MRC’s Network Report Card - Press Release - April 26, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2001

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Katie Wright (703) 683-5004, ext. 132

MRC’s Network Report Card For The First 100 Days:

CBS “F”
ABC "C-”
NBC “B-”

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- CBS flunked the bias test for its first 100 days of covering President Bush, while ABC and NBC posted low grades, according to a special report released today by the Media Research Center. CBS’s John Roberts was the worst reporter, NBC’s David Gregory came out the best.

“All three networks fed the public a heavy dose of liberal criticism of Bush, often times not even labeling the critics as liberal. Truly balanced coverage would have included labeling critics with a political agenda just that instead of positing them as unbiased experts,” said Media Research Center President Brent Bozell.

CBS NEWS: “F” … CBS’s four horsemen of liberal bias: Dan Rather, Bob Schieffer, John Roberts and Bryant Gumbel surrendered hard news reporting in favor of liberal editorializing. Rather denigrated Bush’s tax cut as “a gamble” and a “cut-federal-programs-to-get-a-tax-cut-plan” – commentary totally indistinguishable from Al Gore’s stump speech. Roberts cited and quoted Citizens for Tax Justice’s Robert McIntyre’s critique of Bush’s tax cut without ever labeling him a liberal. The CBS Evening News also refused to report its own poll findings that the public supported Bush’s tax cut, in complete contradiction to the network’s ongoing spin.

ABC NEWS: “C-” … Peter Jennings accused the Bush Administration of “very militant” rhetoric in the standoff with China. Oddly, White House Correspondent Terry Moran took Bush to task for using the phrase “energy crisis” when the following evening substitute World News Tonight anchor Charles Gibson used exactly the same phrase to describe the country’s mounting energy problems.

NBC NEWS: “B-” … Compared to Moran and Roberts, White House Correspondent David Gregory took far fewer liberal potshots at Bush’s tax cut. Meet the Press host Tim Russert challenged Bush critic and California Governor Gray Davis: “If you don’t cut taxes, Governor Davis, won’t Congress spend the money?”

For more information on the Media Research Center or to schedule an interview with a spokesperson please contact Katie Wright at (703)-683-5004, ext. 132.