Major broadcast networks CBS and NBC failed to cover the news that police in Missouri are looking into inflammatory comments made by Michael Brown’s stepfather in the aftermath of a grand jury’s announcement on November 24 that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will not be charged in connection to Brown’s death. Following the announcement of the decision, Louis Head stood surrounded by his wife and mother of Michael Brown and shouted multiple times at the large crowd gathered nearby to “burn this bitch down,” which was most likely in reference to the town of Ferguson. Later that night, widespread looting,... continue reading
On Monday's CNN Tonight , Don Lemon refreshingly pointed out a problematic component of the Ferguson protests. During a discussion on the controversy surrounding the several St. Louis Rams players, who recently used the demonstrators' "hands up, don't shoot" pose, former police officer David Klinger pointed out that " all the forensic evidence indicates that it wasn't [Michael] Brown with his hands up standing still. All the evidence indicates that he was coming back at Officer Wilson ." Klinger added that " it's unfortunate that people are getting behind the 'hands up, don't shoot,' as opposed to we have grave... continue reading
On her 12 p.m. ET hour MSNBC show on Tuesday, host Andrea Mitchell invited on Ferguson protester Rasheen Aldridge, whom she praised for having "made such an impact" and getting the attention of the Obama White House. Aldridge proceeded to slam the police: "I believe we really need to get down to the meat of the problem and really figure out, how we hold the police accountable for their actions?...the reports and statistics and everything is out there of how they're making their money – 20 and 40% off the back of ticketing young African-American men and women." In a... continue reading
On Sunday and Monday, the broadcast networks seized on the personal Facebook comments of mid-level congressional staffer Elizabeth Lauten criticizing the Obama daughters – devoting over 14 minutes of national news air time to the controversy in the period of two days. However, it took those same networks several days to even notice the video comments of ObamaCare architect Jonathan Gruber crediting "the stupidity of the American voter" for passage of the law – providing only 8 minutes of coverage to the much larger scandal. NBC's Today and Nightly News gave the Lauten story 6 minutes 13 seconds, nearly three... continue reading
The hosts of CBS This Morning on Tuesday hailed liberal comedian (and multi-millionaire) Russell Brand on his crusade for "affordable housing." The British comic was protesting in London against a proposed real estate development that would displace some low income residents. Co-host Gayle King played audio of a British reporter grilling Brand about his opulent home, including an estimated $ 7802 (in American dollars) monthly rent. Journalist Paraic O'Brien demanded, "What kind of rent are you paying?" Brand avoided the question and attacked Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron. Pointing to Cameron's home at 10 Downing Street, he assailed that there... continue reading
On Monday, President Obama hosted “activists and officials including police” for a summit in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting. Following the event, all three network morning shows gave the White House event ample publicity during their Tuesday morning broadcasts. While the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) networks did their best to promote President Obama’s initiative, all three omitted the fact that no members of the Ferguson Police Department were invited to attend Monday’s meeting at the White House. In total, the “big three” gave 10 minutes 13 seconds of coverage to Obama’s summit and included 8 soundbites... continue reading
During a speech in Baltimore on Saturday, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan justified the violence that took place in Ferguson, Missouri in the aftermath of the grand jury decision and called on African-Americans to “die for something” and “tear this goddamn country up” as peaceful protests only benefit “white folks.” Since Farrakhan’s remarks at Morgan State University became public, the major broadcast networks have all ignored the story completely in both their respective morning and evening newscasts. Farrakhan spoke of how he believes that both the Koran and the Bible allow for a violent “law of retaliation” against white... continue reading
On Monday night, the “big three” of ABC, CBS and NBC each spent portions of their evening newscasts reporting on the resignation of a House Republican staffer after she criticized Sasha and Malia Obama on her personal Facebook page. This marks the second full day of coverage since the first reports aired on Sunday morning and provides another example of a media double-standard between Democratic and Republican administrations. During the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley , CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante characterized what GOP aide Elizabeth Lauten wrote as a “snarky posting” which anchor Scott Pelley... continue reading
On Monday's At This Hour , CNN's Brian Stelter brushed aside a regular conservative critique about the media – that the press has a double standard about covering controversial remarks from Republican/conservative officials, while ignoring similar comments from Democrats/liberals. Stelter, replying to a Republican flack's attack on the news coverage of GOP staffer Elizabeth Lauten's critique of the Obama daughters, asserted that " this was about a slow news cycle. There was ... a void of stuff to talk about over the weekend .... So, I think that has a lot to do with it ." [ video below ]... continue reading
Between Sunday and Monday, all three broadcast networks devoted full reports to a Republican congressional staffer criticizing the Obama daughters on her personal Facebook page. On ABC's Good Morning America on Sunday, host Dan Harris proclaimed: "The online outrage over an attack on President Obama's daughters. A Republican congressional staffer posting a rant on Facebook about the way Sasha and Malia looked and acted at this moment here during the White House turkey pardoning the other day." In the report that followed, correspondent Gloria Riviera declared: "Republican congressional aide Elizabeth Lauten is in the hot seat this morning, accused of... continue reading