During the Monday night newscasts of the major broadcast networks, both CBS and NBC provided coverage of the far-left global warming marchers in New York City who sought to draw attention their liberal environmental causes and their disdain for Wall Street.
Leading the way in promoting them was NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, who told viewers in a 25-second news brief that the “coordinated marches calling attention to climate change drew some huge crowds in big cities” and brushed off the fact that there were “nay-sayers pointing to the mountains of trash left behind and the carbon footprint of the traffic jams that were caused by the march” as reason to criticize the hundreds of thousands marching. [MP3 audio here; Video below]
Williams said further that “nonetheless,” the protesters were able to create “a big coordinated statement” as “the events and awareness campaign continued” into Tuesday.
Over on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, the program had a 21-second news brief in addition to a 4-second tease leading into the commercial break just prior. Anchor Scott Pelley said this about the marchers:
Today, thousands stopped traffic on Wall Street to warn that climate change is ruining the Earth. They blame big business for that. Police kept the protesters away from the New York Stock Exchange and arrested some who blocked the road. Yesterday, hundreds of thousands marched peacefully in New York and other cities to draw attention to climate change.
Before Monday night, the “big three” of ABC, CBS, and NBC aired a total of 3 minutes and 27 seconds on the march between NBC Nightly News and ABC World News Tonight on September 21 and CBS This Morning and ABC’s Good Morning America on September 22. That total was four and a half times the coverage given to the March for Life in January when NBC and ABC aired news briefs lasting a combined 46 seconds.
The complete transcript of the news brief that aired on NBC Nightly News on September 22 is transcribed below.
NBC Nightly News
September 22, 2014
7:11 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: To the Streets]
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Yesterday's coordinated marches calling attention to climate change drew some huge crowds in big cities, that includes an estimated 400,000-plus here in New York and while there were nay-sayers pointing to the mountains of trash left behind and the carbon footprint of the traffic jams that were caused by the march, it was a big coordinated statement nonetheless and the events and awareness campaign continued today.
The relevant portions of the transcript that mentioned the global warming and Wall Street protests on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley on September 22 are transcribed below.
CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
September 22, 2014
6:43 p.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Wall Street Protest]
SCOTT PELLEY: Traffic comes to a standstill when thousands of protesters March on Wall Street.
(....)
6:51 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Climate Protests]
PELLEY: Today, thousands stopped traffic on Wall Street to warn that climate change is ruining the Earth. They blame big business for that. Police kept the protesters away from the New York Stock Exchange and arrested some who blocked the road. Yesterday, hundreds of thousands marched peacefully in New York and other cities to draw attention to climate change.
