CBS News Relegates Latest In IRS Scandal To Its Website

July 22nd, 2014 9:06 PM
On Tuesday, July 22, CBS News’ Stephanie Condon got around to reporting that the IRS may in fact be able to recover Lois Lerner’s missing emails despite previous claims that they were permanently lost. In testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Thomas Kane, deputy associate chief counsel to the IRS, maintained that “there is an issue as to whether or not there is a -…

CBS Notices Boston Marathon Bombing Conviction; ABC, NBC Out to Lunch

July 22nd, 2014 4:34 PM
Monday's CBS Evening News was the only Big Three morning or evening newscast to cover the conviction of Azamat Tazhayakov, who was found guilty of obstructing the investigation into the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Jurors also convicted Tazhayakov of taking part in a "conspiracy with his off-campus roommate to hide incriminating evidence in the days immediately after the attack," as…

ABC, CBS Ignore Upcoming VA Secretary Confirmation Hearing; Will Netwo

July 22nd, 2014 1:25 PM
ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS This Morning both ignored the news Tuesday morning that President Obama’s nominee to become the next Secretary of the scandal-ridden Department of Veterans Affairs will testify today on Capitol Hill in his confirmation hearing.  NBC’s Today did cover the news, but only in the form of a 24 second news brief during the 7:00 a.m. hour from news reader Natalie…

ABC Derides Perry's Border Move: 'Not Needed' and Comes With a 'Hefty

July 22nd, 2014 12:15 PM
All three morning shows on Tuesday worried about Governor Rick Perry's "controversial," expensive move to send the National Guard to the Texas border. But it was ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday that offered the most annoyed commentary. GMA correspondent Jim Avila began his report by lecturing, "But the border patrol says [National Guard troops are] not needed because federal law prohibits…

NBC Marks 45th Anniversary of Apollo 11's Launch; ABC and CBS Yawn

July 17th, 2014 2:51 PM
NBC Nightly News stood out on Wednesday as the only Big Three morning or evening newscast to notice the 45th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, the mission that landed the first men on the Moon. During his 41-second news brief, Brian Williams paid tribute to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins as "the living embodiment of the right stuff." Williams also pointed out that "…

CBS, NBC Refuse to Cover News DOJ to Investigate Lost IRS E-Mails; ABC

July 17th, 2014 12:15 PM
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…

'Big Three' Throw Cold Water on Chris Christie’s Iowa Visit: ‘A Lo

July 17th, 2014 11:27 AM
Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) visited Iowa on Wednesday to help raise money for Governor Terry Branstad (R-IA) and test the 2016 political waters but the “big three” networks did their best to diminish his visit to the Hawkeye state.  Starting with NBC Nightly News on Wednesday night, anchor Brian Williams introduced a story on Christie by playing up how “the New York Times calls the trip a…

Networks Gush Over Jon Stewart's 'Creative' Softballs to Hillary, Gett

July 16th, 2014 12:25 PM
On Wednesday, all three network morning shows eagerly promoted Hillary Clinton's friendly chat with Jon Stewart on Tuesday's Daily Show. On NBC's Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie praised Stewart for finding a "creative way" of pleading for Clinton to announce her 2016 presidential bid. Following a clip of the softball exchange, Guthrie declared: "Well played, Jon Stewart, well played." [Listen…

The Border Crisis Stories the Networks Aren't Telling You About

July 16th, 2014 11:39 AM
Government officials restricting reporter access to illegal immigrants at detention centers. Border patrol agents being infected with diseases “not seen in decades.” The general in charge of the U.S. Southern Command warning that terrorists and gang members could be hiding among the new influx of immigrants. These are just some of the startling new border crisis stories the Big Three (ABC, CBS…

‘Big Three’ Continue To Champion Jose Antonio Vargas: ‘America

July 16th, 2014 11:12 AM
Jose Antonio Vargas, a 31-year-old illegal immigrant, was detained by border patrol agents while trying to board a plane from McAllen, Texas without proper documentation. Following his arrest, the “big three” networks did their best to promote his cause on their Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning broadcasts.  ABC’s Good Morning America did the most to cheerlead for Vargas, with reporter…

Network Coverage of ‘Extreme Weather’ Up Nearly 1,000 Percent

July 16th, 2014 10:14 AM
A “bizarre cold snap” is hitting the U.S. and the media have already begun to draw comparisons to the polar vortex. It is only a matter of time before the networks resume panic over “extreme weather.” Use of the phrase “extreme weather” in news stories has exploded in recent years. Almost a decade ago, before former Vice President Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth” was released, the…

Blackout: ‘Big Three’ Ignore AG Holder’s Claim That ‘Racial An

July 15th, 2014 9:50 PM
Attorney General Eric Holder spoke with ABC’s Pierre Thomas over the weekend and made highly controversial comments in which he claimed that the lack of support for President Obama’s policies was a result of “racial animus.”  Despite the highly charged nature of Holder’s statement, none of the “big three” networks have yet to pick up on the story. During the interview, Holder insisted  that "…

NBC Ignores VA Whistle-Blower Hearing; ABC Gives News Only 23 Seconds

July 15th, 2014 12:40 PM
On Tuesday morning, NBC’s Today refused to cover the latest news in the Veterans Affairs scandal as the House Veterans Affairs Committee heard testimony Monday night from additional whistle-blowers who faced punishment from superiors for identifying allegedly manipulated response times for veterans who filed benefit and disability claims. Coverage of the latest news saw only two minutes and…

NBC Avoids the Word 'Illegal,' Highlights 'Migrant Families' and 'Immi

July 11th, 2014 5:15 PM
The journalists at NBC's Today on Friday made sure to avoid using the word "illegal" and instead favored "migrant families" and, simply, "immigrants." ABC's Good Morning America followed a similar path, noting the "children crossing the border from Central America." Only CBS This Morning host Jeff Glor referred to "the flood of illegal immigrants."  On Today, news reader Craig Melvin…