ABC Skimps on Filibuster Coverage, Offers Confusing Explanation of Ran

March 7th, 2013 12:38 PM
ABC's World News on Wednesday and Good Morning America on Thursday offered confusing, incomplete and brief explanations for why Rand Paul filibustered John Brennan, Barack Obama's Central Intelligence Agency nominee. According to GMA news reader Josh Elliott, "Paul was protesting the Obama administration's use of drone strikes against Americans." [Video of the terse explanations can be found…

ABC and NBC Tout ‘Larger Than Life’ Chavez Who ‘Never Backed Dow

March 6th, 2013 12:38 PM
 ABCNews.com on Wednesday greeted the death of Hugo Chavez by avoiding the word “socialist.” Instead, journalist Brandi Hitt touted the repressive leader as someone who “appeared to never back down from a challenge.” The reporter never mentioned Chavez’s crackdown on free speech or democracy. Instead, she featured a woman in the streets of Venezuela gushing, “He’s a man that cared about us…He…

ABC's Bianna Golodryga: Isn't It 'Kind of Sad' That Investors Are Shru

March 5th, 2013 12:17 PM
After hyping a "fiscal emergency" that could "vaporize" America, the journalists at Good Morning America seemed slightly puzzled that daily life has continued. GMA anchor George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday talked to reporter Bianna Golodryga and marveled, "...Investors seem to be shrugging off any economic impact from the stalemate in Washington, those across the board spending cuts." Golodryga…

CNN Catches Obama's Falsehood on Sequester; Networks Barely Report It

March 4th, 2013 6:45 PM
CNN's Dana Bash fact-checked President Obama's falsehood about the sequester on Friday, but the major networks didn't exactly follow CNN's lead in reporting the distortion that Capitol Hill janitors and police would receive a pay cut because of the sequester. In his Friday press conference, Obama claimed, "They're going to have less pay, the [Capitol Hill] janitors, the security guards. They…

After Hyping a 'Fiscal Emergency' That Could 'Cripple' and 'Vaporize

March 4th, 2013 12:32 PM
For weeks, ABC has been hyping sequestration as a "fiscal emergency" that could "cripple" much of America and "vaporize" jobs. Yet, Monday's Good Morning America featured no stories on what the network had been calling "massive cuts." On Friday's GMA, as sequester was about to occur, Josh Elliott hyperventilated, "Jobs vaporizing, flights delayed, even criminals walking free." Day after day,…

Sequester Scare! Two Thirds of News Stories Devoted to Hyping Budget

March 4th, 2013 10:03 AM
“Deadline day. Hours, now, until massive government cuts go into effect that could impact every American. Jobs vaporizing. Flights delayed. Even criminals walking free.” That’s the call to panic with which ABC’s Josh Elliot greeted viewers on the March 1 Good Morning America. Elliot’s frenzied tone, on the day sequestration was going into effect, was typical of the Big Three (ABC, CBS, NBC)…

ABC: Sequester 'Armageddon' Will Lead to 'Jobs Vaporizing' and 'Crimin

March 1st, 2013 11:53 AM
According to the journalists of Good Morning America, the end of the world is nigh. The hosts and reporters on Friday hyped the "massive" sequester cuts as leading to near panic. Josh Elliott opened the show by hyperventilating, "Jobs vaporizing, flights delayed, even criminals walking free." [See video below. MP3 audio here.] Reporter Jon Karl intoned, "The day is upon us. Those dreaded…

NBC Allows 16 Seconds to White House Battle With Bob Woodward, Avoids

February 28th, 2013 12:10 PM
The Today show on Thursday allowed a scant 16 seconds, out of a possible four hours, to the claim by veteran journalist Bob Woodward that the Obama White House is trying to intimidate him and attack his coverage of the sequester cuts. The NBC program also avoided using the word "threat." ABC's Good Morning America gave the most coverage to the battle, offering a full report and a news brief…

ABC Newscasts Mum on Editing Out Michelle Obama's Reference to 'Automa

February 27th, 2013 1:01 PM
Good Morning America on Tuesday edited out an inaccurate assertion by First Lady Michelle Obama that the gunman in a Chicago killing used an "automatic weapon." Regarding the death of teenager Hadiya Pendelton, Mrs. Obama claimed, "And she was caught in the line of fire because some kids had some automatic weapons they didn't need." This quote appeared online, but not on the February 26…

Hyperbolic ABC: 'Massive Spending Cuts' to Cause 'Meat Shortages

February 27th, 2013 11:48 AM
The reporters of Good Morning America, who on Monday briefly questioned Barack Obama's hyperbolic talk about the sequester cuts, have returned to promoting dire warnings of meat shortages and children losing vaccines. Guest co-host Elizabeth Vargas on Wednesday hyped "the grim countdown to the massive spending cuts that will kick in on Friday." To underline the point, an ABC graphic…

ABC Thrills Over Michelle Obama's Oscar Appearance: 'Straight Out of A

February 26th, 2013 12:04 PM
Last week, ABC scored an exclusive "get." Barack and Michelle Obama appeared on Good Morning America to welcome back co-host Robin Roberts from a serious illness. On Tuesday, Roberts paid the White House back, fawning over the "trend-setting" First Lady and her "hot" bangs. The anchor asked not a single tough question during the two part, eight and a half minute segment. Co-anchor George…

ABC Hypes Obama's Sequester Warnings, Spins Cuts as Sounding 'Like a D

February 25th, 2013 4:41 PM
ABC on Sunday continued to hype Barack Obama's hyperbolic claims about sequester cuts. World News reporter David Kerley played a clip of the President and then insisted that $85 billion in spending "sounds like a disaster movie." Kerley warned, "Child care canceled for tens of thousands of kids. Long airport security lines. Flight delays with a shortage of controllers. And military cuts that…

David Wright Huffs Over 'Ugly' Papal Election and 'Absolute Monarch' P

February 25th, 2013 12:08 PM
According to Good Morning America's David Wright on Monday, the upcoming "papal election campaign is getting ugly." The ABC correspondent then declared that Pope Benedict an "absolute monarch."  In a report live from Rome, Wright explained, "Pope Benedict is expected to issue new rules about the timing and procedures of the conclave [the meeting of cardinals to elect a new pope.]" He added…

What Objectivity? Three ABC Co-Hosts to Appear at a Political Fund-Rai

February 22nd, 2013 4:15 PM
Apparently, objectivity just isn't needed on some issues. On March 16th, Good Morning America's Josh Elliott, Sam Champion and Lara Spencer will co-host the 24th annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) awards. The event will honor another journalist, Anderson Cooper, for being "an advocate for the LGBT community." This isn't the first time Elliott, supposedly a neutral…