-By Warner Todd Huston
Harvard: Positive Newspaper Stories on Dems- 58.8%, Positive for Repubs- 26.4%
If even Harvard University says that the Media overwhelmingly favors Democrats in their coverage, you’ve got to finally accept that it is true. The MSM loves Democrats and hates Republicans. It’s just that simple. Investor’s Business Daily gives us the low down on the gushingly positive coverage that the MSM bestows upon their favored political party by reporting the results of the Project for Excellence in Journalism and the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy from Harvard (“hardly a bastion of conservative orthodoxy” as IBD quips). The survey found that the “media are sympathetic to Democrats and hostile to Republicans.”
Here on Publius’ Forum we say, “DUH!”
Democrats are not only favored in the tone of the coverage. They get more coverage period. This is particularly evident on morning news shows, which “produced almost twice as many stories (51% to 27%) focused on Democratic candidates than on Republicans.”
The most flagrant bias, however, was found in newspapers. In reviewing front-page coverage in 11 newspapers, the study found the tone positive in nearly six times as many stories about Democrats as it was negative.
It’s always nice to get one of your main premises proven correct and this survey does just that. Here is how the stats broke down:
Newspapers
Democrats — 58.8% Positive, 30% Neutral, 11.3% Negative
Republicans — 26.4% Positive, 34% Neutral, 39.6% Negative
Network Evening News
Democrats — 39.5% Positive, 43.4% Neutral, 17.1% Negative
Republicans — 18.6% Positive, 44.2% Neutral, 37.2% Negative
Cable News
Democrats — 33.9% Positive, 40.6% Neutral, 25.5% Negative
Republicans — 28.7% Positive, 40.9% Neutral, 30.4% Negative
NPR’s “Morning Edition”
Democrats — 41.2% Positive, 52.9% Neutral, 5.9% Negative
Republicans — 30% Positive, 50% Neutral, 20% Negative
PBS News
Democrats — 8.3% Positive, 66.7% Neutral, 25% Negative
Republicans — 0% Positive, 77.8% Neutral, 22.2% Negative
The newspapers stats very much confirm my own thoughts on that industry and TV is no surprise, either. But, I’d also like to point your attention to the PBS stats where you can see that the survey didn’t find a single positive story about a Republican on PBS. Zero. Nada. The big goose egg.
Folks, this is our state sponsored broadcast agency paid for by YOUR taxes. Yet, they couldn’t find one single Republican to do a positive story about? Half the electorate is not being represented by this agency that those voter’s taxes pay for? Imagine that!
Just one more reason why we should instantly end their funding. Don’t we live in a Representative Democracy? Shouldn’t our taxes go to benefit us all equally? Well, PBS does not benefit half those who pay for it.
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Warner Todd Huston’s thoughtful commentary, sometimes irreverent often historically based, is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, men’snewsdaily.com and americandaily.com among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a guest on several radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston