If you’ve noticed the pro-life side of the abortion debate receives little or no attention when the networks report on the abortion issue, you’re not alone. On Aug. 8, demonstrators and pro-life speakers gathered outside ABC News’ Washington, D.C. office to demand fair coverage of abortion by the networks on August 8. The “Life March on the Media Rally” was hosted by pro-life advocacy group Live Action.
During the event, Live Action President Lila Rose called for a “180 in reporting” on abortion, the “most important human rights abuse of our day.” Rose cited the lack of coverage the issue receives, saying, “Part of the desire to not cover it or to only cover the pro-abortion side is because there’s an intuitive understanding there. When you tell the truth about what abortion does to a baby, people get upset.” She continued, “And that’s the very news that is, in a way, the most important news for ABC and the other groups to censor.” Video below:
Armed with studies from the Media Research Center, Live Action planned via the event to “expose the media as collaborators with the abortion industry” who are “depriv[ing] Americans of vital factual information on this gruesome procedure.”
Besides Rose, the event attracted speakers such as pro-life blogger Jill Stanek, Americans United for Life President and CEO Charmaine Yoest, The Radiance Foundation Chief Creative Officer Ryan Bomberger as well as the MRC's own Political Director Christian Robey.
Event organizer Maggen Elizabeth Stone, Live Action youth outreach coordinator and assistant to the president, estimated there were 130-150 participants gathered at the protest. “People continued to arrive and join the crowd all the way up through The Radiance Foundation's Ryan Bomberger, the final speaker," Stone said, adding that there were a "good number of passers-by who stopped to listen before moving on."
Many of the rally participants voiced disgust with the networks, citing examples from the annual March for Life to the reial and murder conviction of Philadelpia abortionist Kermit Gosnell.
A variety of reporters covered the event, and a cameraman from ABC News was there. ABC, it should be noted, hasn’t reported on the rally.
Live Action implemented other strategies to end censorship by sending letters of complaint toABC, CBS, and NBC, organizing a concurrent Twitter rally, and advertising a petition to end abortion censorship in its latest campaign.
Links to additional speaker interviews:
Christian Robey, Media Research Center Political Director:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHRJv_GAdE
Charmaine Yoest, Americans United for Life President and CEO:
Jill Stanek, pro-life blogger:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bR5UMIQkOs
Ryan Bomberger, The Radiance Foundation Chief Creative Officer:
