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1. Jennings Takes Snide Shot Over Difficulty to Improve View of U.S. Peter Jennings on Monday night uttered one of the kind of remarks which earn him his smug image as one eager to denigrate the U.S. Following a soundbite on World News Tonight of Karen Hughes, the Bush administration's new Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, saying "perceptions" of America "do not change quickly or easily. This is a struggle for ideas," Jennings snidely interjected: "In some parts of the world, that will be taken as an understatement." 2. Thomas: Democratic Rumblings in Middle East Make Press Look "Bad" Newsweek Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas declared on Monday's Imus in the Morning that "I just love" the rise of democratic activity in the Middle East "because it makes the press look so bad." Recalling the media's ridicule of all the problems President Bush's Iraq policy would cause in the region, Thomas, now teaching a writing course at Harvard University, dismissed the arguments from reporters against giving Bush credit: "They say, 'Well, he got lucky, Arafat died and,' you know, 'the Syrians assassinated that former Prime Minister, and it's really not Bush, it was just kind of an accident.' Well, you know, that's nonsense." Thomas proposed that "if it's possible to have a good war -- and I don't know if it is, but if it is, it was, because it enabled those elections and those elections have enabled a lot of people in the region to think there's a chance to take control of their lives." 3. Matthews: Rather "Nothing Like the Portrait Painted...by Critics" "Dan is nothing like the portrait painted and believed in by critics," MSNBC's Chris Matthews insisted in a eulogy to Dan Rather delivered over the weekend on his syndicated Chris Matthews Show. Matthews contended: "Dan Rather's a hard-charging journalist who has tangled with big shots, Washington insiders who love nothing so much as the closed door. For pounding on that door with all his being, Dan Rather will be remembered when many of the rest of us are long forgotten." 4. Bury or Ignore Finding Media Three Times Negative on W Than Kerry A study released Sunday by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, an outfit respected by the mainstream media, determined that across broadcast network newscasts, the cable news networks and major newspapers, "campaign coverage that focused on Bush was three times as negative as coverage of Kerry (36% versus 12%). It was also less likely to be positive (20% positive Bush stories, 30% for Kerry)." Yet, you would have been hard-pressed Monday to notice that finding in stories on the study. "On Fox News, No Shortage of Opinion, Study Finds," read the headline over a Washington Post story by Howard Kurtz who in more than 1,100 words found no space for the campaign coverage analysis. Other stories noted the bias against Bush over Kerry, but led with other aspects of the report. The AP headline: "Iraq Coverage Wasn't Biased." USA Today: "Non-traditional media gain ground, consumers." The New York Times: "Fewer Sources Go Nameless in the Press, Survey Shows." Los Angeles Times: "Study Warns of Junk-News Diet." Reuters, however, led with the campaign bias. The study found a decided bias against Bush but, nonetheless, the report features a section titled: "Press Going Too Easy on Bush." 5. MRC's "DisHonors Awards" Gala Nearly Sold Out, So Buy Tickets Now The MRC's April 21 annual gala, the "Media DisHonors and Conservative of the Year Award: Roasting the Most Outrageously Biased Liberal Reporting of the Year," is NEARLY SOLD OUT. We increased seating capacity again this year to more than 900 seats, but if you wish to attend you'll need to BUY YOUR TICKETS THIS WEEK, preferably by Thursday, to ensure you will get a seat. And at this point, even that is not guaranteed. 6. "Top Ten Things Overheard During Bill Clinton's Hospital Stay" Letterman's "Top Ten Things Overheard During Bill Clinton's Hospital Stay." Jennings Takes Snide Shot Over Difficulty to Improve View of U.S. Peter Jennings on Monday night uttered one of the kind of remarks which earn him his smug image as one eager to denigrate the U.S. Following a soundbite on World News Tonight of Karen Hughes, the Bush administration's new Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, saying "perceptions" of America "do not change quickly or easily. This is a struggle for ideas," Jennings snidely interjected: "In some parts of the world, that will be taken as an understatement."
