Rick Sharga

Where Others Misled, ABC Gave Honest Portrayal of Foreclosure Report

By Jeff Poor | November 16, 2007 - 16:46

Call this a textbook example of how some in the media cast things in the worst possible light.

On November 14, the three major network newscasts made their routine monthly downbeat foreclosure report, based on RealtyTrac foreclosure data. RealtyTrac has become the go-to source by the news media for foreclosure data.

But on that night, one network (ABC) interpreted the data differently from the others about Stockton, Calif., the city with the nation's highest foreclosure statistics. "NBC Nightly News" and "CBS Evening News" reported 1 in 31 homes were in foreclosure and ABC "World News with Charles Gibson" reported 1 in 49 homes were in foreclosure.

According to RealtyTrac's Rick Sharga both numbers were "technically" correct, but the ABC report used the number for "unique household" – making its report more accurate.

Networks Still Misinterpreting Foreclosure Data

By Jeff Poor | November 15, 2007 - 17:50

Uh oh, it's that time of the month again.

Once a month, California-based RealtyTrac releases national foreclosure statistics and once a month, all three networks manage to overlook details in their reporting. But, this time, ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" got it completely wrong.

From the November 14 broadcasts: