124 posts tagged media

“Why did a Philadelphia trial that conservatives now insist deserves ongoing, front-page national press coverage manage to interest so few right-leaning journalists for so long? Why did the conservative press get caught in the embarrassing position where members complained about a Gosnell “media blackout” when conservative outlets had apparently participated in the blackout? (Note that as of today, Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post and still have not covered the trial as a news story and Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal has published just a single report.)

I think the simple answer is that the Gosnell story did not involve President Obama, therefore it didn’t sustain the attention of the far-right press, which seems fully committed to producing content that only revolves around attacking the president or ginning up phony outrage about his every action.”

—MMFA’s Eric Boehlert

In several on-air interviews about the then-pending fiscal cliff legislation, journalists allowed Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to attack the bill without noting Issa’s personal financial stake in opposing the legislation and keeping his own taxes at a lower rate.

In appearances on Fox News’ Fox & Friends (1/2), CNN’sThe Situation Room (1/1) and CNN Newsroom (12/31/12), the issue of Issa’s wealth was not broached by the reporters and anchors who interviewed him.

As Politico reported, Issa’s 2011 financial disclosure statement showed almost $15 million in earnings from investments. The vast majority of Issa’s income comes from investments — income that will be taxed at a higher rate under the legislation that just passed (capital gains taxes will be increased from 15 percent to 20 percent for families making over $450,000 a year.)

The Center for Responsive Politics estimates that Issa has a net worth between $195 million and $700 million.Roll Call ranked him as the second wealthiest member of the 112th Congress, based on the lowest and most charitable estimate of his wealth (members of Congress are only required to report ranges of their wealth, not exact numbers.)

In voting “No” on the bill, Issa voted in his own self-interest, a pertinent fact that Fox and CNN never bothered to tell their viewers.

By Oliver Willis 

Nearly one in five women who served during the Afghanistan or Iraq wars are unemployed. And female veterans are four times more likely to be homeless compared to both their female civilian and male veteran counterparts.

As overall employment for veterans improves, the situation for female vets looks dismal. 

It’s time we start asking: Why isn’t the media covering this?

Have right-wing conspiracy theories about the last jobs report abated? Nope. For reference, see Rush Limbaugh and Donald Trump.

Media cite true Obama statements to claim “both candidates” lied during the last presidential debate. And conservatives attack the Obama campaign for pointing out Romney’s presidential debate falsehoods. Fox’s Megyn Kelly even compares the Obama campaign’s fact-checking Romney to Rep Joe Wilson’s “you lie” outburst at an Obama speech in 2009.

Finally, Fox decides it’s better to interview right-wing radio hosts over actual scientists when it comes to discussing greenhouse gas emissions.  

Saturday on Fox News, guest Pamela Geller — leader of Stop Islamization of America —  said Obama is “sanctioning these murderous rages that these Muslim mobs have been going on.”

Fox hosted this far right-wing blogger on Friday too, where she claimed Obama was “submitting” the U.S. to Sharia law.

This is nothing new. Fox always takes advantage of heightened fears and emotions after international tragedies occur. It’s their excuse to push their deep-seeded Islamophobia.

Conservative media like Rush Limbaugh claim “the Marines didn’t have bullets in Egypt.” A Fox guest and right-wing bloggers are saying that the Marines in Cairo were barred from carrying live ammunition.

Time to put an end to those lies. This is what the Marine Corps says:

The Ambassador did not impose restrictions on weapons or weapons status on the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG) detachment. The MCESG Marines in Cairo were allowed to have live ammunition in their weapons. The Ambassador and Regional Security Officer have been completely and appropriately engaged with the security situation. Reports of Marines not being able to have their weapons loaded per direction from the Ambassador are not accurate.