FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2005 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tim Scheiderer at
(703) 683-5004, ext. 126 |
TOP MEDIA SILENCE ON AIR AMERICA SCANDAL NOW INTO THIRD WEEK
Alexandria, VA—Brent Bozell,
President of the Media Research Center, today blasted the major
liberal news media for refusing to cover the Air America radio
network scandal. Air America, launched in 2004 with much media
fanfare as a liberal alternative to conservative talk radio received
$875,000 in loans from financially-strapped kids’ charities, which
are now bankrupt. Yet now the same liberal media aren’t saying much
of anything, even though the scandal broke three weeks ago.
Highlights of this media double standard include the following:
- Two-and-a-half weeks
after the story broke, the New York Times published one
bland story, inside the local news section with a lead that
focused on the troubled charity, not Air America’s scandalous
participation. That’s still better than nothing, which was what
the Times national edition carried – nothing.
- Newsweek did
three pages on the launch featuring a Bush-mocking "photo
illustration" of Franken standing on an aircraft carrier in a
flight suit. Scandal coverage? Nada.
- ABC gave the Air America
debut a morning news story, an evening news story, and an entire
broadcast of "Nightline." Coverage of the scandal? None.
- NBC highlighted the
launch with a Franken interview in the morning, and an evening
news story? Scandal coverage? Nothing.
- CNN aired Air America
start-up stories in heavy rotation on the weekend before the
network debut, as well as promotional stories across their
prime-time lineup on Debut Day. A few days after the scandal
broke, CNN’s blog reporter noted that bloggers Brian Maloney and
Michelle Malkin were pushing this story. But CNN has had no story
of its own.
"Air America is no small
potato in the eyes of ‘mainstream’ media outlets. After all, when
the network launched last year with its six paltry stations, the
coverage was massive. Al Franken was its rock star. So with Air
America embroiled in scandal, there would be a media feeding frenzy,
right? All I can hear are the crickets,” concluded Bozell.
To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or another
MRC spokesperson, please contact Tim Scheiderer at 703.683.5004 x.
126.
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