Media Research Center’s President Brent Bozell appeared on “Fox & Friends” Oct. 29, to discuss the broadcast networks’ spin on unemployment.
“Well, it confirms what many conservatives have said for years. It absolutely confirms it, but when you look at the numbers it really does rattle you because it is so obvious when the same reporters are taking two completely different positions because of their political proclivities,” Bozell told Steve Doocy.
After showing of network coverage of unemployment leading up the mid-term elections under Bush in 2005-2006 and Obama in 2009-2010, Doocy said, “OK Brent, so there they are trying to put on the happy face. I’m still struck by the comment during the Bush administration where they were talking about ‘Oh, unemployment’s at 4.8 percent. The sky is falling’.”
Bozell replied: “Just 113,000 jobs created. Just 128,000 jobs created. Those are numbers that Barack Obama would love to have today. Here’s the reality Steve, in ‘05-’06 the unemployment was at 4.8 percent, at one point it was at 4.4 percent. Economists said it couldn’t go under 6 percent. It was at 4.8 percent for the year.”
“With Barack Obama, everything was jobs,” Bozell continued. “That’s what he told us. He put us into debt $3 trillion to create jobs. What are the numbers? 15 million unemployed Americans. Unemployment sky-high.”
The Business & Media Institute analyzed the network unemployment coverage and found that in 2005-06 negative reports and stories spun negatively accounted for 58 percent of the stories. In 2009-10, positive reports and stories spun positively accounted for 52 percent.
“That makes no sense,” Bozell told Fox News Channel.
