More Filegate; People Don't Appreciate Media Four items today: 1) Networks cover the Hillary/Republican Senate report story, but ignore revelations in FBI file saga. Dan Rather portrays Hillary Clinton as the victim of the "Republican Whitewater offensive" which has "targeted" her. 2) 60 Minutes correspondent Mike Wallace calls White House "palpably dishonest" and says media underplayed FBI file story. 3) A Washington bureau chief says the public and talk show hosts think the media are biased because "there is a great lack of appreciation of what we do, what our role is in a democracy" and "rather ham-handed notions of... continue reading
Filegate Lacking on Networks Three related items today, all on coverage of Whitewater and the FBI files discovered in the White House: 1) "Harsh" is the term chosen by Bob Schieffer of CBS News to describe the leaked report from the Republican staff of the Senate Whitewater committee. 2) Washington Post media reporter Howard Kurtz asserts that FBI file story would have "rocketed to the front page a whole lot quicker" if it involved the Reagan administration. 3) A day by day chronology since the FBI file story broke of what happened each day and how the network evening shows... continue reading
Blaming Talk Radio for Church Burnings & More Brokaw Three items today: 1) ABC's Nightline puts "the violence from talk radio" in a list of what's causing the black church burnings. 2) The June MediaNomics features a front page story titled "After Hyping Worker Anxiety, National Press Ignores Contrary Evidence." An excerpt runs below. 3) NBC anchor Tom Brokaw believes people are "getting bored" with talk radio; that having to endure talk radio is "the price of free speech" which makes it "all the more important that...the mainstream, traditional news outlets can hold their own." But "unfiltered" Web sites are... continue reading
Bias "Drained Out" of Brokaw One item today: In an appearance Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Tom Brokaw claimed that people who think the media are biased "kind of like the status quo" and are upset because the media are "out there on the cutting edge of change on a daily basis." Referring to himself and Jim Lehrer of PBS, Brokaw asserted that their 35 years in journalism is "some small tribute" to the "fact that we've worked very hard to drain the bias out of what we do." We'll compare his assurance with some of his reporting. Also, Jim Lehrer... continue reading
Tax Attack; Cranky Cronkite & Liberal Bias Admitted Four items today: 1) Gumbel takes one-sided potshot at MSA's. 2) One of those wealthy, white and "conservative" media owners that liberals claim control the media launches an attack on "voodoo economics." 3) Walter Cronkite denounces GOP Congress for their "ridiculous" welfare reform plan as he calls for a return to "Rooseveltian" policies. 4) A USA Today reporter finds liberal bias. 1 Monday morning (June 10) on NBC's Today, Bryant Gumbel announced: "On Close up this morning the health care impasse. President Clinton is urging Bob Dole to help Congress reach a... continue reading
Bashing Tax Cuts & Clarence Thomas Two topics today: 1) Wonder how the media will react to any tax cut proposal from Bob Dole? Here are three recent attacks on the idea and on supply-side economics. 2) It's not known yet whether Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas will accept the on and off and now on again invitation to speak to an 8th grade graduation on June 10, but a NBC News reporter doesn't object to bashing his views. 1 On Friday night's (June 7) PBS Washington Week in Review this exchange occurred among three of the panelists: Alan Murray,... continue reading
Gore & the Unabomber, More Denial, Family-Friendly TV Three items today: 1) Was Al Gore's book found in Ted Kaczynski's cabin? An American Spectator item prompts a Dept. of Justice denial. 2) A network Washington Bureau Chief is baffled by the idea of any liberal bias. 3) The MRC's entertainment division releases its Top Ten list of the least and most family-friendly shows. 1 In the "On the Prowl" section, the June American Spectator reported: "FBI agents on the scene are telling colleagues they were amused when, while tearing apart the shack of suspected Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, they came upon... continue reading
Gumbel, Rather & MRC Press Conference Four quick items today: 1) Bryant Gumbel blames conservatives for the Medicare financial crisis. 2) To Dan Rather you're either for "peace" or you're a "right-winger." 3) An ABC reporter takes a shot at right-wing politicians for exploiting strains in society. 4) MRC announces "Media Reality Check '96" campaign. Press conference will air on CSPAN2. 1 The expected report finding that Medicare will go broke in 2001, one year earlier than expected, led to a Today show segment Wednesday morning (June 5). In a discussion with Tim Russert about political posturing on Medicare by... continue reading
Selfish Dittoheads & CBS Payoff Five brief items today: 1) The former President of NBC News calls Dittoheads "selfish." 2) A Time magazine reporter insists reporters are now "more fair than we ever were." His record shows something different. 3) The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz offers a bizarre reason for why reporters voting for Clinton really doesn't mean they like Clinton. 4) One last example of a network host cheering on the children's march. 5) On the humorous side, a cable TV executive takes money from CBS News to compensate his employees for having suffered while working with a future... continue reading
Fear Campaign & "Looney" Right Three quotes today: 1) In the ultimate media insult, NBC News ties Netanyahu to Al D'Amato and Jesse Helms and their negative campaigns of fear. 2) ABC's Carole Simpson advocates that the U.S. copy Western Europe and go socialist. 3) The Wall Street Journal's Al Hunt calls conservatives who dared to question the Stand for Children march "self-centered" and "looney." 1 Monday MRC news analyst Clay Waters picked up this reporting on NBC Nightly News from last Monday, May 27, as the election approached. Reporter Martin Fletcher asserted: "At his final campaign appearance tonight, Prime... continue reading