Barack Obama was so pleased with the findings of a CBS News/New York Times poll that he gave it a plug at the October 15 presidential debate: "Two-thirds of the American people think that Senator McCain is running a negative campaign, versus one-third of mine."
That's what the poll showed, but do people believe this because McCain's ads really are more negative, or because the media have spent more time complaining about them? MRC intern Lyndsi Thomas went over all 213 broadcast morning and evening news stories that discussed the candidates' ads from the end of the primaries (June 4) through October 21. The results show the networks aired nearly three times as many stories criticizing McCain's ads (84) as hitting Obama's (32).
TV reporters challenged both their accuracy and tone:
■ Accuracy: The networks challenged McCain's ads as false or distorted three times more often than they disputed Obama's commercials. A total of 18 stories suggested inaccuracies with one or more campaign commercials, with reporters challenging a total of 18 McCain ads as false, compared to just six Obama ads.
CBS aired five of the six segments suggesting Obama's ads were misleading voters, almost always pairing a complaint about Obama with a gripe about McCain's ads. NBC aired one story doubting an Obama ad, while ABC had zero (although the network ran "fact checks" scrutinizing claims made by both candidates in speeches and debates).
McCain's ads drew far more ire from network reporters. In September, NBC ran a total of four stories — two on Today and two on Nightly News — condemning as false McCain's ad saying that Sarah Palin "stopped the bridge to nowhere." ABC's Good Morning America complained when a McCain ad labeled disgraced ex-Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines "an advisor" to Obama, citing Raines and Obama's claim that they were not close. And the CBS Evening News challenged as not factual McCain's ad saying Obama pushed "legislation to teach comprehensive sex education to kindergartners."
For his part, Obama was criticized by CBS for falsely claiming that McCain wanted to slash "Social Security by half," but neither ABC nor NBC were stirred to reject that claim. Back in June, CBS was also the only network to debunk an Obama bio spot touting laws he'd helped pass: "Obama had a small hand in both measures...and didn't even vote on one he cited." But FactCheck.org, a campaign watchdog, has questioned the truthfulness of 16 separate Obama ads since June — meaning that the networks have skipped more Obama falsehoods than they've exposed.
■ Tone: Apart from complaints about the accuracy of campaign ads, network reporters often disdained the negative tone of ads. Again, McCain was on the receiving end of nearly three times as many stories scolding his supposed negativity (66) as Obama (26). But according to the Wisconsin Advertising Project's review of ads from June 4 to October 4, and taking into account ads that include both positive and negative messages, "the tone of the McCain and Obama campaigns has been absolutely identical."
CBS aired six times more stories complaining about the tone of McCain's ads (19 stories, compared to three about Obama's), while ABC and NBC both spent about twice as much time scolding McCain. Network journalists described McCain's ads as "ridiculous," "nasty," and "infamous," and had McCain described as "attacking," "blasting" and "belittling" his opponent. Three stories suggested McCain's ad equating Obama's celebrity status with that of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton might be racist.
Network reporters may pose as the impartial referees of presidential campaigns, but the one-sidedness of their approach reveals their true bias.
—Rich Noyes is Research Director at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Why bite the hand that
October 23, 2008 - 14:29 ET byWhy bite the hand that feeds you?
Übercon
"The voice of dissent must be heard."-Henry Ford
What's wrong with negative ads?
October 23, 2008 - 14:34 ET by Anchor89I don't have a problem with negative ads. Even if McCain has more negative ads, maybe its because there are more negative things that can be said about Obama. Of course, if the MSM were doing its job of critically covering Obama, then the McCain negative ads would be a waste of money since they would cover material that everyone is already familiar with. Since the MSM is not doing its job covering Obama, the burden is left entirely to the McCain campaign to educate voters about his opponent.
While I agree that there's
October 23, 2008 - 18:49 ET by IndigoChillWhile I agree that there's nothing inherently bad about negative ads, it seems to me that positive ads have a little more staying power to them, don't you?
