On Saturday’s Fox News Watch, regular panel member Jim Pinkerton of American Conservative magazine brought up a recent study from the Media Research Center - parent organization to NewsBusters - which found that broadcast network newscasts overwhelmingly placed more blame on Republicans than Democrats for the drawn-out budget fight. After asserting that the press are "carrying" President Obama, Pinkerton continued:
Geoffrey Dickens and Rich Noyes at the Media Research Center calculated that, by a three to one margin, the media are taking his side on this whole fight, so he doesn’t need to go over their heads. He just needs to go with their cheering him on.
Reading from the July 26 edition of MRC publication Media Reality Check, titled, "MRC Study: ABC, CBS and NBC Cast GOP as Debt Ceiling Villains," host Jon Scott then cited more numbers:
The Media Research Center - which is, after all, a conservative media watchdog group - but they compiled a study about the coverage of the debate. Here’s what they found: By a three to one margin, network newscasts put the blame for the debt impasse on Republicans from the period from July 1 to July 22. Eighty-five stories done, 56 - which is 66 percent - mainly blame the Republicans for the debt impasse, and 17 of them mainly blame the Democrats.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Saturday, July 30, Fox News Watch:
MONICA CROWLEY, FNC ANALYST: Poll after poll shows that 65, 75 percent of the American people are paying very close attention to the debt debate. It’s interesting because this President seems to think that he can take a page out of previous Presidents’ play books - Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton - and go over the heads of the press directly to the American people to make his point, but those Presidents knew enough to use the Oval Office or use the East Room, use the power of the presidency in very rare, pointed, kinds of ways to persuade and educate and cajole the American people. This President seems to be engaging in campaign strategizing from the White House, which is why I think you see both criticism both from the right and the left.
...
JIM PINKERTON, AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE MAGAZINE: Let me just make just one point on what Monica said, basically agreement, but when she said "over the heads of the press," it’s because they’re carrying him. I mean, Geoffrey Dickens and Rich Noyes at the Media Research Center calculated that, by a three to one margin, the media are taking his side on this whole fight, so he doesn’t need to go over their heads. He just needs to go with their cheering him on.
JON SCOTT: Right, the Media Research Center - which is, after all, a conservative media watchdog group - but they compiled a study about the coverage of the debate. Here’s what they found: By a three to one margin, network newscasts put the blame for the debt impasse on Republicans from the period from July 1 to July 22. Eighty-five stories done, 56 - which is 66 percent - mainly blame the Republicans for the debt impasse, and 17 of them mainly blame the Democrats.