Jennings announced on the March 14 World News Tonight: "Also in Washington today, the Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, announced the appointment of Karen Hughes to the post of Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy. Ms. Hughes, one of the President's most-trusted advisers, will be in charge of improving America's image aboard." Seconds later a news item read by Jennings, the MRC's Brad Wilmouth noticed, suggested many in the Middle East share a quest for democracy: "In Lebanon today, the biggest demonstration in the nation's history. Almost 800,000 people, almost a quarter of the country's population, rallied in Beirut for the withdrawal of Syrian troops and an investigation into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister. Rafik Hariri was murdered a month ago. The demonstration today by those Lebanese opposed to the Syrians was intended as a response to a smaller demonstration organized by the militant group Hezbollah last week."
Thomas: Democratic Rumblings in Middle East Make Press Look "Bad" Newsweek Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas declared on Monday's Imus in the Morning that "I just love" the rise of democratic activity in the Middle East "because it makes the press look so bad." Recalling the media's ridicule of all the problems President Bush's Iraq policy would cause in the region, Thomas, now teaching a writing course at Harvard University, dismissed the arguments from reporters against giving Bush credit: "They say, 'Well, he got lucky, Arafat died and,' you know, 'the Syrians assassinated that former Prime Minister, and it's really not Bush, it was just kind of an accident.' Well, you know, that's nonsense." Thomas proposed that "if it's possible to have a good war -- and I don't know if it is, but if it is, it was, because it enabled those elections and those elections have enabled a lot of people in the region to think there's a chance to take control of their lives." Thomas appeared by phone during the 6:30am EST half hour of the Imus in the Morning show on MSNBC simulcast on radio. He informed Don Imus of how he's away from Newsweek for a while teaching expository writing to freshmen at Harvard University.
The MRC's Jessica Barnes caught the scolding of the media by Thomas, prompted by Imus asking: "So with what's going on throughout the Middle East, these various demonstrations of a thirst for democracy?"
Last year, Thomas recognized the obvious about the media bias in favor of John Kerry, but a recognition resisted by his colleagues. As recounted by the July 12, 2004 CyberAlert:
Matthews: Rather "Nothing Like the Portrait Painted...by Critics" "Dan is nothing like the portrait painted and believed in by critics," MSNBC's Chris Matthews insisted in a eulogy to Dan Rather delivered over the weekend on his syndicated Chris Matthews Show. Matthews contended: "Dan Rather's a hard-charging journalist who has tangled with big shots, Washington insiders who love nothing so much as the closed door. For pounding on that door with all his being, Dan Rather will be remembered when many of the rest of us are long forgotten." Matthews, the MRC's Geoff Dickens observed, ended the March 13 Chris Matthews Show with the tribute to Rather.
Over the matching scene from the movie, Matthews began:
Bury or Ignore Finding Media Three Times Negative on W Than Kerry A study released Sunday by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, an outfit respected by the mainstream media, determined that across broadcast network newscasts, the cable news networks and major newspapers, "campaign coverage that focused on Bush was three times as negative as coverage of Kerry (36% versus 12%). It was also less likely to be positive (20% positive Bush stories, 30% for Kerry)." Yet, you would have been hard-pressed Monday to notice that finding in stories on the study. "On Fox News, No Shortage of Opinion, Study Finds," read the headline over a Washington Post story by Howard Kurtz who in more than 1,100 words found no space for the campaign coverage analysis. Other stories noted the bias against Bush over Kerry, but led with other aspects of the report. "Iraq Coverage Wasn't Biased," announced the headline over the AP dispatch. USA Today's headline: "Non-traditional media gain ground, consumers." The New York Times: "Fewer Sources Go Nameless in the Press, Survey Shows." Los Angeles Times: "Study Warns of Junk-News Diet."
