The Sounds of (Network TV) Silence

With indictments pending, it's worth taking a moment to look back at how the press has covered of the Valerie Plame leak since Sept. 28, 2003, when the Washington Post first revealed that there had been a concerted effort from inside the White House to try to discredit Joseph Wilson by spreading word his wife worked for the CIA. And specifically, it's worth looking back at how the television network's high-profile, primetime news programs have treated a story that may very well define the Bush presidency, at least domestically. Hint: The networks couldn't care less.

Based on a search of transcritps via the Nexis database, since Sept 28, 2003, here are how many episodes of "60 Minutes" and the now-defunct "60 Minutes II" aired: Approx. 180. Here's how many "60 Minutes" and "60 Minutes II" segments examined the Plame case: 0.

Over at NBC, here's how many episodes of "Dateline" have aired: Approx. 100. Here's how many reported segments examined the Plame case: 0. A similar story for ABC's "Primetime Live." Number of episodes since Sept. 28, 2003: Approx. 100. Number of Plame reports: 0.

And for ABC's "Nightline," considered to be a harder news show than either "Primetime" or "Dateline" and which aired every weeknight during the two-year span of the Plame saga, here's the number of programs broadcast: Approx. 500. Here, according to Nexis, is how many times "Nightline" addressed the criminal investigation that reached into the highest levels of the White House: 3.

By my tally, since the Plame story broke two years ago, that's nearly 900 broadcasts between ABC, CBS and NBC's signature long form news programs, and exactly three reports on the leak investigation.