3 WEEKS AND COUNTING - Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2005

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tim Scheiderer at (703) 683-5004, ext. 126

“3 WEEKS AND COUNTING”
NEW YORK TIMES TRIES TO IGNORE AIR AMERICA’S FINANCIAL SCANDAL – BURIES TINY STORY IN REGIONAL EDITION

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Media Research Center President Brent Bozell assailed the New York Times today for a three-week blackout of the mounting Air America scandal, a national issue involving a national radio network. The Times, which splashed Air America’s Al Franken on the cover of its magazine when the network launched last year, has buried coverage of the liberal radio network’s receiving questionable loans (almost $900,000) from financially struggling children’s charities – on whose boards the former chairman of Air America sat. With this scandal, the Times has only run a small story with a misleading headline published in its regional edition.

“Once again the New York Times is invoking a double-standard. Air America is a national network but the Times has not given it national coverage – the same coverage it gave the launch of the liberal radio network last year,” Bozell said. “This is now three weeks and counting, when will the Times report the Air America scandal to all of America?”

Clay Waters, editor of the Media Research Center’s www.TimesWatch.org Web site, noted the Times was quick to pile on conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh when he announced his addiction to prescription painkillers on October 10, 2003.

“The story made the front page of the New York Times the very next day. And the paper followed up with several stories referencing Limbaugh's addiction,” Waters said. Yet for Air America, the New York Times isn’t saying much.

To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell, Mr. Waters, or another MRC spokesperson, please contact Tim Scheiderer at 703.683.5004 x. 126.