|
How the Networks Promoted the
Biggest Spending Bill in History
ABC, CBS, NBC put positive spin on huge growth of government.
Executive Summary
A study from the Business & Media Institute
By Dan Gainor
Full Report
In a few short
months, the term “stimulus” went from a $175-billion campaign
promise to the most-expensive law ever passed by Congress. Nearly
$800 billion of special interest funding, healthcare plans and
precious little infrastructure made up the final agreement.
New President
Obama had strong majorities in both the House and Senate to push his
massive stimulus bill through. But he had another advantage – the
same news media that helped him get elected was covering the “bold”
push for a stimulus plan. Two broadcast networks – ABC and NBC –
showed particularly strong support for the president by relying on
pro-stimulus voices by a more-than 2-to-1 ratio (139 to 56). As
reporter Scott Cohn told the NBC “Nightly News” audience about a
struggling Indiana community. “Economic stimulus isn’t just a
political debate around here. It could be a matter of survival.”
The Media
Research Center’s Business & Media Institute looked at all 176
stimulus stories on the three broadcast network evening news shows
from Nov. 4, 2008 when Obama was elected, through Feb. 10, when the
Senate approved the initial stimulus plan. Here are some additional
findings:
-
Networks
Refuse to Explain the Most Important Question:
Almost completely absent from the reporting was how the
president and Congress intended to pay for the stimulus. Many
stories included criticism of the size of the package, but only
three across all three networks discussed that such a plan might
involve either cutting programs or raising taxes. That’s less
than 2 percent of the stories.
-
ABC, CBS,
NBC Biased in Picking Stimulus Spokesmen:
All three broadcast networks favored pro-stimulus speakers – the
president and his wife, congressmen, mayors and ordinary
citizens – more than any who dared critique the stimulus
package. Supporters outnumbered critics by a total of more than
2-to-1 for the three networks.
-
Anti-Stimulus Economic Experts Forgotten:
The Cato
Institute ran an ad with more than 250 economists who opposed
the stimulus package. Not one of them was interviewed during
this study period. Pro-stimulus economists outnumbered those who
questioned the package by a ratio of 5-to-1 (15 to 3). Liberal
economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman appeared
five times – sticking to a theme that the economy is
“desperately in need of life support.”
-
ABC the
Worst:
ABC’s slanted use of economic “experts” made it the worst of the
three networks covering the debate. Pro-stimulus economists
outnumbered opponents 9-to-1. One ABC story quoted three
economists – none of whom graded the stimulus package lower than
a B.
-
CBS the
Best:
CBS
wasn’t perfect. It relied on pro-stimulus voices 59 percent of
the time. But that was far better than its opposition. In
February, as the battle was nearing a vote, the network showed
an exactly even mix of positive and negative views. Reporter
Chip Reid did a good job keeping the stories balanced.
While the
stimulus battle appears over, the economic problems are not and
other similar votes may follow. Here are some recommendations for
the networks to improve their coverage:
-
Ask How We
Are Going to Pay for It:
The stimulus
bill is the most-expensive in history – yet only three stories
out of 178 even raised the issue. Only one piece by ABC actually
attempted to address the long-term fiscal impact. Journalists
have an obligation to ask the most basic questions, including
how we are going to pay for it and when.
-
Not Every
Issue Is Left or Right:
At different times in the stimulus debate conservatives and
liberals questioned the spending, but this wasn’t about those
sides. Those for and against the package were not represented
equally. Reporters have to balance supporters and opponents, not
just political parties to give criticism a fair hearing.
-
Expand the
Rolodex of Economists:
One of the biggest flaws in the reporting was a reliance on
TV-friendly economists – most of whom strongly supported the
stimulus package. There were others – hundreds just in one
advertisement that ran in major newspapers – who opposed the
entire package. Not one of them was quoted.
-
Avoid
Shallow Sound-Bite Reporting on the Economy:
The economy is too complex for shorthand descriptions.
Typically, economists disagree about how good or bad the U.S.
financial picture truly is. Modern-day journalists have no
trouble including the negative, but need to make an effort to
give audiences a more balanced view.
Click Here to Read the Full Report
|
