The insular world of NBC News and MSNBC. In her Tuesday NBC Nightly News story on President Barrack Obama's status of the economy speech, reporter Savannah Guthrie emphasized how “the White House billed today's speech as a 'major' one” and so it was “carried live on cable” where “analysts said it was short on rhetoric and long on policy.”
Guthrie's expert “analysts” turned out to be one analyst, her boss. In a clip lifted from MSNBC earlier in the day, NBC Nightly News viewers heard NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Mark Whitaker effuse: “Well, there was a moment of church in that speech, but the rest of it was pure law school.”
ABC's World News and the CBS Evening News stuck to reporting what Obama said and managed to avoid such a thematic assessment.
Before replacing the late Tim Russert, Whitaker was the top editor at Newsweek magazine.
From the end of Guthrie's report on the Tuesday, April 14 NBC Nightly News:
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: The White House billed today's speech as a “major” one. Carried live on cable, analysts said it was short on rhetoric and long on policy.
MARK WHITAKER, NBC NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, ON MSNBC: Well, there was a moment of church in that speech, but the rest of it was pure law school.
GUTHRIE: Aides say the President's goal was to give Americans a realistic picture of where the economy is.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: You can continue to expect an unrelenting, unyielding, day-by-day effort from this administration to fight for economic recovery on all fronts.
GUTHRIE: Well tomorrow is, of course, the deadline to file taxes. The President will use the occasion to talk about the tax cuts and credits in his economic recovery package.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
The White House?
April 14, 2009 - 20:49 ET by CobraMan"The White House billed today's speech as a “major” one."
Can you imagine the "analysis" that MSNBC would have given to a speech by Bush that was promoted this way? I think that the term "major" would have been followed by the term "disappointment" by the commentators at MSNBC.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
Their reviews of his
April 14, 2009 - 22:09 ET by motherbeltTheir reviews of his speeches are written in advance.
It doesn't matter what he says.
They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes
Sugar Coated Socialism
April 15, 2009 - 12:28 ET by allanfI don't think one can say it doesn't matter what Obama says. So long as Obama gives the peasants "sugar coated socialism" he will get rave reviews from fellow travelers in the media.
Tax Cuts?
April 14, 2009 - 23:15 ET by FormerMarineOfficerVapid is as vapid does.
all of it
April 15, 2009 - 01:20 ET by GeronLThat is what passes for news these days. Their "analysts" and "experts" are their co-workers who all agree on their liberal worldview. Remember that "man on the street" who was interviewed hundreds of times because he was willing to be quoted saying whatever they wanted him to say?
Yawn
April 15, 2009 - 04:35 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsObama gives a speech, the MSM fawns, the Dow drops 100+ points. Same old, same old.
D
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Obama the chickenhawk war monger tortures prisoners!!!!
April 15, 2009 - 05:00 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsThis just in: Obama tortures prisoners!
Shocking, I tell you!
D
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"Analysts say..."
April 15, 2009 - 05:40 ET by actionDon't you just love it when you hear the phrases "analysts say..." or especially "EXPERTS say.." in a newscast? Those phrases are just cop outs because no investigative journalism is practiced any more. They believe that when they use thoses phrases, we're all supposed to throw up our hands and think "hell, there's no sense in even questioning this report, cuz "experts say.." Lazy "drive by" journalism exemplified. Do they really think we blindly accept a story because "experts say..." ?? Did these guys ever think that some in the audience might actually engage in CRITICAL THINKING??
WHO' S THE BOSS?
April 15, 2009 - 08:24 ET by danybhoyOk, the headline says, "Guthrie Decides Obama Gave a Great Speech--On MSNBC My Boss Told Me So", & I have a question.
Who is Savannah Guthrie's boss? Is it BathTubBoy? He seems to be able to hire & fire people at MSNBC...Is it Phil Griffin? He is the guy who runs NBCnews...Is it Jeff Imeldt? The guy in charge of GE...Or is it Obama? Since GE was bailed out with $138BILLION, they are more or less a GSE(gov't sponsered entity), why could'nt Obama & his hacks direct what sort of direction GE/NBC/MSNBC/CNBC goes? BTW, I heard that all the The White House TVs are now tuned into MSNBC(that would add about 30% to their ratings)from Fox., & that's fine. I think it's about 2 things. 1-The Obama's like the point of view of MSNBC...2-To keep an eye on their investment, MSNBC is now the property of the DNC & the Obama administration.
"The Fairness Doctrine = Jim Crow laws for Conservatives". Jim Quinn from "Quinn & Rose"
And they call us
April 15, 2009 - 08:45 ET by Tom in NCMind numbed robots!
Do you want some sauce with that implanted microchip?
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. Thomas Paine
US patriot & political philosopher (1737 - 1809)