'Titanic' Bias? NYT Implies U.S. Economy Sinking Into Recession

As the 2008 election approaches, the New York Times uses the image of a sinking red "RECE$$ION" to communicate a fear that is so far only a phantom menace. Peter Goodman's Sunday Week in Review cover story, "Trying to Guess What Happens Next," displayed plenty of pessimism about the U.S. economy after years of foreign-financed easy money. But the accompanying graphic communicated even more…
Clay Waters

Big Upward 3rd Quarter GDP Revision Expected; Only Thing Bigger Is Its

Of course, the expectations game can be frustrating, and we won't know for sure until the actual report is released Thursday at 8:30 a.m. But there appears to be remarkably good economic news ahead. Naturally, it is getting the barest of coverage from an Old Media business press corps that seems intent on talking the economy down. First, a week ago Monday, MarketWatch's Greg Robb, in an article…
Tom Blumer

Much-Needed Post-Thanksgiving Chuckle

For those suffering on their second day back to work after the long, holiday weekend, I hope this helps you as much as it did me:
Noel Sheppard

'Campaign Operatives Are People Too': CNN's Cooper On Debate Questions

Mary Katharine Ham briefly chatted with CNN's Anderson Cooper and David Bohrman about tomorrow's CNN/YouTube debate and concerns about the agenda of questions that will be picked. For the whole thing, go here, but I just had to share this priceless gem (my emphasis in bold). First Ham's question, then Cooper's answer: Q: There’s been a bit of scandal about the screening that CNN did on its “…
Ken Shepherd

NBC’s Gregory: White House Communications Director a ‘Minister of

Jeff Poor

'Today' Flashback: Russert Praised Clinton on Mideast Peace, Scoffs at

Geoffrey Dickens

Dobbs: Clinton White House Would Be Praised for Today’s Economy

For years, NewsBusters and its parent, the Media Research Center, have been reporting on the disparity in economic coverage by mainstream media outlets during the Clinton and Bush administrations. In the past seven years, economic data that would have been praised when Bill Clinton was in the White House has continually been presented as recessionary, or even depression-like. With that in…
Noel Sheppard

ABC's Sawyer: Huckabee's 'Heavy Handed' Ad Plays 'Religion Card

"Good Morning America" host Diane Sawyer apparently has a significant problem with 2008 GOP contender Mike Huckabee's new ad that identifies the candidate as a "Christian leader." On Tuesday's program, Sawyer fretted over whether "we crossed a line here" and asked guest Newt Gingrich if the campaign spot is "just too heavy-handed about specific denominations?" The GMA host also speculated that…
Scott Whitlock

Oh, Grow Up! WaPo Profiles 'Youth Rights' Activist in Style Section

Update posted at bottomGranted, the Washington Post's Style section can get away with lighter, fluffier fare than the A-section, but profiling a man who heads a $16,000-annual budget "youth rights" organization? That's exactly what staffer Linton Weeks presented Post readers with his November 27 Style section front pager, "Age Is Just a Number." "Youth Rights Advocate Tries to Break Down…
Ken Shepherd

Lauer: Mideast Peace Conference Could Make Things Worse

Talk about damned-if-you-do . . . On this morning's Today show, Matt Lauer discussed with Tim Russert the Middle East peace conference that began today. After years of MSM criticism of President Bush for not getting more involved in the Israeli-Palestinian situation, how does Lauer react when the president undertakes an historic initiative bringing together leaders of all the area's countries for…
Mark Finkelstein

CNN’s Cafferty Spouts on Middle East Peace, War in Iraq

CNN’s Jack Cafferty gave another of his rantings against the war in Iraq and the Bush administration on Monday’s "The Situation Room." Cafferty, channeling Ramsey Clark, called the war in Iraq "an unprovoked act of naked aggression," and charged that the issues of establishing a Palestinian state and the brokering peace between the Israelis and Palestinians have been "virtually ignored by the…
Matthew Balan

NewsBusted Comedy, Episode

Topics in this episode: CNN's hosting of the Democratic presidential debates, Joe and Valerie Wilson, leftist bridge players, and more! Click the "play" icon at the top right of the sidebar to watch.You can also view this episode at YouTube or see our past episodes here. If you like the show, be sure to subscribe to "NewsBusted" to be automatically notified via email whenever we post new…
Matthew Sheffield

Maybe Shoppers Should Send a Thank-You Note to the Gloomy Business Pre

Tom Blumer

The Media, Their Polls and the False News They Produce

First published in Human Events on November 27th, 2007.Wash, spin, rinse, spin. Phone, spin, report, spin, poll, spin. The similarities between the work of the mainstream media and a laundry machine are striking. Yet there is nothing about the cycle -- the spin-report-poll-spin cycle -- that does for political events what detergent does for your boxers or briefs. The media, as One, spend days…
Seton Motley