how should the media respond to bigotry and racism?

I've been hearing a lot about Ann Coulter calling John Edwards a "faggot" and I just read on PoynterOnline an article about New Jersey councilman Marc Levine's comments about how Dominicans and Mexicans are more promiscuous than other groups (no joke!). He even goes as far to say that he respects "Asian Indians" for being less promiscuous than Hispanic groups and for better family planning. This is a link to his post: http://freeholdvoice.proboards46.com/index.cgi?board=unlawfull&action=display&thread=1163441925&page=1#1163538446.
I also read today, from a link on the PoynterOnline blog (http://www.poynteronline.org/column.asp?id=67&aid=119231) about Levine's racist comments, another article about how city council members in Largo, Florida "voted to fire a highly successful and effective city manager because they didn't like the fact that he was a transexual intent on a sex change" (keith woods on PoynterOnline). Can you legally fire someone for that reason?

Getting back to the point....it is clear that much of society is racist, sexist, homophobic, ignorant. The people who are running cities, and the whole country for that matter, whether they are respected (by some) political commenators, city council people, people within our government, people on TV and in the news....these people are saying this crap and not getting reprimanded properly by the media.....this blatant bigotry needs to be addressed. It seems that the way it is being approached simply gives these people the attention they thrive off of because there don't seem to be very many credible, respected reporters making statements against them by either saying it or refusing to give them any publicity that is not negative.

I'm not saying that people don't have a right to have and express these ignorant opinions, but I feel that the media should feel a necessity to address this issue out of its responsibility for public service, raising awareness and promoting positive social change. Obviously, I realize this is not a new idea, and I know I'm not the first to say that. But when is it going to start? All I see is coverage of these issues in a "this is what happened" sort of way. Sometimes reports include what one side thinks of it and how the other opposes, but when what these people are saying is clearly stupid, ignorant and just plain wrong, I dont see why journalists and reporters are not stepping in and saying so. It is okay to make an educated, articulate statement against what these people are doing and saying, even if it means you have to compromise objectivity.

media bias

The constant debate on whether there is more of a liberal or conservative bias in the media seems to have exhausted itself to the point where people now just choose which bias they like better when deciding what information to absorb. Some people goe as far as to observe both extremes to find a balance. What I want to know is....now that everyone pretty much agrees that there is at least a political bias within the media, how is this bias ethical? Do I just have to accept that most of the media is built upon unethical foundations or are their ethically sound reasons and consequences behind the media bias that I don't see? Would it even be possible to not have one? I personally feel that monetary, social or political agendas behind how news is portrayed are mostly unethical, but I guess if I really tried hard I could think of a few good reasons for it....