Williams Hypes Protests ‘Still Growing, Changing and Spreading,’ CBS Delivers ‘Series’ of Genial Stories

The broadcast networks continued their enthusiastic coverage Friday night on behalf of the far-left Wall Street protesters, with NBC’s Brian Williams, again, the most excited while CBS anchor Scott Pelley, who has until now refrained from the hype delivered by ABC and NBC, jumped in by promising “a series of reports on the growing protests around the country.”

Williams led by touting how the protesters “are claiming victory tonight” by not getting removed from the Manhattan park. He then hailed their impact which he has helped fuel: “This protest movement is showing strength. It’s still growing, changing and spreading...”

Pelley set up the first of his three CBS Evening News reports: “Those protests against Wall Street are continuing into the weekend all over the country in 103 cities and in 36 states. We have correspondents tonight at three of those protests.”

Following a story from Manhattan, Pelley and reporter Bill Whitaker trumpeted the economic diversity of the protesters. “The protesters claim that they represent 99 percent of Americans against the wealthiest one percent,” Pelley announced. “In Los Angeles, Bill Whitaker is finding protesters from nearly every walk of life.”

Next, Pelley asserted “Elaine Quijano is talking to those protesters who are acting in Boston and she’s found some people who you would never expect to be unemployed.” In fact, she found just what you’d expect: recent college graduates.

About Thursday night: “‘Message’ of Wall Street Protests ‘Increasingly Resonating,’ NBC’s Williams Champions.”

>> MRC Media Reality Check posted Thursday. “A Tale of Two Protests: Media Cheer Wall Street Occupiers But Jeered Tea Partiers; Study: ABC, CBS and NBC loaded their broadcasts with 33 full stories in just 11 days of coverage of the Occupy Wall Street protests.” <<

Williams opened the Friday, October 14 NBC Nightly News:

Good evening. Protesters here in New York who are part of the movement that calls itself Occupy Wall Street, that has spread across the country, are claiming victory tonight. What was going to be a showdown in a public park today did not happen. This protest movement is showing strength. It’s still growing, changing and spreading, while some are trying to define the focus and the mission from this point forward. We begin tonight with NBC’s Mara Schiavocampo in lower Manhattan.

Some clips from Friday’s CBS Evening News:

Pelley’s tease:

New York City’s confrontation with Occupy Wall Street protesters comes to an unexpected end. We have a series of reports on the growing protests around the country.

Pelley set up his three stories:

Those protests against Wall Street are continuing into the weekend all over the country in 103 cities and in 36 states. We have correspondents tonight at three of those protests. First, Jim Axelrod in New York where a feared confrontation with police today was averted.

Pelley introduced the second report:

The protesters claim that they represent 99 percent of Americans against the wealthiest one percent. In Los Angeles, Bill Whitaker is finding protesters from nearly every walk of life. Bill?

Whitaker began:

Scott, it's day 13 of Occupy LA. About 600 people are here most days, more on the weekends and they come for many reasons. Some people are unemployed, they’re students who can’t pay back student loans, people who need health insurance. But what unites them is a frustration, even anger, over an economic system they see as stacked against them....

Pelley transitioned to the third piece:

Elaine Quijano is talking to those protesters who are acting in Boston and she’s found some people who you would never expect to be unemployed. Elaine?

Quijano maintained:

Well, Scott, here at the Occupy Boston protest, where an evening prayer service is just getting under way, many of the demonstrators we’ve seen are either college students or recent college graduates. In fact, there are some 30 colleges and universities in the city of Boston alone....