"I'm sick and tired of the Liberal Media that keeps on blah, blah, blah....." The shrilling voice of the regressive herd's favorite whining, chants. How true is it?
Not at all! According to Media Matters for America's Analysis Report released yesterday, which says: "conservative vices significantly outnumber progressive voices on the Sunday talk shows"
"Congressional opponents of the Iraq ware were largely absent from the Sunday show, particularly during the period just before the war began."
And what about Sen Bidden's popularity in these shows? "Sen. Joseph Bidden (D-DE) has been the most frequent guest since 2003".
Answers to Media Matter's Report:
Meet the Press responds to the report
Media Matters responds to Meet the Press
CBS/s Public Eye on Media Matter's study
If It's Sunday,
It's Conservative
An analysis of the Sunday talk show guests
on ABC, CBS and NBC, 1997 - 2005
A report by Media Matters for America
February 14, 2006
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Sunday-morning talk shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC are where the prevailing opinions are aired and tested, policymakers state their cases, and the left and right in American politics debate the pressing issues of the day on equal ground. Both sides have their say and face probing questions.
Or so you would think.
In fact, as this study reveal, conservative voices significantly outnumber progressive voices on the Sunday talk shows. Media Matters for America conducted a content analysis of ABC's This Week, CBS' Face the Nation, and NBC's Meet the Press, classifying each one of the nearly 7,000 guest appearances during President Bill Clinton's second term, President George W, Bush's first term, and the years 2005 as either Democrat: Republican, conservative, progressive, or neutral. The conclusion is clear: Republicans and conservatives have been offered more opportunities to appear on the Sunday shows -- in some cases, dramatically so.
Among the Study's key findings:
- The balance between Democrats/progressives and Republicans/conservatives was roughly equal during Clinton's second term, with a slight edge toward Republicans/conservatives: 52 percent of the ideologically identifiable guests were Republican/conservatives held a dramatic advantage, outnumbering Democrats/progressives by 58 percent to 42 percent. In 2005, the figures were an identical 58 percent to 42 percent.
- Counting only elected officials and administration representatives,Democrats had a small advantage during Clinton's second term: 53 percent to 45 percent. In Bush's first term, however, the Republican advantage was 61 percent to 39 percent -- nearly three times as large.
- In both the Clinton and Bush administrations, conservative journalists were far more likely to appear on the Sunday shows than were progressive journalist. In Clinton's second term, 61 percent of the ideologically identifiable journalist were conservative; in Bush's first term, that figure rose to 69 percent.
- In 1997 and 1998, the shows conducted more solo interviews with Democrats/progressives than with Republicans/conservatives. Bun in every year since, there have been more solo interviews with Republicans/conservatives..
*The most frequent Sunday show guest during this nine-year period is Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who has appeared 124 times. Sen. Joseph Bidden (D-DE) has been the most frequent guest since 2003.
- In every year examined by the study -- 1997 - 2005 -- more panels tilted right (a greater number of Republicans/conservatives than Democrats/progressives_) than tilted left. In some years, there were two, three, or even four times as many right- tilted panels as left-tilted panels.
- Congressional opponents of the Iraq ware were largely absent from the Sunday show, particularly during the period just before the war began.
In short, the Sunday talk shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC are dominated by conservative voices, from newsmakers to commentators. The data from the Clinton years indicate that the disparity cannot be explained simply by the fact that Republicans currently control the government.