Amy Robach

Priorities: 'Nightly News' Covers Joan Rivers Health Scare Before Obama's Admission to Having No ISIS Strategy
By Ken Shepherd | August 28, 2014 | 8:31 PM EDT

While competing newscasts on ABC and CBS led tonight with the president's stunning admission at a press briefing that he hasn't formulated a strategy to deal with ISIS yet, NBC placed the story in the third slot in the lineup, after a lead-off report regarding the NFL's "tough new policy" on domestic violence and a story by New York-based correspondent Katy Tur about comedian Joan Rivers's hospitalization.

On top of that, Nightly News substitute anchor Lester Holt completely left out both ISIS and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia from his opening-credit tease. By contrast, both ABC's Amy Robach and CBS's Maurice DuBois led off their opening-credit teases by citing the most quotable nugget from today's presidential presser [LISTEN to MP3 audio here; WATCH video montage below page break]:

ABC, NBC Fail to Cite Hamas Official Admitting to Group’s Kidnapping and Murder of Israeli Teens in June
By Curtis Houck | August 21, 2014 | 3:25 PM EDT

The morning news shows for the major broadcast networks came and went on Thursday and two of the three networks in ABC and NBC refused to mention a key revelation in the ongoing fighting between Israel and the Islamic terrorist group Hamas. After previously denying involvement, a senior Hamas official admitted to the group's involvement in the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in early June that later led to the intense fighting throughout the summer.

The other major broadcast network, CBS, did mention this new development at the end of a 21-second news brief on its morning show, CBS This Morning. Co-host Norah O’Donnell reported that: “Also this morning, for the first time, Hamas officials confirm that the group kidnapped three Israeli teenagers who were killed back in June.” [MP3 audio here; Video below]

CBS Spotlights China's Underground Catholics as Pope Visits S. Korea; ABC, NBC Hype Francis's Car
By Matthew Balan | August 14, 2014 | 4:28 PM EDT

Thursday's CBS This Morning stood out for zeroing in on the plight of Catholics in China, as it covered Pope Francis's trip to South Korea. Seth Doane noted the Pope's overflight of the communist country, and pointed out how "that's significant, because the last time a pope wanted to fly through Chinese airspace was in 1989, and Beijing refused the request." The Pope at that time, St. John Paul II, took a vocal stance against the communist regime in his native Poland.

Meanwhile, ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's Today touted the Pope "making history" with his trip, as he is the first pontiff to visit South Korea in 25 years. Both newscasts also hyped the temporary Popemobile – something that CBS This Morning left out of its coverage: [MP3 audio available here; video below the jump]

GMA Devotes More Time to 2015 'Star Wars' Movie Than to Iraq
By Scott Whitlock | August 13, 2014 | 12:28 PM EDT

What's more important? The ongoing slaughter of refugees in a rapidly deteriorating Iraq or the December 2015 Star Wars film? According to  the journalists at Good Morning America, the answer is Star Wars. The ABC program on Wednesday devoted 55 seconds to discussing a film that is 16 months away from being released, but only 33 seconds to the desperate situation in Iraq. 

News reader Amy Robach quickly mentioned that more U.S. troops are arriving in the troubled country, adding, "The 130 military advisers are working to help rescue thousands of religious minorities who are stranded by Islamic militants." [See video below. MP3 audio here.] She sped through this story: "Thousands of refugees are stranded after militants took over their villages. Heartbreaking images show the refugees desperately trying to hang on to rescue helicopters." 

GMA Hosts Thrilled By Pope's 'Fantastic' Call Not to Proselytize, Ignore Context
By Kyle Drennen | August 4, 2014 | 10:51 AM EDT

On Monday's Good Morning America, hosts Dan Harris and Amy Robach seized on Pope Francis advising against proselytization in a Sunday interview with Argentinian magazine Viva. Harris observed: "...he talks a lot about respecting other people's believes and not proselytizing." Robach gushed: "That's fantastic....there's a reason why he's the people's pope." George Stephanopoulos chimed in: "A lot of wisdom." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]

The morning show anchors skipped the Pope's full quote, in which he commented on the best method by which to draw people to the Church but didn't abandon the effort to gain converts: "We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. But the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes. 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you.' No. The Church grows by attraction, not proselytizing."

ABC Exposes Nude Biden, But Ignores Same Book's Claims About Bill Clinton's New Mistress
By Scott Whitlock | August 1, 2014 | 3:58 PM EDT

Secret Service agents dread finding Joe Biden swimming in the nude, according to a new book featuring quotes from agents. That juicy tidbit made Good Morning America on Friday. What didn't seem newsworthy? The allegation from the same book that Bill Clinton's latest mistress is referred to as "the energizer." Perhaps this could have something to do with the fact that the ABC program is co-hosted by former Clinton operative George Stephanopoulos?

