Fox News moderators spoke 65% more during GOP debates than their CNN counterparts, according to a new study by the University of Minnesota.
Smart Politics, a non-partisan political news site at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, conducted a study of 17 GOP debates that have taken place since September. Out of the five media outlets that hosted debates, moderators at CNN spoke the least amount of time in comparison to the candidates. The moderators, which included Wolf Blitzer, John King and Anderson Cooper, were heard during 15.9% of the debates.
In contrast, Fox News took up the greatest share of their broadcasts compared to the other outlets' debates. The three Fox News debates saw moderators speaking 26.2% of the time.
"Overall, CNN debates saw candidates speak at a ratio of 5.12 minutes for every 1 minute of moderator speaking time," the study concluded. "At FOX candidates were allowed to speak for just 2.76 minutes for every 1 minute given to the moderators." View the full results here.
Both CNN and Fox News have seen controversial moments during their debates, including Newt Gingrich's showdowns with Juan Williams and John King.
Related on HuffPost:
In South Carolina, Juan Williams suggested that Gingrich's comments about blacks and food stamps were insulting to all Americans, especially black Americans. Gingrich fiercely denied those charges, and doubled down on his comments -- and got a standing ovation from the audience.
John King began CNN's South Carolina debate by asking Gingrich about his ex-wife's explosive interview. Gingrich responded with a searing condemnation of the question, and the "elite media."
One of the most discussed moments of the GOP debates came when Wolf Blitzer questioned Ron Paul about his views on health care. Members of the audience cheered when Blitzer asked if society should let an uninsured man die.
George Stephanopoulos asked Mitt Romney whether states could legally ban contraception. Romney was offended by the question, and said there was no point to it because no state was considering doing so.
John King asked Mitt Romney if he planned to follow in the footsteps of his father -- who once ran for president -- and release his tax returns. Romney said, "Maybe," prompting boos from the audience.
Byron York asked Michele Bachmann if she would be submissive to her husband as president.
Members of the audience booed when Megyn Kelly replayed a clip of a gay soldier asking the candidates whether they would reinstate DADT.
Brian Williams asked Rick Perry if he ever had trouble sleeping over the possibility that one of the 234 prisoners who were executed during his term could have been innocent. The audience cheered at the mention of 234 executions, and Williams also asked Perry what he made of that reaction.
Chris Wallace asked Rick Perry to defend his decision to allow undocumented college students to pay in-state tuition. Perry was booed when he said that people who do not believe in educating undocumented students do not have a heart.
Chris Wallace and Newt Gingrich got into a hostile exchange at a debate in Iowa after Wallace asked him to explain reports that his campaign staff had quit en masse. Gingrich accused the Fox News panelists of playing "Mickey Mouse games."
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Posted: 02/24/12 11:39 AM ET