up with facts, as is done here: "...which 16 percent of employers have employed in the last six months." (It would also be easy to criticize "employers have employed", but that would be a digression.)

Oh, I now notice that the story was written by the Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. So, let's blame the editor, instead. :-)

Look for the bias in the next story you read.