GMA news reader Amy Robach revealed, "The Vice President of the United States apparently likes to go skinny dipping...This is all according to a new book which quotes Secret Service agents saying the VP can often be found in his pool, in his birthday suit." She added, "Some agents admitting they'd rather cover their eyes or cover someone else, just hoping that he'll cover himself up." [See Video below. MP3 audio here.]

NBC Omits Coverage of Agreement on VA Hospital Bill; Mentions Robots in South Korean Ballpark Instead
By Curtis Houck | July 28, 2014 | 1:50 PM EDT

Over the weekend, leaders from the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees reached an agreement on legislation to reform the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs with the full details unveiled during a press conference Monday afternoon. When it came to the major broadcast networks covering this breakthrough in their Monday morning news shows, NBC’s Today decided not to inform their viewers of the story. Maybe it was because NBC was too concerned telling them how Congress wasn't working to notice.

Between the two networks that did cover the latest in the VA scandal, ABC and CBS, ABC’s Good Morning America clocked in with the lowest amount of air time (no surprises here) with only a 16 second news brief during the 7:00 a.m. hour. Meanwhile, CBS This Morning had a report from CBS News congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes on the bipartisan negotiations and included numerous details of the plan. [MP3 audio here; Video below]

NBC Continues Blackout of Latest ObamaCare Rulings
By Jeffrey Meyer | July 23, 2014 | 9:57 AM EDT

On Tuesday, July 22 ObamaCare was dealt a mixed bag via two different rulings from federal appeals courts. At issue is the constitutionality of IRS tax subsidies given to individuals who purchase health insurance through the federal exchange rather than through their state-run exchange.  

The conflicting rulings means that ObamaCare is likely headed back to the Supreme Court and could put the entire Affordable Care Act in jeopardy but NBC has yet to acknowledge the case on both its Nightly News and Today show broadcasts. [See video below.]  

CBS, NBC Refuse to Cover News DOJ to Investigate Lost IRS E-Mails; ABC Gives News Measly 22 Seconds
By Curtis Houck | July 17, 2014 | 12:15 PM EDT

Both CBS This Morning and NBC’s Today chose to ignore the latest news in the IRS scandal Thursday morning that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will be investigating the disappearance and destruction of emails pertaining to former IRS official Lois Lerner. 

Meanwhile, ABC’s Good Morning America did cover the news, but only devoted 22 seconds to the story in the form of a news brief during the 7:00 a.m. hour. News reader Amy Robach reported “[a]nd in Washington, a major development in the IRS targeting scandal. The agency is accused of targeting conservative groups. Well now there is word the Justice Department will investigate the disappearance of e-mails the agency claims were lost when a computer crashed. The e-mails were to and from Lois Lerner, a key former IRS official who has refused to testify.” [MP3 audio here; Video below]

Matt Lauer Tries to 'Tread Lightly' Through Feminist Minefield with GM CEO and Fails
By Tim Graham | June 27, 2014 | 12:17 PM EDT

On Thursday’s Today, NBC host Matt Lauer walked into trouble with the feminists by asking GM CEO Mary Barra if she could be a mother and a CEO and do both jobs well – causing every liberal to pull out the card “You don’t ask the males that.”

Charlotte Alter at Time asked: “How’s this for a question: Can Matt Lauer be a good dad and host the Today Show? Let’s discuss.” (Video below)

NBC Hails 'Landmark' Minimum Wage Hike in Seattle as 'Historic Victory for Workers'
By Kyle Drennen | June 3, 2014 | 12:12 PM EDT

In a brief on Tuesday's NBC Today, news anchor Natalie Morales portrayed a minimum wage hike in Seattle as the first step toward a nationwide increase: "Well, with talks across the country ongoing about boosting the minimum wage, workers in Seattle are soon going to be seeing a big boost....The Seattle city council passed an ordinance Monday that bumps the minimum wage up to $15 an hour. That's the highest in the nation." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]

The headline on screen declared: "Landmark Minimum Wage Hike; Seattle's $15 an Hour Could Set New Standard." In a later news brief, Morales proclaimed the policy to be "A historic victory for workers in Seattle that could have a big impact nationwide."

CBS Hails 'Groundbreaking' New EPA Regulations on Climate Change, Skips Job Risk
By Scott Whitlock | June 2, 2014 | 12:40 PM EDT

CBS and NBC's morning shows on Monday avoided any mention of the potential job killing-harm that new Environmental Protection Agency rules will create. The three networks spent a scant 61 seconds total on the global warming regulations, but it was only Amy Robach on Good Morning America who raised a red flag. She pointed out: "The new rules will require power plants to cut Earth-warming pollution by 30 percent. Opponents say this will drive up energy costs and kill thousands of jobs." 

On CBS This Morning, co-host Amy Robach cheered, "This morning, the EPA announces a groundbreaking plan to cut power plant emissions blamed for global warming." She allowed that "carbon dioxide limits are a hot political issue," but the journalist quickly added, "This is America's first ever policy to limit those emissions and the EPA says power plants are the largest source of greenhouse gases in the U.S." [See video below. MP3 audio here.]