Reuters, however, highlighted the campaign bias: "Study Shows U.S. Election Coverage Harder on Bush," declared the headline over the March 14 piece by New York-based correspondent Claudia Parsons. She led her story:
For the article in full: www.reuters.com That part of the report is actually just a recitation of a May 2004 survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press: people-press.org
At the time, the May 24 CyberAlert documented the hypocrisy of the surveyed journalists:
See: www.mediaresearch.org For the home page for the report: stateofthemedia.com For the PDF of the executive summary: stateofthemedia.com
For an overview of the findings in the "content analysis" section: stateofthemedia.com
MRC's "DisHonors Awards" Gala Nearly Sold Out, So Buy Tickets Now The MRC's April 21 annual gala, the "Media DisHonors and Conservative of the Year Award: Roasting the Most Outrageously Biased Liberal Reporting of the Year," is NEARLY SOLD OUT. We increased seating capacity again this year to more than 900 seats, but if you wish to attend you'll need to BUY YOUR TICKETS THIS WEEK, preferably by Thursday, to ensure you will get a seat. And at this point, even that is not guaranteed. Complimentary invitees: If you received a complimentary invitation in the mail last week, and you wish to attend, if you can please LET US KNOW THIS WEEK. Call Melinda Brown with your name and the name of your guest: (703) 683-9733 ext. 163 between 9am and 5:30pm M-F EST. Or e-mail her at: MBrown@mediaresearch.org Will C-SPAN show it? That's a common question we get and the answer is that we don't know and won't know until the day beforehand. They did for several years, but did not last year. So, the only way to be sure to see it is to attend. Now, a rundown of the participants, the ticket price and how to buy tickets: Join MRC founder and President L. Brent Bozell III, Master of Ceremonies Cal Thomas, presenters Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, and Neal Boortz and the surprise award "acceptors" as we roast the most blatantly liberal members of the national "news" media. The event will feature a tribute to the Swift Vets and POWS for Truth.
The award categories: For each award we'll play videos of the top picks, as selected by a panel of leading media observers, and then announce the winner and an admired conservative will "accept" each award in jest on behalf of the media figure. This year's gala will be held at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC on Thursday evening, April 21. Prices: $175.00 per ticket, or $300.00 per couple.
Table Sponsorships: [This ticket ordering option on this Web page may soon be taken down so we do not process orders we cannot fulfill.] Questions? E-mail Melinda Brown at MBrown@mediaresearch.org To order tickets by phone, call her at (703) 683-9733 ext. 163 between 9am and 5:30pm M-F EST. (Be sure to mention that you're a CyberAlert subscriber.) Previous participants include: Joe Scarborough, Hon. Bob Barr, Christopher Buckley, Hon. Lyn Nofziger, William Rusher, Charlie Daniels, Judge Robert Bork, Steve Forbes, John Fund, Laura Ingraham, Mona Charen, Michelle Malkin, David Limbaugh, Kate O'Beirne, Lucianne Goldberg and Hon. Clarence Thomas. Can't promise anything about this year, but last year Rush Limbaugh and Sam Donaldson were surprise speakers.
For video of our 2004 gala and a description of what you missed if you didn't attend, go to: www.mediaresearch.org But if you want to meet me, you really must order your tickets in the next day or so.
"Top Ten Things Overheard During Bill Clinton's Hospital Stay" From the March 14 Late Show with David Letterman, the "Top Ten Things Overheard During Bill Clinton's Hospital Stay." Late Show home page: www.cbs.com 10. "A nurse is coming! Put him in the restraints." 9. "Strange -- his veins have no blood. It's just Crisco." 8. "Canseco's here with something that'll make you feel amazing." 7. "Five more heart surgeries and you'll tie Cheney!" 6. "When I told him no sex for a month, he pulled a scalpel on me." 5. "My, what a lovely bouquet from Osama." 4. "For some reason, he always forgets the surgical gown opens in the back." 3. "We removed the scar tissue from the heart, as well as several impacted french fries." 2. "Al Gore! When did you start working as an orderly?" 1. "Hillary wants to know if you would neuter him?"
-- Brent Baker
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