Fade to Black? TV Coverage of VA Scandal Drops 84% in June
July 1st, 2014 9:45 AM
In May, Americans were horrified by the scandal enveloping the Veterans Affairs and the media seemed to agree. World News anchor Diane Sawyer denounced the secret lists and substandard care as a "national outrage." But as the story grew and evolved in June, ABC, CBS and NBC seem to have already moved past the "outrage." In June, the networks allowed a scant 30 minutes, compared to 180 minutes…
On Saturday, Nets Gloss Over 'Scathing' Report on V.A. Scandal, ABC Ig
June 29th, 2014 4:56 PM
After Friday's World News on ABC ignored the White House report on the infamous problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Saturday's Good Morning America on ABC also ignored the scandal, while CBS This Morning Saturday and NBC's Today show -- both of which are two-hour programs - only ran short briefs, the one on CBS totaling 25 seconds and the one on NBC 19 seconds.
By contrast, the…
Networks: Abortion Clinic Buffer Zones Protect Women From 'Violent' an
June 27th, 2014 4:31 PM
Despite Thursday's unanimous Supreme Court ruling that so-called "buffer zones" banning pro-life protests near abortion clinics was a violation of the First Amendment, all three network evening newscasts hyped assertions by abortion advocates that such unconstitutional measures "prevent violence at clinic entrances." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
On NBC Nightly News…
Excited George Stephanopoulos Rides Air Force One With Obama, Watches
June 27th, 2014 2:25 PM
An excited George Stephanopoulos on Friday recounted his flight on Air Force One and the thrill of watching the U.S. World Cup with Barack Obama. In the 8am hour, Stephanopoulos bragged to co-host Robin Roberts: "You were teasing me earlier about my trip yesterday on Air Force One. So, I'm just going to rub it in."
At the top of the show, he trumpeted, "ABC News exclusive: My day with the…
Stephanopoulos to Obama: Are You 'Disappointed' in Americans for Losin
June 27th, 2014 11:45 AM
In an exclusive interview with Barack Obama, George Stephanopoulos on Friday hinted that the President is disappointed in the American people. The overall interview actually included some tough questions on subjects such as Iraq and the crisis of illegal immigration. But the Good Morning America co-host sympathized with Obama when discussing his crumbling poll numbers and noted that "the public…
CBS Finally Covers House Speaker's Lawsuit Against Obama Administratio
June 26th, 2014 2:54 PM
CBS lifted its blackout of House Speaker John Boehner's planned lawsuit against the Obama White House with a 15-second news brief on Thursday's CBS This Morning. The network follows in the footsteps of NBC, which first mentioned the story a day earlier on Wednesday's Today, and ABC on Wednesday's World News.
Altogether, the Big Three networks have devoted just one minute and 18 seconds to…
CBS Tries To Spin ‘Nasty’ GDP Data; ABC, NBC Ignore 2.9 Percent Dr
June 26th, 2014 12:17 PM
After downplaying bad economic news for months, the broadcast networks continued their head-in-the-sand approach once again.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) revised earlier growth estimates sharply downwards. It announced on June 25 that found the U.S. economy actually shrank at an annual rate of 2.9 percent during the first three months of 2014. Despite this grim statistic, only CBS’ “…
Networks Let Obama Escape Blame for Yet Another Crisis of His Making
June 26th, 2014 9:21 AM
On Tuesday, Univision’s Jorge Ramos did something his colleagues at the Big Three networks have been reluctant to do. He pinned the blame for the ongoing border crisis squarely on Barack Obama’s immigration policies.
Writing in the June 24 edition of Miami’s El Nuevo Herald (translation courtesy of MRC Latino’s Ken Oliver-Mendez) Ramos blasted the President: (video after the jump)
ABC, CBS Skip Coverage of Boehner’s Obama Lawsuit; NBC Devotes Only
June 25th, 2014 5:30 PM
On Wednesday, NBC’s Today was the only broadcast network morning news show to give coverage to House Speaker John Boehner’s lawsuit against President Obama. Today devoted 19 seconds to the story, while both ABC and CBS ignored it completely.
During the 7:00 a.m. news brief, NBC national correspondent Peter Alexander reported that Boehner was considering a lawsuit against the President for “…
This Bites: Networks Devote 14 Minutes to Soccer ‘Chomp’; Pass on
June 25th, 2014 1:22 PM
The scene: a network newsroom in Manhattan, editorial meeting for the June 24 evening broadcast.
“Hey, what about this story of Meriam Ibrahim? Looks like Sudan released her and then rearrested her.”
“Meh, another African Christian condemned by Muslim fanatics to death for her faith, yada, yada, yada. We need something really important, that cuts right to the fundamental conflicts and…
ABC, NBC Continue To Ignore U.S. Archivist Claim That IRS Didn’t Fol
June 25th, 2014 10:21 AM
Yesterday, David Ferriero, the head archivist for the U.S. government, testified before Congress and insisted that the IRS had not followed the law requiring the agency to notify his office three years ago that Lois Lerner’s hard drive had crashed containing official records and emails.
Despite these new details, only CBS has bothered to report on the latest in the IRS scandal with both ABC…
Robin Roberts Shills for Obama, Touts 'Presidential Push for Working M
June 24th, 2014 12:25 PM
Robin Roberts, the co-host of Good Morning America, is a favorite pick of top Democrats to host fawning, content-free interviews and panel discussions. On Tuesday's GMA, she showcased an exclusive one-on-one interview with Michelle Obama. As though she were reading talking points, the journalist touted, "Now, to the big all-day White House summit on working families. President Obama making a…
Networks: IRS Hearing Just 'Another Round of Bitter Partisanship'; Dem
June 24th, 2014 11:55 AM
After ten days of ignoring the June13 revelation that the IRS mysteriously lost two years worth of Lois Lerner's emails related to the scandal plaguing the agency, Tuesday's network morning shows finally took notice of the development only to tout Democrats dismissing the latest congressional hearing on the government abuse as a "farce." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump…
ABC Gushes Over Celeb Friends of Clinton and Obama, Skips Hillary's Ga
June 23rd, 2014 11:42 AM
Good Morning America's reporters on Saturday, Sunday and Monday swooned over the celebrity fans of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Yet, GMA's hosts found no time for the possible 2016 candidate's book tour gaffe. On Monday, Lara Spencer enthused, "...It's clear that Clinton has a super fan in Katy [Perry]. The singer posted this snapshot and told her millions of followers, 'I told Hillary…