Media Bias? What Media Bias? All 3 Network Anchors To Follow Obama Trip. That's 3 More Than Followed McCain

Say what you want about the death of broadcast news, it's still a powerful forum. The fact that all three network anchors are going to be with Obama at some point during his upcoming trip to Iraq, the Mideast and Europe is going to generate coverage for Obama. Coverage that was lacking when McCain traveled abroad.

Even the NY Times notices the disparity.

Executives at the three traditional networks say they generally devote the same resources to the candidates. But they do not dispute that Mr. Obama has received more coverage this year, not only because of the historic nature of his campaign and his newness to the political scene relative to Mr. McCain, but also because of the protracted nature of Mr. Obama’s primary battle with Mrs. Clinton, which was at a peak when Mr. McCain last went to Iraq.

The imbalance has appeared in various analyses of the news coverage. The Tyndall Report, a news coverage monitoring service that has the broadcast networks as clients, reports that the three newscasts by the networks — which have a combined audience of more than 20 million people — spent roughly 114 minutes covering Mr. Obama since June. They spent about 48 minutes covering Mr. McCain, who made the rounds of the evening newscasts in satellite interviews last week.

...The large news media contingent that will travel with Mr. Obama will be a help if the trip goes wonderfully. But any gaffes will take place before a larger megaphone.

The media is going to cover Obama gaffes? Like they did the 57 states line, the Great Seal of Obama Land and the need for Arab translators in Afghanistan, just to name a few? Yeah, the next story in the Times or on the networks about any of those things that would have sunk a mere mortal (aka a Republican) will be the first.

Cover up gaffes? Sure but actually cover them, as in report on? Oh, they have a wry sense of humor at the Old Gray Lady!

One of McCain's supposed advantages was his ability to generate free coverage because of the access his gives reporters on his bus and plane. Looks like new Messiah trumps the King of Earned Media.

posted by DrewM. at 10:42 AM

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