Networks Omit Blagojevich's Democratic Affiliation After Conviction
June 28th, 2011 5:42 PM
ABC, CBS, and NBC all failed to mention former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's affiliation with the Democratic Party on their Monday evening news broadcasts and the Tuesday morning shows. Blagojevich was convicted by a jury on Monday on 17 out of 20 charges, mainly related to the attempt to sell the Senate seat of President Obama. Only CBS's Early Show noted his party with a "D" on-screen…
NBC's Lauer Asks if Bachmann Will Be 'Palinized,' She Predicts 'Media
June 28th, 2011 12:30 PM
In an interview with Congresswoman Michele Bachmann on Tuesday's Today, co-host Matt Lauer highlighted concerns about the Minnesota Republican's chances in the presidential race: "Amy Kremer, who's a leader of the Tea Party movement, said...that you will be – and this is her word, not mine – quote, 'Palinized' in this campaign. Do you understand the verb, and what would your definition of it be…
Networks Tout 'Extra Spectacular' Gay Pride Parades and 'Victory Laps
June 27th, 2011 3:44 PM
The network morning shows on Monday hyped the "extra spectacular" gay pride parades in the wake of New York's newly passed same sex marriage legislation. Both ABC and NBC highlighted the "hero's welcome" Governor Andrew Cuomo received after signing the bill. At the same time, they ignored dissenters.
On Monday's Today, news anchor Natalie Morales touted, "Gay pride parades around the country…
NBC: Michele Bachmann Trying to Overcome Her 'Flame-Thrower Persona
June 27th, 2011 1:27 PM
Reporting on Michele Bachmann officially entering the presidential race on Monday's NBC Today, correspondent Kelly O'Donnell declared that "step one" for the Minnesota Congresswoman was "redefining [her] public image" by "turning down the flame-thrower persona."
Following O'Donnell's report and taped interview with Bachmann, co-host Ann Curry interviewed fellow Republican presidential…
ABC, NBC Kowtow to Michelle Obama, but Took Shots at Laura Bush
June 24th, 2011 5:35 PM
When ABC and NBC interview First Ladies, both the tone and substance of the discussion tend to hinge on whether the husband is an Obama or a Bush.
On Wednesday's ABC "World News" and NBC "Nightly News," network correspondents sat down with Michelle Obama in South Africa for exclusive interviews in which they lobbed softball questions and avoided her husband's policies. But in interviews with…
ABC Only Big Three Net to Fully Cover Seattle Islamist Terror Plot; NB
June 24th, 2011 3:47 PM
NBC barely covered the Thursday arrests of two Islamists in a planned terrorist attack on a military facility in Seattle. The network didn't cover the breaking news at all on Thursday's Nightly News, and devoted only 17 seconds to it on Friday's Today Show. Thursday's CBS Evening News had a minute-long report on the arrests, while ABC had full reports on the arrests on World News and GMA.…
Matt Lauer Says It's 'Fair' to Grill Christie on Sending Kids to Priva
June 24th, 2011 3:18 PM
In an exclusive interview with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Friday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer played a clip of a woman attacking the Republican as hypocritical for sending his children to private school while cutting funding for public schools. Lauer agreed with her premise: "I thought it was a fair question."
Lauer sympathized with the woman and argued: "...what she was asking…
Big Three Networks Ignore Obama's Medal of Honor Screw-Up
June 24th, 2011 3:04 PM
Barack Obama's confusing one living American war hero with a fallen one he honored in 2009, has been completely ignored by the Big Three Networks shows, including the same NBC Nightly News that threw a fit over Sarah Palin's recent recounting of an event over 200 years ago, Paul Revere's ride.
NBC's Lauer Asks if Voters Have 'Buyer's Remorse' of GOP Governors, No
June 23rd, 2011 3:57 PM
Talking to former Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw on Thursday's NBC Today, co-host Matt Lauer touted low approval ratings for some newly elected Republican governors and theorized: "They went into office with messages of austerity. And now a year later, you look at their approval ratings and they're falling. Is this buyer's remorse?"
A graphic appeared on screen showing Wisconsin Governor…
NBC Touts 'Sober' Obama 'Fulfilling His Promise' of Troop Withdrawal i
June 23rd, 2011 1:30 PM
On Thursday's NBC Today, chief White House correspondent Chuck Todd recited Obama administration spin as he gave a fully positive assessment of the President's Wednesday announcement of an Afghanistan troop withdrawal: "The President went with the most aggressive compromised withdrawal plan he could get commanders at the Pentagon to sign off on."
Moments later, Todd declared: "It was a sober…
Chris Matthews: 'I Hate That So-called Evenhanded So-called Objective
June 22nd, 2011 7:34 PM
Chris Matthews on Wednesday made it clear that like Al Gore, he believes the media should only be telling one side of the story when it comes to manmade global warming.
Such came out in the middle of a discussion about Gore's new article in Rolling Stone magazine when the "Hardball" host told his guests, "I hate that so-called evenhanded so-called objective journalism" (video follows with…
Video: NBC Thinks Real-Life Noah's Ark Could Be Needed in Global Warmi
June 22nd, 2011 1:25 PM
During a fluffy human interest story on Wednesday's NBC Today about a man in Holland who built a full-size replica of the biblical Noah's Ark, correspondent Janet Shamlian turned serious for a moment, wondering: "But how realistic is this Dutchman's dream of doom? Because of global warming, the concept of a flood happening here is not unheard of." [Audio available here]
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ABC, NBC Starstruck by 'Patented Michelle (Obama) Power
June 22nd, 2011 12:43 PM
ABC and NBC have delivered fawning coverage of First Lady Michelle Obama's visit this week to South Africa and Botswana, oozing over the "celebrity" and "excitement" of the "patented Michelle power" on display. To its credit, CBS has largely taken a pass on the idolatry.
Video follows break
Nets Ignore Emissions Decision, Politico Carries EPA's Water
June 21st, 2011 1:10 PM
The Supreme Court on Monday unequivocally rejected the notion that courts should force power companies to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, but none of the major broadcast networks covered the unanimous decision on their evening newscasts or morning shows.
The New York Times teased the ruling on the front page of Tuesday's paper, directing readers to a thorough analysis of the 8-0 decision,…