Opinion: Tim Graham Says Broadcast Networks Ran Three Times as Much Negative Coverage of Republicans as Democrats This Fall
Graham cites the Media Research Center tally of ABC, CBS and NBC evening news from Sept. 28 to Oct. 26 and argues the networks are not neutral referees.
This is an opinion column by Tim Graham, published by Fox News. The views are the author's.
Graham argues the network evening newscasts spend their time on "making the political weather," with the darkest clouds placed over President Trump and Republicans. He builds the case on studies by the Media Research Center.
The numbers he cites. For 2024, the group found ABC, CBS and NBC gave Trump 85% negative coverage from July 21 to Oct. 25, while Kamala Harris got 78% positive coverage. For this fall, it found almost 57 minutes of negative coverage of Trump and Republicans on the evening news from Sept. 28 to Oct. 26, against almost 19 minutes of negative coverage of Democrats, a three-to-one ratio. For PBS NewsHour in September, he cites 94% negative coverage of the GOP, against 6% positive, and 53% negative and 47% positive for Democrats.
His caveat. Graham says the math "could be a little misleading," because bad news for Democrats, such as the raid on Rep. Ilhan Omar's home, came framed against the Trump administration for acting in the closing weeks of a campaign. He also says high gas prices and no decisive victory in the Iran war are not positive stories, and that networks should not avoid negative news.
His complaints. He says networks treat Republican unity as a failing and Democratic unity as unremarkable, promote "lifelong Republicans" who endorse Democrats, and have not examined what Democrats would do with a majority, including more impeachments and aggressive hearings. He says House oversight hearings on Biden's autopen and fitness went largely ignored, while Democratic hearings will be big news. He also faults coverage of Trump's rallies, whether he holds them, cancels them or switches to "tele-rallies," and contrasts it with how Barack Obama's appearance for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan was described. His conclusion: "Most Republicans are sick of the network news manufacturing nightmares for their party on a daily basis."
Note for readers: the study figures come from a conservative media watchdog, and Graham's own caveat about its minutes applies. We did not verify the counts. Fox's column does not include responses from the networks.