People are quick to refute disparaging claims against them, but slow to respond to positive statements about others, it seems.
Just a thought.
I, for one, am sick to
October 23, 2008 - 14:43 ET by bigtimerI, for one, am sick to death of hearing the word TONE from the msm talking heads...the tone of this, the tone of that...
If the truth hurts....suck it up!
Politics is a blood sport....and when my side dare fight back you bitch and moan, doing your best to hope McC will pull said ad and once again apologize...
Well, he'd better not...he'd better fight hard to the end...all he needs is to use the same tone you don't like and keep using the word SOCIALISTIC for the socialist party and their Leader.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
CHANGE
October 23, 2008 - 14:53 ET by billbMuch has been made of the Obama campaign for change.
GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE IS ALSO CHANGE.
Going from Capitalism to
October 23, 2008 - 15:15 ET by Clear thinkerGoing from Capitalism to Socialism is also change!
Peek Into Liberal Minds - If You Dare
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
This is a joke.. Among many
October 23, 2008 - 15:03 ET by play21cwThis is a joke.. Among many that keep spewing from the vile, rancid mouths of the MSM. There is a major need for some clarification of the Media’s perception of a “negative” ad. The media sees any add attacking BHO as a negative one, they hear something that could be damaging to the BHO Messiah Campaign, so to run damage control and cover it up they automatically come out and say its McCain veering off track to avoid the issues. Well WAKE UP! These ads should be HARSHER! When the media is making issue about a clothing bill for Palin they are detracting, and therefore they are scared. They have nothing with substance against McCain, they attack on the lowest levels making claims that have no substance or ground.
The MSM is trying to A) get Obama elected, so why would they report anything but good news about him? B) Put FOX out of business because they are leading.
Its amazing how BHO’s own VP doesn’t think he’s good enough for the job. INFACT, Biden doesn’t think to highly of him self, he even said that Hillary would have been a better VP. Then he comes out and says that there WILL be a crisis to test obama. SO WHERE IS THE MEDIA when negative press comes out of the media?
They down played the democrats wearing the shirts that said “Sarah Palin is a C***” But Obama is still bringing up the few that said something at a McCain rally.
And now Joe The Plumber (JTP) lets get the story straight. OBAMA was campaigning in JTP’s neighborhood, and he asked BHO a question, and a valid one at that. Obama revealed his real plan of socialism, but the media instead does everything they can to discredit JTP so he looks like a fool and therefore they can downplay Obamas response of distribution of wealth. Infact I even heard BHO said something along the lines of ‘So this guy, a plumber I think he is, is worried about getting taxed at the $250k level” and people laughed. Another example of BHO turning his elitist nose to the working middleclass man. BUT the media didn’t report on that. Obama is basically saying if you are middle class, that’s where I want to keep you.
The media is absent on reporting on these issues that are most important, they claim that McCain telling the people about BHO’s ties to terrorists, anti Americans, and criminals is “Negative Campaigning” well its only considered negative when it’s a truthful shot at Obama. McCain: “Maverick I can do. Messiah is above my pay grade.
Superb. Should be made into a McCain ad
October 23, 2008 - 15:05 ET by Gary HallSuperb. Should be made into a McCain ad, Rich.
I remember a while back, when one of the TV news shows was running a clip of Obama running his mouth saying nothing other than attacking McCain for McCain not addressing the economy, and running his mouth off saying that McCain was only being negative.
The reporters point; see how positive Obama is - he's addressing the economy - not just attacking McCain.
Oh, that was not just one instance, was it? (;~> gary
I would love to see a break
October 23, 2008 - 15:33 ET by kgI would love to see a break down per networks and m ajor news papers.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
In your post, change the
October 23, 2008 - 16:23 ET by Tim the EnchanterIn your post, change the word "per" to the word "of", and you've nailed it.
Where's the beef?
October 23, 2008 - 20:45 ET by republican_brotherThe media hasn't mentioned to date anything about Obama's two books. The age of Journalism has flatlined and in it's place is the birth of liberal activist journalism.