***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** Finally Find a Republican They Like, But Still Attack Rest Elizabeth Dole: "Masterful" | GOP Criticized for Attacking Clinton's "Eating Habits"; Decrying "Bash Bill Night" | Will Clinton Be Held to the Same Standard in Chicago? | Want Some Cheese With Your Whine? | Rapping Reagan's Film | Media Salesmanship at the 1992 Democratic Convention Quote of the Day "Just how tightly scripted is this convention? Well, a Russian television reporter said today that this is as tightly controlled as anything the Communist Party ever put on, Tom." -- Reporter David Bloom from the convention... continue reading
***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** Women Scared by GOP Policies | Reporters claim GOP members are "Extemists" | Bias from Byrant Gumbel | The GOP and Taxes | Response to Kay Bailey Hutchison | Who they didn't Cover | GOP accused of insensitivity on the rape issue Quote of the Day "It was grand TV, well- scripted, well-staged, craftily designed for a broadcast image of tolerance and diversity that's starkly at odds with reality." ABC News reporter Jim Wooten talking about Colin Powell's speech, August 13 World News Tonight. Welcome This daily analysis of television network coverage of the party... continue reading
***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** Day One: Moderate Speakers, Extreme Platform | Today's Major Articles | The Media's Exclusionary Rule | Buchanan "Destroyed" Bush | Portraying a Putrid Platform | Gutless Moderates? | Corporate Welfare Watch | Networks Challenge Dole's Plan | Reality Check | On Inside Washington | Millionaire Anchors Tag GOP Delegates As Out of Touch with Middle America Quote of the Day "Ronald Reagan will still have to learn how history will judge his time in office -- the deficits, the Iran-Contra affair. But for the members of this party, there is no more beloved figure." --... continue reading
***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** Below is the full text of today's four-page Media Reality Check '96 newsletter on network coverage of the Republican convention. It's being distributed today in San Diego. This is a very long document, but I thought it would be a lot easier to put it all in one place than send several e-mails. So, below: Quote of the Day Page One story summarizing the day's themes. Page Two story on TV analysts calling conservatives "mean-spirited" and hateful. Two stories from Page Three on coverage of abortion. Page Four story on CBS worrying about an ominous... continue reading
***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** Two topics today put together with the assistance of Tim Lamer back in our Alexandria, Virginia office: CNN and ABC praised the likely choice of Jack Kemp as VP nominee by contrasting him with most conservatives who are "mean" and "haters." CBS reporter Linda Douglass filed a story Friday night in which she argued that the appearance that Dole is "under the thumb of religious conservatives," what Dan Rather referred to as "the hard right of the Republican Party," could doom his campaign. On Friday's CBS This Morning, Russ Mitchell asked RNC Chairman Haley Barbour:... continue reading
***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** One item today: A Media Reality Check '96 fax report released Wednesday afternoon. Back on June 22, 1992 CBS This Morning co-host Paula Zahn announced: "Making headlines this morning: Bill Clinton comes up with a plan for the economy. Tax the rich, cut the deficit, and help just about everyone else." That's not quite how reporters have greeted Bob Dole's tax cut plan. In this report we compared and contrasted how media outlets which have tried to discredit Dole's proposal were the very same outlets which praised Clinton's economic and health plans. The following is... continue reading
***MRC CyberAlert: From San Diego*** One item today: A Republican Party platform subcommittee passed a plank stating: "We also recognize that members of our party have deeply held and sometimes differing views. We view this diversity of views as a source of strength." Nonetheless, the very networks which barely touched in 1992 the refusal of the Democratic Party to allow Pennsylvania Governor Bob Casey to make a pro-life speech at their convention, pounced on the GOP Tuesday night for intolerance. -- Here's how Peter Jennings opened the August 6 World News Tonight: "Good evening. We begin tonight with what you... continue reading
Tax Hikes Good; Tax Cuts Bad The number one truism of the media: Tax hikes good; tax cuts bad. The latest evidence: 1) Last Friday CBS economics correspondent Ray Brady reported that President Clinton's tax hike was responsible for lower interest rates, a smaller deficit and a jobs boom. 2) Before Bob Dole presented his tax cut plan Washington Week in Review and USA Today delivered pre-emptive strikes. 3) Once Dole had outlined his plan CNN brought on Susan Dentzer of U.S. News & World Report to discuss it and NBC Nightly News asked reporter Mike Jensen about it --... continue reading
"Devastating" Welfare Reform; Clinton's Temper Ignored Two topics today: 1) The campaign of fear continues as the networks keep attacking from the left the welfare reform bill. On Nightline, Donna Shalala was pressed with six liberal agenda questions. Thursday night Tom Brokaw charged that it "could be devastating;" on CBS Paula Zahn ominously intoned: "There is already is a great deal of fear and anxiety all over the country over the impact it will have." 2) Bill Clinton's angry outburst to a reporter asking why he now opposes paying the legal bills of fired travel office director Billy Dale was... continue reading
Welfare reform a "loser"; Dole enjoys millions killed Two items today: 1) Conservatives view welfare reform as a victory -- both for those trapped in the current failed system and for hard working taxpayers tired of paying for lifetime welfare recipients. But Wednesday night the networks came at the issue from the left, from the perspective of those now on welfare, portraying Clinton's decision to sign the reform bill as a terrible development. NBC focused on "the biggest losers," and a woman who "can never treat her kids to candy or soda." CBS viewers learned that "millions of Americans will... continue reading