Rather's Discrimination; Banned in Boston by Liberal Intolerance? 1) Dan Rather characterized quotas and preferences as "programs designed to fight discrimination;" not its definition. 2) The Boston Globe's only local conservative columnist condemned for daring to cross the PC gay rights line by questioning their tolerance for Christians. 3) Fox makes an "improvement" to Tuesday's choice of specials. >>> This Just In: Connie ("Just between you and me") Chung is back with a network: ABC News has hired her to work on Prime Time Live and 20/20. The Washington Post's John Carmody reports in the November 4 paper: "Network sources... continue reading
Yawning At Thompson; Nets Less Interested Than Public 1) Thompson's decision got just a few seconds on ABC and CBS. NBC insisted hearings failed because GOP "leaders opposed outlawing the huge contributions that helped create the scandal." 2) Networks declare public uninterested, but reporters aren't interested in informing them. Last week: 15 seconds of morning show coverage. More tapes and news on the database front skipped. The networks treated Senator Fred Thompson's Friday announcement that he had decided to end public hearings the same way they approached the hearings all along: two networks gave the news a few seconds and... continue reading
Babbitt Battles the Nanny; Where's Trie?; MRC on CNN 1) Babbitt's testimony made the three evening newscasts, but hardly as the top news of the day. Brokaw insisted that campaign finance irregularities are "a swamp without end for both parties." 2) MSNBC squeezed in 45 minutes of Babbitt around nanny coverage; CNN aired 90 minutes of Paul Eckstein before going to the nanny. 3) Other than seconds on one morning show, the morning and evening shows haven't used Jiang's visit as a hook for stories on China's money or on those who fled to China. But Koppel did press Berger... continue reading
Thompson's Drug Scandal; Clinton as Human Rights Crusader Evidence of Clinton calls and Wednesday's hearings ignored by the networks, but NBC did tie Fred Thompson to a drug scandal. Nothing Wednesday morning on fundraising; CNN and MSNBC ignore hearings all day. Clinton portrayed as a human rights crusader; Gary Bauer tagged as "far right" by ABC but Richard Gere just an "activist." And Captain Picard comes as whose date to the State Dinner? In 1997 networks didn't blame Clinton for market fall, but in 1987 the "chickens were coming home to roost" for "Herbert Reagan's" refusal to raise taxes. 1)... continue reading
Gumbel Goes Tab; Ted's Sorry He Had 5 Kids; Nets vs. Letterman Bryant Gumbel promised that his show would avoid tabloid topics. But when low ratings hit what did he do? Ted Turner wants the U.S. to adopt China's one-child rule. "Voluntary, of course." He had five kids, but back then he "didn't know" the harm they'd cause the environment. CNN's questions to Hillary Clinton. Have the fundraising hearings "gotten in the way" of initiatives like child care? Letterman's "Top Ten Ways Hillary Clinton Celebrated Her 50th Birthday." It's tougher on her than the network news divisions. 1) Gumbel won't... continue reading
Indonesian Gardener Talks But Nets Don't Listen; Hillary in the AM The "Indonesian gardener" contradicts the DNC's story, revealing that his donations came from Indonesia and were solicited by John Huang while he was at Commerce. The nets ignore. A brewing scandal involving a Wisconsin casino, Bruce Babbitt and a tribe buying a favor, but ABC, CBS and CNN have yet to focus on it. Last Thursday's morning show questions for Hillary Clinton. All prompt her to elaborate on the "crisis" and wonder why government can't do more. 1) Another day, another Los Angeles Times disclosure for the networks to... continue reading
Nanny Over Fundraising; Child Care Crisis Silent No More 1) Evening shows skipped the hearings Thursday night as did CNN and NBC on Wednesday when on ABC it was "Bill said, Bob said" equivalence. 2) Morning shows don't bother with fundraising; for four hours on Thursday CNN and MSNBC went live with the Au Pair murder trial. 3) ABC, CBS and NBC illustrated the child care "crisis" by showcasing families with day care problems. NBC assured viewers that Clinton made "a promise of better times ahead" and we could follow the French model where "children are a priority." 1) The... continue reading
Fundraising Bores Public; More Quotes of the Decade 1) CBS News discovered that when it comes to the fundraising scandal, Americans are "worried it's getting so much attention." 2) To the New York Times the number of people in prison has no impact on the crime rate. 1) Sunday's CBS Evening News featured a story on how people outside of Washington, DC don't care about the fundraising scandal. It's the third of this kind of story I've noticed over the past couple of weeks which fit into the "media circle." Ignore many scandal developments, slant the little coverage offered toward... continue reading
Clinton Call Letter; Starr's Gestapo Tactics Toward McDougal 1) Burton's charge about altered videotape picked up, but only CBS told viewers about a letter confirming that Clinton placed calls. 2) CNN looked at the Gore-Knight-Molten Metal Technology-DNC contributions-government grants circle. 3) Dateline NBC turned Susan McDougal into a martyr serving time in oppressive prison conditions. NBC even gave a platform for her and her mother to equate Ken Starr and the Gestapo. 1) Congressman Dan Burton's suggestion on Sunday's Face the Nation that the White House may have altered or edited the videotapes generated a few broadcast network mentions Sunday... continue reading
Small COLA Bad; Admiring Hillary's Liberalism; Skipping Video News 1) The White House admitted that Clinton managed soft money ads and a print report detailed the links between Democratic donors, government contracts and Al Gore. But the networks passed. 2) The stars pitch in to help Gore and Hillary Clinton. 1) Friday's newspapers brought two more developments for the networks to ignore. -- "White House Alters Defense" announced an October 17 USA Today headline. Reporter Mimi Hall explained: "Critics say Clinton's close direction of advertising by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was part of an effort to subvert spending limits... continue reading