Media Reported UN Accusation Israelis Killed Truck Driver, Ignored Isr
A year ago today, when U.N. officials accused the Israeli military of killing the driver of a vehicle delivering relief aid to Gaza during the Israeli campaign against Hamas, all the broadcast and news networks reported the accusation on January 8, 2009, noting the U.N.'s resulting cessation of relief aid deliveries. But, after the Israeli military conducted an investigation and charged that…
Jay Leno: NBC Stands For 'Never Believe Your Contract
NBC's Jay Leno on Thursday mocked his employers over rumors that his new program is about to be canceled.During the opening monologue of "The Jay Leno Show," the comedian joked about having spoken to CBS "Evening News" host Katie Couric: "You know, she left NBC for another network. I gotta give her a call, see how that's working out."The former "Tonight Show" host then suggested that if he does…
Today Profiles 'Angel of Death Row' Who Calls Death Penalty 'A Barbari
Andrea Lyon, the attorney for accused child murderer Casey Anthony, was invited on Thursday's Today show to discuss the case and promote her new book and was given a platform to call the death penalty "A barbaric institution," and to spout that the U.S. is in the "company of Iraq and Iran and China." NBC's Meredith Vieira conducted the live interview with Lyon but not before Kerry Sanders set the…
Network Evening Newcasts Ignore Resignation of Disgraced Baltimore May
While the Democratic Mayor of Baltimore, Shelia Dixon, resigned on Wednesday amid a criminal scandal, the evening news programs on NBC, ABC, and CBS all failed to mention the political downfall.
On Thursday, all three network morning shows offered news briefs on the resignation, however, all forgot to note that Dixon was a Democrat.
On NBC’s Today, co-host Ann Curry mentioned: “Baltimore…
NBC Highlights (But ABC Skips) Obama Aide’s Love Child Scandal
Nine days after ABC announced on Good Morning America that financial correspondent Bianna Golodryga would be marrying top Obama official Peter Orszag, NBC’s Today made sure to highlight the revelation that the budget director has also fathered a child with his (now) ex-girlfriend. Good Morning America skipped this development, as did CBS’s Early Show. Orszag, the director of the Office and Budget…
Networks Downplay $42 Million in 'Outrageous' Bonuses, 'Unlimited' Bai
The network news media cheered when Obama called for restrictions on CEO pay or bonuses that, according to reporters, exemplify the Wall Street "greed" that toppled the American economy. But when $42 million in cash compensation packages were announced on Christmas Eve for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives, the networks couldn't muster any anger toward the highly connected groups. Although…
Lauer Sticks Up for Obama On Charge He's Soft on Terror: 'Get Rid of I
NBC's Matt Lauer dismissed the idea that Barack Obama was weak on terrorism, as the Today co-anchor, on Wednesday's show, wanted to "get rid" of the notion that "the President doesn't take the threat of terrorism seriously enough because he's not out there talking about it every day." Lauer, in a political roundup segment in the 7am half hour, also spun the retirements of Democratic Senators…
NBC's Vieira to Michael Steele: Is Cheney 'Hurting' Republicans
Meredith Vieira peppered RNC chair Michael Steele, on Tuesday's Today show, with a line of questioning that made the GOP out to be "partisan" in its criticisms of Obama's national security policies and questioned recent comments by Dick Cheney's were "hurting the Republicans." Vieira began the interview by questioning if a Peter Hoekstra fundraising letter was an example of the GOP playing…
On Today: Fill Out Census or You Won't Get Government Goodies
NBC's Today show invited on Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Census Bureau Director Robert Groves to promote their Portrait of America road tour as a way to encourage people to fill out the Census forms or risk, as Locke warned, miss out on "$400 billion of federal funds," to which Matt Lauer underlined, "This is vitally important to communities." The entire Today cast braved 20 degree weather…
Lauer Presses DeMint To 'Come Around' On Obama's TSA Nominee
NBC's Matt Lauer, on Monday's Today show, used the occasion of the bombing attempt of Northwest Flight 253, to press Republican Senator Jim DeMint to stop being the last "hold-out" and "come around," on approving Obama's pick for TSA director Errol Southers. However Lauer failed to mention Obama took eight months to make his choice as well as the fact that DeMint is concerned that Southers'…
Tina Brown: Limbaugh 'Like the Bad Fairy at Sleeping Beauty's Christen
The Daily Beast’s Tina Brown targeted Rush Limbaugh for ruining 2009, particularly after Obama’s inauguration, on Thursday’s Today show on NBC, blaming him for the “big discord and toxic atmosphere in politics,” and likened him to the “the bad fairy at Sleeping Beauty’s christening” for uttering his famous words about the President, “I hope he fails” [audio clip available here].Brown slammed the…
MSNBC.com Analyst: Palin's 'Reality Show' Life Not Good for Grandson
MSNBC.com’s Steve Adubato went so far to compare Sarah Palin’s notoriety to a reality show during a segment on Wednesday’s Today show on NBC. Adubato acted as an apologist for Levi Johnston’s move to open his child custody dispute with Bristol Palin: “Sarah Palin’s reality show that she’s been on for the past couple years...It has an impact on this baby as well....and it’s not good for the kid…
NBC Groups Palin With 'Flabby Thighs, Cheap Men' on 2009 'Purge' List
On Tuesday’s Today show, NBC’s Jenna Wolfe singled out Sarah Palin and grouped her with “flabby thighs, cheap men, [and] rude people” as subjects some people chose to ritually “purge” from their minds in an annual event in New York City called “Good Riddance Day.” Participants wrote down their worst memories of 2009 on sheets of paper and fed them into a giant shredding machine to mark the…
