Media Research Center research director Rich Noyes dropped by the Thursday edition of FBN’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast and showcased the latest example of the liberal media’s refusal to cover both the latest Trump controversies and positive stories like Wednesday’s Foxconn jobs announcement.
“I mean, the disproportionate negative stories, sometimes the White House asks for it by getting off message, but this is over the top. I mean, they are running now about 95 percent negative. I've covered this guy for a while, and I would say it's not 95 percent negative. It might not be a majority positive, but it's not 95 percent negative,” host Neil Cavuto wondered to Noyes.
Noyes responded by pointing out that “they're not interested in all things Trump, they're interested in the things about Trump that fit their agenda.”
He also highlighted how the “big three” evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC spent “16 minutes on things the media regard as big controversies; the Sessions tweet, the ban on transgender people in the military” but only “40 seconds on Foxconn.”
The NewsBusters senior editor noted that Foxconn’s decision will yield “thousands of jobs to the United States, huge investment” and even though the liberal media and their fans have pleaded with the President to focus on other things, they show zero interest in them when he actually does put his phone down.
Later in the segment, Noyes expressed the widespread opinion that the Sessions controversy has hurt the administration’s messaging, providing zero benefit:
What is the strategic benefit to the Trump administration by having the Jeff Sessions story out there day after day — I can't see the benefit of it. You know, what they should be doing with their communications — that includes the President's Twitter feed — is trying to feed their story of the day, feed what they want the media to cover. I mean, maybe the President does want the media to be covering this Sessions story. I can't figure out why he would. But, you know, he also tweeted about the Foxconn deal but he should figure out what his message is and then, you know, give — put things out there that get the media to focus on that.
Here’s the relevant portions of the transcript from FBN’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast on July 27:
FBN’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast
July 27, 2017
12:41 p.m. EasternNEIL CAVUTO: Alright, Rich, my only point on this is it's very, very clear how the media feels on this. I mean, the disproportionate negative stories, sometimes the White House asks for it by getting off message, but this is over the top. I mean, they are running now about 95 percent negative. I've covered this guy for a while, and I would say it's not 95 percent negative. It might not be a majority positive, but it's not 95 percent negative. What's going on here? Rich.
RICH NOYES: Well, I mean, look, they're not interested in all things Trump, they're interested in the things about Trump that fit their agenda. I mean, we look at last night's evening newscasts. We had 16 minutes on things the media regard as big controversies; the Sessions tweet, the ban on transgender people in the military. Sixteen minutes of that. 40 seconds on Foxconn. Now, that was a White House event. He had the Vice President, Speaker of the House, Governor of Wisconsin, chairman of Foxconn, it's bringing thousands of jobs to the United States, huge investment. This is what the media say how they want the President to act, doing these big, important, positive things. It was a positive story, but they didn't give them equal weight. You know, I would cover all the controversies. I think that is news —
CAVUTO: Right.
NOYES: — but if you don't cover this stuff alongside of it, then you have a very skewed news agenda at the end of the day.
(....)
12:43 p.m. Eastern
CAVUTO: But, Rich, to you on how the President steps on that message. He was the one and has been the one dragging this Jeff Sessions thing out. There might be a method to the madness that I don't understand. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, so maybe I'm missing something. But I don't see the value in how it looks in doing that to a guy who was a loyal friend and one of your earliest supporters whether you think he’s doing a bad job or not. By the way, every legal mind I know including all these Republican senators say he was perfectly within his right, in his legal right, legal demand to recuse himself of this Russia thing. Having said that, he should have — and I think, this is my opinion — he should have just asked the guy if he doesn't like him, go, it's not working out. But do so behind closed doors, quietly, allow him to resign with dignity or whatever. You don't like him, fine. But this — this killing him — this is killing him. What do you think?
NOYES: No, I mean, I agree. What is the strategic benefit to the Trump administration by having the Jeff Sessions story out there day after day —
CAVUTO: Right, right.
NOYES: — I can't see the benefit of it. You know, what they should be doing with their communications — that includes the President's Twitter feed — is trying to feed their story of the day, feed what they want the media to cover. I mean, maybe the President does want the media to be covering this Sessions story. I can't figure out why he would. But, you know, he also tweeted about the Foxconn deal —
CAVUTO: You're absolutely right.
NOYES: — but he should figure out what his message is and then, you know, give — put things out there that get the media to focus on that.
