TV Morning Shows Give Short Shrift to Novak’s Passing

August 19th, 2009 6:23 PM
The network morning news shows could not have cared less about the passing of conservative columnist Robert Novak. While ABC, CBS and NBC all ran obituaries during their August 18 evening news shows, ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS’s The Early Show completely skipped over Novak this morning, not once mentioning his death.Over on NBC’s Today, fill-in news anchor Hoda Kotb squeezed in a brief…

CBS Early Show Praises Teen Global Warming Activist

August 19th, 2009 12:33 PM
On Wednesday’s CBS Early Show, correspondent Daniel Sieberg reported on a young global warming activist from California: "...everyday citizens of all ages are doing their part to raise awareness of climate change....15-year-old Alec Loorz takes his message across the country, using poles to illustrate the predicted sea level rise if nothing is done to prevent global warning."At one point, Loorz…

CBS: Free Clinic Shows Health Care Reform ‘Desperately Needed

August 14th, 2009 12:26 PM
At the top of Thursday’s CBS Evening News, anchor Katie Couric used a free clinic in Inglewood, California to push for health care reform: "Tonight in the battle over health care, they are on the front lines....we’re going to show you why many believe reform is desperately needed. These are just some of the tens of thousands of Americans who need health care but have no insurance or not enough of…

CBS Uses Editor of Liberal Magazine to ‘Fact Check’ ObamaCare

August 13th, 2009 4:33 PM
At the top of Thursday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith teased an upcoming segment on dispelling myths about health care reform: "There’s so much anger, this vitriol that we see day after day in these town meetings across the country....We’re going to try and determine this morning whether or not some of these bold statements are, in fact, true or not."Smith turned to Jonathan Cohn, senior…

CBS Silent on Clinton Comparing Bush v. Gore to Massive Corruption in

August 13th, 2009 12:50 PM
Of the three major networks, only CBS has managed, thus far, to ignore controversial comments from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that compared America’s disputed election in 2000 to political corruption in Nigeria. ABC, however, highlighted the August 12 remarks on Thursday’s Good Morning America. GMA news anchor Chris Cuomo challenged, "Now, did [the comments] cross the line?" Co-host Robin…

CBS’s Mitchell: Health Care Debate ‘Nasty National Shouting Match

August 12th, 2009 5:46 PM
At the top of the 8:00AM ET hour of Wednesday’s Early Show, co-host Russ Mitchell cited protests at health care reform town hall meetings as evidence that the debate was "turning into a nasty national shouting match." After playing a clip of a U.S. Chamber of Commerce ad opposing the health care plan, Mitchell observed: "Democratic lawmakers pushing reform are being jeered at testy town hall…

CBS Early Show Again Fears Rise in ‘Right-Wing Extremists

August 12th, 2009 11:45 AM
On Wednesday, the CBS Early Show once again feared a rise in right-wing extremism as co-host Russ Mitchell cited a report from the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center: "A report out this morning says anti-government and white racist militias are regrouping around the country. The Southern Poverty Law Center says it is in part a reaction to the election of America’s first black president." […

CBS’s Harry Smith: A Profile in Bias

August 11th, 2009 2:13 PM
From time to time, our analysts at the Media Research Center have compiled in one location the research we have in our files on a major news celebrity. By pulling all of the worst quotes and video clips into a single Web page, we hope that these “Profiles in Bias” can be a useful resource for anyone looking into the topic of media bias or looking for background on a network news personality.This…

CBS Finally Acknowledges Problems With ‘Cash for Clunkers

August 7th, 2009 12:45 PM
After touting the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program as a "runaway success" and "great for the environment," Friday’s CBS Early Show finally reported on problems with the plan as co-host Maggie Rodriguez declared: "And find out why the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program could actually end up costing you long term."While previous Early Show segments on the plan gave only passing attention to its critics,…

If it’s Morning, it Must Be Michael Jackson

August 6th, 2009 3:41 PM

Nets Take Turns Failing to ID Convicted Democrat William Jefferson

August 6th, 2009 12:23 PM
On Thursday, all three network morning news programs reported the conviction of former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson on bribery charges, but only NBC’s Today identified him as a Democrat. CBS’s Early Show and ABC’s Good Morning America simply referred to him as a "former congressman."In contrast, Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News did not provide a Democratic label for Jefferson, while ABC’s…

CBS Touts ‘Cash for Clunkers’ As ‘Great For the Environment

August 4th, 2009 5:33 PM
After depicting the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ car buying program as a "runaway success" on Friday, on Tuesday’s Early Show, correspondent Nancy Cordes argued: "The Department of Transportation says the program has been great for the environment. 80% of the clunkers have been pickups or SUVs, traded in for new cars with an average mileage nearly 10 miles per gallon higher."Following that declaration…

CBS Promotes Obama PR Video As Sign of ‘Transparency

August 3rd, 2009 4:38 PM
At the top of Monday’s CBS Early Show, co-host Harry Smith touted a White House-produced video: "And your letters to the President...A behind-the-scenes look at how President Obama keeps in touch with everyday Americans." After airing the administration spin, co-host Maggie Rodriguez argued it was "all part of Obama’s promise of transparency in the people’s White House."Smith introduced the…

CBS Sees ‘Runaway Success’ in Failing ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Prog

July 31st, 2009 1:37 PM
Reporting on the Obama administration’s ‘Cash for Clunkers’ car buying program running out of money, CBS correspondent Nancy Cordes offered a mixed message: "‘Cash for Clunkers’ has been such a runaway success....The program is so popular...word spread it would be suspended...because of fears that sales would soon swallow up the $1 billion for rebates the government had set aside."At the top of…