Children, Israel, & Media Poll Today's e-mail is pretty long, but I think you'll find a lot of good stuff: 1) Who could oppose a march for children? Evil conservatives who insist upon inserting politics and ruining such a wonderful event. 2) More bashing of Benjamin Netanyahu, including quotes from Rather, Gumbel and a morning show co-host with an angle fresh from liberal analysis of Oklahoma City. 3) A new survey shows White House correspondents have voted for every Democratic presidential candidate since 1976. Not one voted for Reagan in 1984, but the survey-taker claims they're just a bunch of... continue reading
Israeli Newt Five items today: 1) To the networks, Binyamin Netanyahu is the Newt Gingrich of the Middle East, one scary right-wing guy bent on ending "the peace process." 2) Bias has already begun in coverage of Saturday's Children's Defense Fund march in Washington as the media sanitize the real agenda and praise organizer Marian Wright Edelman. 3) The liberal commentator on 60 Minutes, Molly Ivins, has enlisted a former network producer to write her commentaries. 4) KVI Radio has fired talk show host Mike Siegel. 5) A little humor: Howie Carr's "Top 10 List of Bill Clinton's Stirring Military... continue reading
Wishing Away Whitewater Two items today: 1) Quotes from media stars over the last few months and years predicting (or hoping) that Whitewater would go away. 2) An update to our study on the lack of TV network coverage the trial has received. In short, the networks continued to ignore the trial into the middle of this month. 1 On Friday's Washington Week in Review (May 24) on PBS they discussed the RNC ad attacking Clinton for invoking the Soldier and Sailor Act, prompting New York Times columnist Tom Friedman to note the ad was created "Right when Whitewater seems... continue reading
CBS: Clinton Spinsters Two items today: 1) CBS Evening News relays Democratic spin on minimum wage and skews analysis of the Dole/Clinton abortion clash. 2) The May MediaWatch and MediaNomics are in the mail with studies on the pro-minimum wage hike slant on network news and on the lack of Whitewater coverage. 1 Here's Dan Rather opening the May 23 CBS Evening News Thursday night: "A win for the working poor. The House approves an increase in the minimum wage." Except for those who will lose their jobs. Later in the show, CBS aired clips of Bob Dole and Bill... continue reading
Another Admission Three items today: 1) Another media star concedes liberal bias. 2) But NBC News correspondent Gwen Ifill denies any campaign bias as she and Tom Brokaw denounce the free TV air time idea. 3) FOB Rick Kaplan pulls in a favor for ABC from Bill Clinton. 1 On CNBC's "Politics with Chris Matthews" Tuesday night (May 21), a caller asked ABC Good Morning America co-host Charles Gibson about liberal bias and how it might impact Dole. MRC intern Jessica Anderson transcribed Gibson's response: "I don't deny for a minute that I think that the basic political bent of... continue reading
Cranky Cronkite Four items today: 1) Walter Cronkite dumps on Reagan; Charles Osgood calls him a hero and urges every "aspiring journalist" to watch his special. 2) Only Republicans lie, Dateline NBC story shows. 3) Poll of newspaper executives reveals few think campaign coverage is unbiased. 4) Gumbel for Senate in '98? 1 The CBS News show "Sunday Morning" on May 19 showed an excerpt of Walter Cronkite's upcoming CBS special. Host Charles Osgood introduced the segment with this tribute to Cronkite as his hero: "Here on Sunday Morning we like to celebrate heroes of all sorts. Over the years... continue reading
Newt Fawning? 1) A U.S. News reporter claims reporters are just against incumbents and are tougher on those they agree with. 2) The Chicago Tribune's Washington Bureau Chief rewrites history by claiming the media fawned over Newt Gingrich. Two quotes and a reality check today. On Thursday we sent to the printer the May 20 issue of Notable Quotables. You should get it in the mail early next week. Here are a couple of quotes that didn't make the issue but I think are quite illuminating. 1 MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens caught a very creative denial of bias from Kenneth... continue reading
ABC's Skewed Ear One item today: ABC finds a conservative America, but Peter Jennings impugns those who believe in requiring immigrants to conduct business in English. For the next two weeks ABC's World News Tonight will air a series titled "Listening to America." ABC sent ten reporters across the country to learn what people are thinking. On Monday (May 13) they ran a preview/overview piece narrated by Peter Jennings. Remember that last week on Larry King Live Jennings denied ABC has a liberal bias. Monday night Peter Jennings reported: "We found bigotry and resentment. And we listened to some Americans... continue reading
Bias Admitted Three items today: 1) New poll finds TV network credibility heading south. 2) 60 Minutes correspondent delivers speech in which he bashes Reagan, calls for more social spending. 3) Newsweek's Washington Bureau Chief concedes widespread liberal bias -- even at his magazine! And says ABC execs consider Brit Hume a "right-wing nut." 1 The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press (formerly Times Mirror Center for the...) will release on May 13 a poll taken in April of how the public views the media. Since many of the questions match those asked in earlier years, they... continue reading
Jennings Reality Check Three items today: 1) Peter Jennings denies anti-GOP/conservative bias. Judge for yourself by reading over some NQs from ABC. 2) Time magazine advocates higher gas taxes. 3) Time's TV show analysis not quite on target. 1 Peter Jennings appeared on CNN's Larry King Live Tuesday night and denied that he or ABC are biased. After showing a clip of Newt Gingrich claiming the media favor Clinton, this exchange (transcribed by MRC analyst Geoffrey Dickens) ensued: Larry King: "And he says you're part of a passive conspiracy. So it's fair to ask. Are you?" Peter Jennings: "No I... continue reading