Study: Networks Much 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.

...

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.

During the evening news, the majority of statements from reporters and anchors on all three networks are neutral, the center found. And when network news people ventured opinions in recent weeks, 28% of the statements were positive for Obama and 72% negative.

Network reporting also tilted against McCain, but far less dramatically, with 43% of the statements positive and 57% negative, according to the Washington-based media center.

Read the whole story: LA Times

Comments

[londonrainbow]

By the way coming to a cinema near you, " BIGGEST POLITICAL A $ $ OF 08", STARRING MCSTRAIN

make sure you check out the bit where he is in ward 9 having a colonoscopy"

OH, sequel " BARBIE BEER" starring Cindy.

[londonrainbow]

Hey Y'all

Ignore mainstream. I only listen to Mark PReston and Paul Steinhauser on CNN giving their reports. Sandy Crawley is ok. Oh Jack Cafferty on CNN can't stand McStrain and its obvious. Olbermann isok to.

McStrain campaign is so daff, they actually complained about McS not getting enough coverage. I am waiting to see the networks comply to their wishes. If done fairly that would be great, McS gaffes will be covered.

Wishful thinking here?????????

Hey huffers, our chant should be "MCSTRAIN'S GAFFES A DAY KEEP THE VOTER AWAY".

repeat after me MCSTRAINS GAFFES A.......................................................................

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

Well in the infamous words of Gomer Pyle: SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

Yeah right, like we needed tracking research to confirm what has been blatantly obvious.

I never understood why idiots who thought more press coverage means good press coverage. Then, I guess that is one of the descriptives of an idiot.

That being said, I commend The Center for Media and Public Affairs for calling MSM out on their BS. It's not as if they discovered America, they just nudged it ihopefully into the spotlight.

[gevan]

Didn't you know? A black man in America must be seen as twice as smart as a white man just to be considered as equal.

[Penny123]

Tell us something that we don't know!

[knowhelpnow]

And it's pretty easy with McSame.

[bellenoir55]

AMEN squared,Gevan!
Luckily it isn't hard for Obama --nor most black Americans--to do so!!!

[Adam11]

Why am i not Suprise of this Report.

Have you REALY paid ATTENTION lattly to: Karry Cur..of CBS, Andria Mitchel of MSNBC, Wolfs and Anderson Cooper AC360 of CNN.?

[timothe]

Allow me this opportunity to pick apart the story somewhat.

First, the only coverage studied appears to be network news. Daily newspapers, periodicals, and cable news programs are not covered...it seems.

Second, why does the link send me to a LA Times op-ed? Is this supposed to be a news story? Why weren't we sent directly to CMPA website?

Third, how exactly can we be sure that the data written in the LA Times op-ed is accurate? This data has not been published on the CMPA website. http://www.cmpa.com/Studies/Election08/election08.htm

Let's put this story in the "jumping the shark" category.

[JadedAggie]

They focus on national network news because it is the most viewed news. Daily newspapers and periodicals are trusted by roughly 10% of all Americans (the lowest of any media source). The truth is it would be great if they could include all media, but the problem is you would need to weight that by the viewership and trust associated within each medium.

[caldarone]

the media has always been tough on Obama, its a total fabrication for people to say the media is in love with Obama, If Obama had said and done half the things HRC and McCain had done , you never hear the end of it.

[jupitor]

How is it Kellygirl gets posted dozens of times on countless sights, and the rest of our post keep disappearing on here! Whats going on this any way? I never cuss or get out of line!

[PumaAnn]

The site is moderated to present a certain image. It's got nothing to do with the posted guidelines.

[ChicagoPunk]

Awww, are you being persecuted, you precious snowflake?

[Wildcatdiva]

all of my posts go thru "the approved" method, that could be because i cuss, get out of line and make it clear i have no love for the mod er ators. I have had many of my posts deleted. some things i don't expect to make it. however, i've seen some slimy mess here and these folks post all day long without getting flagged. so it's not one poster, there are many. I post and move on if it makes it fine if it doesn't fine I'm cool with if sometimes.... sometime is because I have written to the mod er ators as well when I think they are being utterly ridiculous. those never make it...lol

[BethStuart]

Sometimes, this all reminds me of a sports event where one team is hopelessly behind but the commentators want viewers/listeners to stay tuned so they keep making it sound like a contest. How many times have we heard the line, "This game isn't over yet." when indeed it is over. The msm sound very much like sports commentators these days. If they told the truth about McCain, so many people would tune the whole process out that they'd not have any viewers/listeners.

[gtalkspolitics]

Example: The media hammers Sen. Obama to say he was wrong about the Surge (HE WAS NOT)
But has never ask John McCain or George Bush was their Judgment wrong about the war.
They put Sen. Obama under a microscope and he shines they put John McCain on medium spot light and he mixes up the Sunni and the Shites.

[nellie]

The "haters" of the MSM, as the LA Times puts it, are fakers. They know the corporate media is in the tank for Mc Cain. They ARE the corporate media.

Thanks for the study, but find a new frame. The old one is a little tarnished.

[nclayla]

Finally - the voice of reason.

Hillary Clinton claimed media favoritism towards Obama, and was believed, despite the nonstop Rev. Wright clips.

Now McCain has also claimed media favoritism towards Obama, and is also being believed.

Strange, isn't it that the only person not claiming to have been treated unfairly by the press is the one they have been the toughest with - Seantor Obama.

[tel8034]

Yes there has been more coverage on Obama than McCain, but that Obama coverage has been mostly NEGATIVE and focused on INANE ISSUES which has hurt the Obama campaign.

It would have been interesting if the writer had presented data on how much time was devoted to:

- Reverend Wright
- Bittergate
- Inexperience
- Proud of My Country
- Unable to reach working class WHITES, Hispanics, and Women

Very REW TOPICS in number, but ENORMOUS coverage, and this overblown coverage has NEGATIVELY swayed the public opinion of Obama.

On the other hand the MSM through their coverage has falsely implanted in the minds of voters that McCain is a maverick, even though he has flipped all of his positions to that of Bush/Cheney, and they take pains in NOT reporting on anything NEGATIVE about McCain.

The MSM when it comes to Obama, resembles the PAPARAZZI and they stalk him for the sole purpose of being able to record or film a gaffe which they can then cover on a 24/7 basis solely for ratings and profits.

It is obvious that most of the MSM reporters who have been assigned to the election campaign, as well as the MSM bosses themselves have dropped the appearence of impartiality and have openly come out in support of McCain.

For them Obama is just a means to gain high ratings ............ nothing more, nothing less.

[dadele]

Of course the MSM is harder on him, as they were Gore and Kerry. They will continue this practice until the election in an effort to elect the Republican. Just last week CBS was caught editing out McCain mistakes. Does anyone think they are the only ones to do it, or that it was the only time it has happened? Facism in America requires the people to believe we still have a "free" press.

[Birdman]

Study: Networks Much Tougher On Obama Than McCain

Ya Think!!!! Did we need a study to prove this? I mean when you have a news show edit their interview so McCain doesn't appear to be an idiot, you do not need some study to tell you that the Media is tougher on Obama then McCain.