New Study Shows Major Networks Tougher On Obama Than McCain

LA Times:

Haters of the mainstream media reheated a bit of conventional wisdom last week.

Barack Obama, they said, was getting a free ride from those insufferable liberals.

Such pronouncements, sorry to say, tend to be wrong since they describe a monolithic media that no longer exists. Information today cascades from countless outlets and channels, from the Huffington Post to Politico.com to CBS News and beyond.

But now there's additional evidence that casts doubt on the bias claims aimed -- with particular venom -- at three broadcast networks.

The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University, where researchers have tracked network news content for two decades, found that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Obama than on Republican John McCain during the first six weeks of the general-election campaign.

You read it right: tougher on the Democrat.

Read the whole story: LA Times

Comments

[CalliDem]

Brought to you by the Obama campagin LOL

[Sixtwo]

We unpolled viewers knew this to be true--we watched it everyday! Reporters are human beings and human beings have biases. WHAT ONE IS TAUGHT OR EXPOSED TO DURING THEIR "UP-BRINGING" and EDUCATION BECOMES THEIR BELIEF SYSTEM FOR FILTERING ALL INFORMATIO­N/OPINIONS put forth by the candidates. They can't change their personalities, but they can MODIFY THEIR BEHAVIOR TO ASSURE A LEVELPLAYING FIELD.

[RaraAvis17]

I have solution for everyone - Stop watching the MSM talking heads. Watch your local news and then find a reliable news source that is unbias, and by the way if anyone knows of one let me know.

[watchTVgetSTUPID]

The polls indicate the constant claim of media bias for Obama works in the minds of the public. Face it. As long as the media is extremist pro neocon, they have a huge advantage. Wall to wall Republican Hate Radio (RHR) in Central Florida. Republican Congressman Rick Keller was asked about the conservative bias in the media, he replied "if they don't like it they should turn the dial and listen to one they do like". Problem is Orlando is wall-to-wall RHR with NO ALTERNATIVE "news" or talk radio.
The only way to break the monopoly on power is to break their control of the media. Florida would be solid Democrat if the local media were balanced. Too many people believe sound bite lies after they hear it dozens of times. Especially when there is no counterbalance.


Rick Keller's Congressional district was gerrymanderd to reach all the way to Ocala. The Republicans who own the judicial system allowed this formerly illegal practice and it helps keep Republicans in power.

[oscartucker]

The media is harder on Obama. Monday night Pat Buchanan was awful on "Hardball"! The new word for the Repubs is "arrogant"; every last one of them is trying to say that Obama is arrogant. He didn't go to see the troops--arrogance. His speech in Germany was awful, sounded like some song written by John Lennon, all those people--arrogance. I was happy that two other analyst invited themselves on the show and started checking Buchanan. Joe Scarborough did laugh at McCain for using the word "understand" about 11 times. Joe said he expected to see Big Bird down in the corner; it sounded like Sesame Street introducing a new word.

[kallopolis]

The MSM has been protecting McCain from his gaffs. This really needs to stop. They are doing the American people a disservice by not making these serious misstatements explicit.

[ejay579]

The message seems to be getting through. Watching MSNBC this evening was shocking. The talking heads had plenty to say about McThuselah and call him to task for the BS in which his campaign is now engaged. Hope they keep it up.

[moxieme]

Like Chris Matthews at MSNBC says "tell me something I don't know". Did anyone actually believe O's coverage was going to be kinder than PaCain's? Don't forget, this is America, Manifest Destiny rules!

[CtJean]

Off thread and redundant for some

O's birthday is August 4th (yeah, mine too)

Let's give him the biggest $$ day in history

I'm doubling my contribution

Please pass this on

[Constantone]

Brilliant! I'm on it!

[nanton29]

Good Idea..I will do the same.

Thks.

[ThePeacemakers]

How did liberal become a dirty word?
Liberals were considered N------ Lovers. They wanted to do things like free slaves and eat in the same restaurant with colored people.
And....
In the 60s, conservatives didn't look good naked. They saw all the liberals running around naked and talking about free love so it had to be stopped.

[twocrows]

In a word -- well, 2 actually -- Jerry Falwell.

Google his rhetoric during the 1980's, 1990's and into the 21st century.
Both 'Liberal' and 'Humanist' came under attack. Look up the definitions of both. They have to do with caring for other people.

That, I think, tells you WAY more about Falwell than any of the people he was attacking.
_Our_ problem was-- we let him get away with it.

[wearyvoter]

Even NPR is guilty of this. I heard Cokie Roberts this morning doing the analysis of the Obama overseas tour. and she used the term photo op, over and over again. (Admittedly, some of the trip was photo op, but still....)

[luckyt]

The only people that believe that there is a liberal media is the people who write that nonsense. And the networks that report it like CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS. Everybody knows that the only true liberal media is Fox News and that Bill O'Rielly is the only true and balanced journalist with a degree.

[truthtopower007]

I noticed that the MSM are intimidated by the republicans.

Obama is not going against Hilary anymore. He needs to push back harder.

[zull2]

Duh! When McCain screws up, the networks actually edit his questions for him to make him sound better! Not even Bush gets that much love. What they've done is go right over the line and into the grounds of collusion when it comes to how the media deals with McCain.

As for Obama, they replay a mix tape of his former minister's greatest hits over and over and over until everyone in the world hears it. They don't even play Obama's comments, they're more concerned in slamming him and trying to get away with it.

Actually, the networks have been so sloppy about preventing leaks about this stuff that one could probably make the argument that they WANT voters to think they're in cohorts with the McCain campaign, so the people will rally for Obama and vote against the media. Nah...most people aren't THAT sharp.

[unionave]

Webster says "liberal" means generous , broad-minded , favoring reforms tending toward democracy . If we look at the antonyms of these words we get "stingy" , "narrow minded" , "against reforms tending towards democracy" . Think ! How did being liberal become disliked ? 9/11 happened with the GOP in executive , congressional , and mayoral control . How did the GOP get to be experts in security ? All it took was media control . When the media has told us to step up on a shakey stool and put the noose around our necks we did it and we are on the verge of doing it again .