Gumbel Hits Starr; ABC, CBS & CNN Skip Encryption; Tax Cut Enrages NBC 1) Ken Starr is just like other federal prosecutors. That's not reassuring to Bryant Gumbel. 2) China absconded with U.S. encryption technology, top officials told a House committee. Tuesday night only FNC cared. A New York Times story spurred a Today mention and a Nightly News piece. 3) Wednesday night CBS ran a tough piece about Chinese oppression of Tibet, but ABC highlighted a Chinese woman urging Clinton to "not lecture us on human rights. We have our own culture." 4) Taxes no longer certain for the... continue reading
U.S. News Tapes Correct Record for Rather; China Connection Disconnected 1) Dan Rather jumped on the U.S. News tapes to show how the "carefully orchestrated leaks" of Lewinsky tapes released earlier, "that were damaging to the Clinton camp, may not have told the whole story." 2) The Supreme Court issued two conservative decisions. They upset Time online which insists the decisions "have a troubling aspect." 3) Steve Brill's donations to Democrats were never raised by the broadcast network evening shows. Michael Kelly showed how Brill took the side "of those who seek to hide the truth." 4) Networks refuse to... continue reading
Clinton Lied, Then So What?; Affidavit Waved by 3 Nets; "Hitlerian" CNN 1) The story: Lewinsky will testify that the President lied about not having sex with her. The CBS spin: Starr's "investigation could end up nothing more than he said, she said." Chung details how he laundered money and insists a top DNC official played along: Total broadcast network time: 19 seconds. 2) NBC labeled the appearance by Frank Carter, to explain Lewinsky's affidavit, "very serious," but ABC, CBS and CNN ignored it while CNN highlighted claims from "hostile" sources about Starr's wiring. 3) Sunday night CNN's NewsStand acknowledged... continue reading
Tobacco Disappointment; Gays Before Starr; CNN "Has Damaged" the U.S. 1) Dan Rather blamed "heavy money" for killing the tobacco bill. More on "Republican" Ken Starr. ABC raised the possibility Kathleen Willey was intimidated. Brokaw: Is GOP "too narrow?" 2) Trent Lott's comments prompted ABC's Charles Gibson to demand: "Why are so many politicians finding it so attractive to attack homosexuality?" But ABC skipped Starr's refutation of Brill. 3) "CNN has damaged the United States of America quite seriously," charged CNN's own military affairs consultant. Now, CNN may sue if he talks about how he thinks their nerve gas story... continue reading
Starr's "Secret Briefings" Alarm Reporters Who Already Knew About Them 1) "Hasn't Starr handed the White House an enormous political opportunity?" asked ABC's Charles Gibson. Yes, as the media make a big issue of what Dan Rather ominously dubbed "secret briefings." But Lawrence Walsh did the same thing, as only one reporter noted. 2) Monday morning GMA delivered only the White House spin. The Starr controversy consumed the whole first half hour of Today as Newsweek's Jonathan Alter insisted Starr did wrong. >>> The Media Research Center is pleased to announce the June 16 launch today of the Cybercast News... continue reading
Brill a Clinton Lapdog, Not a Media Watchdog; Nets Skip China & Lindsey 1) Steve Brill promised that his Content magazine would "hold journalists' feet to the fire," but instead he decided to join the media's conventional wisdom by disparaging Ken Starr. 2) The Clinton administration knew long ago that China was using U.S.-sold satellites for military purposes. CBS, CNN and NBC ignore the disclosure. 3) Bruce Lindsey's contacts with witnesses before they testified angered the judge, but all three broadcast networks skipped the evidence of possible witness manipulation and testimony coordination. 4) Rush Limbaugh: "This effort by Steve Brill's... continue reading
ABC & CBS Skip Waivers; Clinton Gets Better Press Than Starr; Latest NQ 1) Clinton delivers a speech defending his China policy, but ABC and CBS didn't mention the China connection. Only CNN relayed fresh news contradicting Clinton on the waivers. The tobacco bill, CBS implied, will be sullied by "election year tax cuts." 2) So far this year Bill Clinton has benefitted from more positive evaluation on the network news than has Ken Starr. CMPA determined that 89 percent of sources offered a negative comment about Starr. 3) Sylvester Stallone, the assault-weapon toting Rambo, denounces guns and demands they... continue reading
Baptist Women Submitting Recalls Slavery; AP Errors; "Neanderthal" MRC 1) No scandal news on ABC, CBS or NBC, but all highlighted the vote to make Baptist women "submit" to their husbands. "Baptists used the same scripture to justify slavery," charged NBC. 2) CNN and FNC, but not the broadcast networks, reported on a shut out scandal: How were Linda Tripp's personnel files released. 3) Instead of blaming a mistaken AP story, ABC & NBC scolded House members for announcing Bob Hope's death. NBC's Brian Williams reveled in how those who "love to hit the media" are "eating on crow." 4)... continue reading
Bad Photo Images; Forced Abortion for a Good Reason; Tiananmen = South Lawn 1) How the Vanity Fair photos hurt Lewinsky emphasized by all the networks as CBS, FNC and NBC added exclusive new details on Secret Service testimony and how there's reason to believe Lewinsky's affidavit is false. Big highway spending concerned CBS and NBC. 2) ABC's Brian Ross documented forced sterilizations and abortions in China, but while denying he was doing so, Peter Jennings rationalized the policy by justifying "family planning." 3) NBC's Matt Lauer defended Clinton's planned Tiananmen Square ceremony: "It's a little bit like the South... continue reading
Starr's Threat; Going Warm with Gore; Hitting Heston; Gumbel on Slavery 1) "You've always thought when you talked to your lawyer it was confidential, even after you die. But not if the independent counsel has his way." So warned the networks of Starr's threat. 2) Al Gore speaks, CBS, CNN and NBC jump at his ominous warning about impending "economic upheaval" from global warming. Only FNC bothered telling viewers not all agree. 3) All three morning shows ambushed Charlton Heston from the left, demanding he make the NRA agree to more gun restrictions. 4) Americans won't apologize for slavery, Bryant... continue reading