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

[JadedAggie]

This isn't remotely surprising to be honest. The reason why people perceive it differently is that although O is getting 15% more negative coverage than McCane his total coverage is so large he still gets more positive coverage than McCane. If you do the math 28% of 166 minutes is roughly 46.5 minutes of positive coverage comapared to 43% of 67 minutes which is roughly 28.1 minutes of positive coverage. People tend to only consciously focus on positive coverage so they see Obama get 18.4 more minutes of positive coverage and they think wow is he lucky. What they ignore is that Obama is also getting 119.5 minutes of negative coverage compared to McCane's 38.2 minutes. That means O is getting 81.3 more minutes of negative coverage than McCane. So in exchange for only 18.4 minutes of positive coverage he is getting 81.3 minutes of negative coverage and still being accused of receiving media bias. The coverage so far is really putting the marketing theory that any press is good press to the test.

[recruitgal]

http://www.236.com/news/2008/07/24/if_they_imd_barack_obama_and_t_2_7906.php

Very, very funny... courtesy of our friends at 23/6 - and an interesting take on the supposed love affair.

[recruitgal]

sorry folks - that really should have turned into a hyperlink.... Weird.

[4wehttam]

Thanks recruitgal. That was funny as heck!!!

[Aywaller]

Tooooooo funny! Thanks!

[SCG]

It's been true this entire season. Thankfully Barack has been able to rise above it, much to the consternation of his critics.

[jupitor]

Tell us some thing we didn't know! When the media give Mccain a free ride on his seriouse memory problems and starts cutting out the memory gaffe's an leave them on their cutting room floor------You know how Bias the Media is against Obama and for Mccain! The spoon feed Mccains questions, an nudge him along when he stutters, and slips! Never call him on the memory gaffe's he makes either or it's like on CNN reliable source's when they do mention his memory problem! Oh I'm sure it's not old age, every one makes mistakes like the ONE Obama made on 57 states! That's the problem, we can understan one or two gaffe's, but (3) times he has Iran training Alqueda and sending them into Iraq! He gotten foreign country Borders mixed up, and a non existing country's, How many troops are in Iraq, can't keep shite and sunni's groups identified properlly, and on an on and on. The media doesn't understand this is seriouse and this old man could be our President,

[chazzg]

Just watch "Morning Joe" or "Race to the White House" and you would know !!!!!!

[loria]

Or CBS. Obama hasn't had the benefit of editing when he screwed up. In fact, it seems they try to find an issue when their is none.

[lisakaz2]

Well, duuuuhhh!!!! They toured with him to chart mistakes and got burned, then C-B-S edits McB--- to cover a mistake and on O puts in her own editorializig on "the surge." This is exactly what was asserted by blog here. Any of us with a shred of clear thinking cannot be surprised.

[letsgetsmart]

If the media is paying more attention to O it is only a flock of vultures looking for an opportunity to get the gaffe that the republicans owners have the cash reward for. Why would they avoid their front man? So his mistakes are not on the air. You have to hand it to O, he has been walking on eggs with the media and he is quite the egg walker or maybe this is how he is all the time. Must be frustrating the republicans that he doesn't go windsurfing but instead goes on an image building foreign trip. I get a kick out of the military leadership, they take orders well. A call to O's liaison to not stop at the base because it is a political trip and when he admits to changing his plans because he is respecting the long standing military policy, they get a call, salute, and tell the media that, no we didn't ask him not to stop there.

[apoyo]

They needed to do a study to come up with the obvious?

The polls would sure look different if the media reported what was happening as fact not opinion.
Lately it seems the media spends 75 percent of its time speculating about what ifs. Who can follow such drivel? Are they in the news business or in the fortune telling business?

[Daly]

heck yeah they needed a study else Mc would be serving up more whine; he will do it anyway because he even recants on his own past statements - but the MSM is OK with that.

What I'd love to see is Mc do an interview with Arianna - I'd pay for that one - even web cast or live audio it would be worth the price of admission.

[gladys46]

But, but , we knew that .... the "listening" audience knew just that!! Anyway, can those researchers tell us something we don't know ... why is McCain seeking to become POTUS!!?? Same "listeners" watch him in total wonderment ... is there another secret researchers might release before that's too late!!? Some little thing which would better inform any person perhaps leaning toward voting for Mc!!?

[NYC07]

I know that the playing field has evened out when the MSM asks McCain: Senator your 71 years old and have been making a lot of gaffes and misstatements lately , do you think your age has something to do with that.

[the964kid]

Anybody who's watching this campaign closely should already know: Hillary got let off the hook all the time by the media. In fact the media carried the water for her myth that she could still have won, and because of this, her campaign was able to last 2-3 months longer then it should have. McCain has been given a complete free ride up until the last few weeks - where the media has started doing their job (better). McCain is shocked to be getting 'real' coverage instead of his usual soft coverage - and now he's crying about that.

[Shammie2000]

The media gives the repug's a pass because they're seen (by the media) as the party of hard working american (see clinton's take) you know flag waving, gun carrying, but don't count on the people to figure this out (no real calls for impeachment) on their on.

[CalexenderJ]

As mentioned in the article, there are two separate issues the the right LOVES to conflate. There is no question Obama gets MORE media coverage. Why? Because he's interesting, his newer on the scene, and more people are excited about his candidacy. The media being ratings whores want to as many people watching as possible and John McCain is a snooze fest. The second issue is HOW the candidates are covered, and as this study shows, Obama does not receive glowing coverage, the media is often unwarrantedly negative towards him.

If the media were actually to apply some scrutiny to John McCain and his awful policies his campaign would be over.

[4wehttam]

Amen to that. If O has made as many gaffes in ONE WEEK that McBush has made it would be on 24/7 for an entire month. McSurge's crap is just swept under the freaking rug. Pisses me the heck off!

[amst]

The media is tougher on Obama??? Gee, ya think???? For crying out loud, it's been that way all along. The media is so good a spreading and hynotizing gullible and/or ignorant people and/or people who simply want to believe there is a lef-leaning media. They do it well. That's how we got the Village Idiot as a President, not once but TWICE. For God's sake people, wake the freek' up!!!

The media has always been in the tank for their "Goloden Boy". McCain can do NO wrong. They want McCain, they love McCain (or any righty actuall). IF it turned out they talk a lot about Obama, I challenge anyone to see how much postive they are saying. How many weeks son Rev. Wright??? How much time spent on his religion, patriotism and trashing Michelle. Grow up media and do the job you are suppose to, you right-winged losers.

[druidlady42]

One need only to compare the coverage of "bitter" to "whining", Wright to Hagee!

[DMHendrix]

EXACTLY!!!!

[BADEN]

Suzanne Malvo just did a real snark on Mr. O during the Press/Unity convention in Chicago.

She mewled nicely when dishing out the koolaide..."Just who do ya think you are, dude?".....

And, she got slapped/clapped down on every point she was trying to push.

Gee, normal folk talking up and back at the koolaide queen - that's the America I remember...

[Daly]

and the America we can be

it is why I love the slogan Yes! we can.


It is the WE part, We need to stop the Cain train in it's tracks