Small COLA Bad; Admiring Hillary's Liberalism; Skipping Video News 1) The Social Security COLA news is "bad" for seniors, all three broadcast networks insisted. It "will amount to peanuts this year." 2) CBS ran a story applauding Hillary Clinton's liberal speech: While the President "was accepting the keys to the city she was unlocking a debate for women in all the Americas." 3) In the videos Clinton boasted of subverting the hard money limits by misusing the DNC ads, but the networks passed, even CNN. 1) An AARP survey on how too few have saved enough tomaintain the same living... continue reading
Herpes Before Video; Fred "Oliver Stone" Thompson 1) Reno and the tapes topped ABC and CBS, but NBC went with genital herpes and aired a full story on Clinton's "bad luck." 2) ABC finally interviewed a member of the Senate committee; Katie Couric compared Fred Thompson to Oliver Stone. 3) An ABC sit-com tells viewers that we fought the Vietnam war so businessmen would have "another place to sell sody pop." 1) Wednesday night ABC and CBS led with Janet Reno's appearance before Henry Hyde's House Judiciary Committee and the release of more tapes. But, NBC put genital herpes at... continue reading
Blame Lott, Not Ickes or Clinton; Overlooking Temple Laundering 1) All the networks led with El Nino Tuesday night, but Janet Reno's decision also generated stories. Tom Brokaw said that she "has refused" to drop her investigation. 2) The Buddhist temple was laundering money years before Al Gore showed up, but ABC, CBS and NBC didn't find that of interest. 3) One reporter acknowledged the media bias in favor of campaign finance reform as Tom Brokaw, Gloria Borger and Sam Donaldson prove his point. >>>> The MRC's 10th Anniversary Gala is fast approaching: October 22 in Washington, DC. For ticket... continue reading
Reno Off Limits to Newt?; Nothing Sacred Confronts Abortion Headline contrasts on Senate testimony; Tim Russert wondered if Gingrich has a conflict in criticizing Reno since he's third in line. Bill Clinton thinks there's a global media "conspiracy out to ruin his life and make him miserable." The Nothing Sacred expected to crusade for abortion delivered more nuance, but didn't equivocate in condemning a businessman. "The Top Ten Surprises in the White House Coffee Videos." Clarification : The October 10 CyberAlert mischaracterized the content of last Thursday's Nothing Sacred on ABC. See item #3. 1) The Thursday testimony before the... continue reading
Reagan Did It Too; Post Promoted Counsel's "Integrity" The House and Senate held hearings, but the networks skipped them to focus on Reno and 1987 video of Reagan doing the same thing as Clinton. On Today, Tim Russert argued that the public should think they all do it, but then NBC ignored evidence of unique Democratic actions. The Washington Post two weeks ago: "The White House's Lanny Breuer Wins Points for Integrity from Both Sides." ABC's Nothing Sacred delivered a pro-choice message, but on CBS Touched by an Angel showed that pro-choice can mean pro-life. A whale kills a shark... continue reading
Couric's Curt Campaign Reform Combat; No Clinton Scandal on CNN 1) Wednesday night only ABC noted a memo on what Clinton knew, but also portrayed Clinton as a victim; only CBS mentioned the House hearings; only NBC ran full report on testimony from Ickes. 2) Defeat of campaign finance reform really angered Katie Couric, who lashed out at Arlen Specter, insisting that the public "can't understand why you guys can't get your acts together!" 3) CNN stuck with Ickes most of the day, but MSNBC bailed at lunch. 4) In CNN's campaign finance special the reporters never said "Clinton scandal,"... continue reading
Nets Bemoan "Reform" Loss; Gumbel Bombs; Liberal Sit-Coms The fundraising hearings led the three broadcast networks Tuesday night, but they emphasized how Republicans killed the solution: campaign finance reform. Rather: Republicans got "nastier." Tuesday's Today and GMA focus on how the videotapes do not show anything illegal. CNN and MSNBC provided live coverage. Bryant Gumbel's show bombed in the ratings last week. This week: "sexually explicit filmstrips" shown to kids by "the church." Wednesday is TV's liberal night with Gumbel plus CBS, ABC and WB sit-coms with liberal or pro-Clinton themes. 1) The three broadcast networks all led with the... continue reading
Video Clears Clinton; Reno Not Castigated; "Blunt" Admission of Mistake Sunday night and Monday morning the networks stressed how the video showed Clinton did nothing improper; only one reporter raised a question about Reno's competence and only NBC noted the audio gap. "Blunt" is how ABC described a White House claim of an "honest mistake." It's all a big game to Tom Brokaw: "The White House said 'whoops' it turns out we have videotapes..." Letterman's "Top Ten Signs You're in Love With Janet Reno." 1) Time magazine's revelation about the existence of videotapes of the White House coffees, which forced... continue reading
CNN & "Scandal;" NBC's Tribute to Anita Hill CNN to air a two-hour special on fundraising but the man producing it won't let CNN staffers say "Clinton scandal." NBC's Jane Pauley portrayed Anita Hill as the victim of enemies who "fought dirty," but Hill had the "courage" to make her charge. CNN refuses to air ads against a global warming treaty because the polar ice caps melted and ruined Ted Turner's private beach. 1) Can you do a two-hour show on Clinton's 1996 fundraising and not use the word "scandal"? We'll soon find out. Tuesday night from 7 to 9pm... continue reading
State Scheme Skipped; PK's Enemies; Gumbel's Back Another big revelation about an illegal maneuver by the Clinton team, another story for the networks to ignore. ABC ran a story on how the government refuses to pay Sheila Heslin's legal bills. But if you watch ABC you'd ask "Who is she?" CNN labeled an anti-Promise Keepers group as "traditional," but a closer look shows otherwise. So far, the Promise Keepers rally has generated less media than the Million Man March. GMA's Charlie Gibson asked the new lawyer for Paula Jones: "For the sake of the presidency" shouldn't she settle out of... continue reading