Networks Omit Blagojevich's Democratic Affiliation After Conviction
June 28th, 2011 5:42 PM
ABC, CBS, and NBC all failed to mention former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's affiliation with the Democratic Party on their Monday evening news broadcasts and the Tuesday morning shows. Blagojevich was convicted by a jury on Monday on 17 out of 20 charges, mainly related to the attempt to sell the Senate seat of President Obama. Only CBS's Early Show noted his party with a "D" on-screen…
ABC, CBS Whack Bachmann with PolitiFact, Have Spared Obama Similar Dru
June 28th, 2011 4:29 PM
ABC and CBS have both recently wielded PolitiFact as a club to bash Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), yet in the 29 months since President Barack Obama took office – despite 49 "false" ratings in Obama's PolitiFact file – the three broadcast networks have cited the fact-checking website only once to challenge the Democratic commander-in-chief.
ABC host George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday…
ABC Donated 15 Minutes to Obama's Take on Fatherhood, But Knocks Bachm
June 28th, 2011 12:21 PM
Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos, host of the same program that provided Barack Obama with a 15 minute platform to talk about the importance of fathers, badgered Michele Bachmann on Tuesday with combative questions and forced her to respond to charges of constantly making "false statements."
Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic operative and Bill Clinton staffer, tried to make…
Networks Tout 'Extra Spectacular' Gay Pride Parades and 'Victory Laps
June 27th, 2011 3:44 PM
The network morning shows on Monday hyped the "extra spectacular" gay pride parades in the wake of New York's newly passed same sex marriage legislation. Both ABC and NBC highlighted the "hero's welcome" Governor Andrew Cuomo received after signing the bill. At the same time, they ignored dissenters.
On Monday's Today, news anchor Natalie Morales touted, "Gay pride parades around the country…
ABC, NBC Kowtow to Michelle Obama, but Took Shots at Laura Bush
June 24th, 2011 5:35 PM
When ABC and NBC interview First Ladies, both the tone and substance of the discussion tend to hinge on whether the husband is an Obama or a Bush.
On Wednesday's ABC "World News" and NBC "Nightly News," network correspondents sat down with Michelle Obama in South Africa for exclusive interviews in which they lobbed softball questions and avoided her husband's policies. But in interviews with…
ABC Only Big Three Net to Fully Cover Seattle Islamist Terror Plot; NB
June 24th, 2011 3:47 PM
NBC barely covered the Thursday arrests of two Islamists in a planned terrorist attack on a military facility in Seattle. The network didn't cover the breaking news at all on Thursday's Nightly News, and devoted only 17 seconds to it on Friday's Today Show. Thursday's CBS Evening News had a minute-long report on the arrests, while ABC had full reports on the arrests on World News and GMA.…
Big Three Networks Ignore Obama's Medal of Honor Screw-Up
June 24th, 2011 3:04 PM
Barack Obama's confusing one living American war hero with a fallen one he honored in 2009, has been completely ignored by the Big Three Networks shows, including the same NBC Nightly News that threw a fit over Sarah Palin's recent recounting of an event over 200 years ago, Paul Revere's ride.
ABC, CBS Heap Praise on 'Baby Whisperer' Barack Obama and His 'Magic
June 22nd, 2011 4:19 PM
The ABC and CBS morning shows on Wednesday gushed over "baby whisperer" Barack Obama. Both Good Morning America and the Early Show played White House-produced video of the President comforting a baby while working a rope line.
GMA's Lara Spencer lauded, "You know, the President is plenty busy trying to turn the economy around. But he still has time to stop some babies from crying, of…
After Touting Huntsman's Promise to be 'Civil,' ABC Slams Republican W
June 22nd, 2011 11:57 AM
When Good Morning America's Robin Roberts conducted a softball interview with Barack Obama on Friday, she sought out questions from basketball stars. On Wednesday, however, George Stephanopoulos grilled Republican Jon Huntsman with queries taken straight from the White House's 2012 reelection team.
Stephanopoulos played up the presidential candidate's promise for "a civil campaign" and an…
Nets Ignore Emissions Decision, Politico Carries EPA's Water
June 21st, 2011 1:10 PM
The Supreme Court on Monday unequivocally rejected the notion that courts should force power companies to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, but none of the major broadcast networks covered the unanimous decision on their evening newscasts or morning shows.
The New York Times teased the ruling on the front page of Tuesday's paper, directing readers to a thorough analysis of the 8-0 decision,…
ABC Freaks Out Over the 'Political Calamity' of John McCain Linking Il
June 21st, 2011 12:01 PM
Good Morning America's reporters on Tuesday hyperbolically attacked John McCain for creating a "firestorm" and a "political calamity" by suggesting that illegal immigrants have been responsible for fires in the southwest.
Reporter Clayton Sandell recounted the blaze in Arizona and hyperventilated, "Now, a political calamity has flared after Senator John McCain blamed at least some of the…
Goo: ABC Devotes 15 Minutes to Softball Obama Interview, Highlights Qu
June 17th, 2011 12:05 PM
Good Morning America's Robin Roberts on Friday conducted a softball, light-hearted interview with Barack Obama, devoting 15 minutes to the President. She even included questions from sports celebrities such as Drew Brees.
During the two part segment, which was billed as a look at Obama on Father's Day, Roberts only bothered with four policy questions, instead choosing to highlight the…
Networks That Excused Nazi Signs for Scott Walker's Collective Bargain
June 15th, 2011 12:01 PM
ABC, CBS and NBC's morning shows on Wednesday offered a scant 41 seconds to a major Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling permitting the state's collective bargaining law to go into effect. These are the same networks that, just four months ago, praised the "people power" of the liberal protesters and ignored signs comparing conservatives to Nazis.
On February 20, This Week host Christiane Amanpour…
Networks Chide: GOP Debate Was a 'Race to 'Out-Bash the President' Wit
June 14th, 2011 1:00 PM
The morning shows on Tuesday used loaded terms to describe Monday's Republican presidential debate. According to Good Morning America's John Berman, it was a "two-hour race to out-bash the President." On the Today show, Chuck Todd sniffed that "much of the affair was an anti-Obama sound bite contest."
CBS's Early Show proved to be more mild. Co-host Erica Hill recounted, "Attacking Obama.…