The previous media excuse, during the last administration, for so many more Rs than Ds on television news, was that Republicans were in power of both the White House and Congress. Of course, now that Democrats control both, well, as ThinkProgress detailed last week the more things change…
It appears that old habits die hard. Even though President Obama and his team are in control of the executive branch and Democrats are in the majority in Congress, the cable networks are still turning more often to Republicans and allowing them to set the agenda on major issues, most recently on the debate over the economic recovery package.
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The media have been aiding their efforts. In a new analysis, ThinkProgress has found that the five cable news networks — CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business and CNBC — have hosted more Republican lawmakers to discuss the plan than Democrats by a 2 to 1 ratio this week:
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In total, from 6 AM on Monday to 4 PM on Wednesday, the networks have hosted Republican lawmakers 51 times and Democratic lawmakers only 24 times.
All of that said, and with so much more irrefutable, hard data-be-damned to go with it, I’ve found, when out and about in the world, the “Myth of the Liberal Media” remains, to this day, among the most enduring of all unshakable, faith-based religious tenets of the Hopelessly Wingnutted Dead-Enders.
UPDATE: In related news, Eric Boehlert notices how “Right on cue, the White House press awakens from its Bush slumber,” just in time for another Democrat in the Oval Office. Who could have predicted it?
This trend in controlling the news in a partisan way and selective investigative journalism is the virtue of media concentration. The Anti-Trust Division of the Justice Department must address this. This needs to be a priority for the the new Administration.
Thank ghod for the Interwebs!
What is even worse is that most of those with a D next to their name come from the republican wing of the Democratic Party. Very few true progressive liberal voices ever hit the public airways!