Fifty-five percent (55%) of U.S. voters say the media coverage of this year’s presidential campaign is more biased than in previous election years, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Only six percent (6%) say the coverage is less biased, while 36% rate it about the same as in previous election years.

Republicans by more than two-to-one compared to Democrats – 79% to 36% -- see the coverage as more biased. Over half of Democrats (52%) say the coverage is about the same as in previous elections, but just 16% of Republicans agree.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of unaffiliated voters also say the media coverage is more biased this year.

In a survey last month, 69% said reporters try to help the candidate they want to win, and 50% believed this year they were trying to help Democratic candidate Barack Obama. Just 11% thought they were trying to help his Republican opponent John McCain. These findings have been consistent through several surveys this election year.

In August, 55% said media bias is more of a problem than big campaign contributions.

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Asked to rate the three major cable news channels in the latest survey, sizable percentages say the coverage on both CNN and MSNBC is biased in favor of Obama. Where Republicans overwhelmingly see bias, Democrats see no bias. Even Democratic voters, however, do not say either of these networks favors McCain.

Fifty-one percent (51%) say MSNBC’s coverage is biased to help Obama, while 28% say it is unbiased. Five percent (5%) say MSNBC favors McCain.

While 60% of male voters see pro-Obama bias on MSNBC, only 42% of women feel that way. Seventy-five percent (75%) of Republicans and 52% of unafilliated voters think the network leans toward Obama, compared to 29% of Democrats.

MSNBC got a black eye last month when it was forced to reverse its decision to have outspoken liberal analysts Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews lead its election news coverage. Complaints from Republicans and from within its parent network NBC prompted the change.

Forty-six percent (46%) say CNN’s coverage is biased to help Obama, but 33% say it is unbiased. Six percent (6%) say it tilts toward McCain.

Again, men are more critical than women. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Republicans say CNN favors Obama, but only 21% of Democrats agree. Forty-five percent (45%) of unaffiliateds say CNN is biased in favor of Obama, but 32% says its coverage is unbiased.

A plurality of voters (42%) rate both Fox News and their local newspaper as unbiased in terms of political coverage. But 39% say coverage on Fox is biased to help McCain, while 32% say their local newspaper’s coverage tilts toward Obama. Thirteen percent (13%) say their local paper is biased to help McCain.

Just eight percent (8%) say Fox is biased in favor of the Democrat. In the final presidential debate Wednesday night, Obama made a joking reference to Fox’s coverage of him, suggesting it is seldom favorable.

While 62% of Republicans say Fox’s coverage is unbiased, 58% of Democrats say it leans toward McCain. Forty-four percent (44%) of unaffiliated voters say Fox favors the Republican, but 40% rate its coverage as unbiased.

In a survey in early August, 87% of Fox News viewers said they were likely to vote for McCain, while those who watch CNN and MSNBC planned to support Obama in November by more than two-to-one.

Earlier this week, 32% described this year’s presidential race as more negative than most, but 74% also said the media reports more on negative campaigning than the issues.

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