Sunday, December 24, 2006
Dec. 24 Sunday News Shows Scorecard
Three of the four networks pretty much mailed it in this week, as they went with the religion in America theme. ABC was the notable exception.
Meet the Press wasn't even worth watching, but Fox News Sunday managed to lure Lynne Cheney, wife of the VP, for a pre-holiday neocon boost. Mrs. Cheney was on message, mentioning 9/11, and citing the Patriot Act, the "terrorist surveillance program" and "detainee policy" as important elements in keeping the nation safe. Mrs. Cheney had little notable to say, except for her view of Scooter Libby being on trial as "bizarre" and that his upcoming trial, "does not reflect well on our judicial system." Maybe Mrs. Cheney would like to see perjury crossed off the list of criminal offenses. Yes, "bizarre" is the operative term.
Face the Nation one-upped Fox by having Laura Bush in an "exclusive" interview. This is the equivalent of punting on second down for CBS.
ABC's This Week was the only network actually providing any substance with Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) discussing their recent trip to the Middle East and the situation in Iraq. ABC also managed to get an interview with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Kudos to them for getting it partially right despite the lure of going easy during the holidays. The Dodd-Graham didn't really break much new ground as the Senators exchanged ideas for and against the President's policy favoring a "surge" or increase of troops. Dodd was against it; Graham favored it. The two also differed on diplomatic approaches to Syria and Iran, with Dodd having been to Syria and in favor of more dialogue. Not surprisingly, Graham was opposed to any further diplomatic overtures to either nation.
Collectively, the shows registered only 1 progressive out of 7 guests, a new low.
Week 7 - December 24
*Total of progressive/Democrat guests to total # of guests.
**Total percentage of shows beginning with Sunday, November 12.
Chart updated weekly each Sunday.
How well are the Sunday News Talk shows presenting the progressive/Democratic point-of-view?
We look at the guests each show offers and award them a point for every one that is either an elected Democrat or shares the values of the progressive left and a zero for every one that does not. Generally, Democratic party guests get a 1; Republicans and all others, a zero.
Meet the Press wasn't even worth watching, but Fox News Sunday managed to lure Lynne Cheney, wife of the VP, for a pre-holiday neocon boost. Mrs. Cheney was on message, mentioning 9/11, and citing the Patriot Act, the "terrorist surveillance program" and "detainee policy" as important elements in keeping the nation safe. Mrs. Cheney had little notable to say, except for her view of Scooter Libby being on trial as "bizarre" and that his upcoming trial, "does not reflect well on our judicial system." Maybe Mrs. Cheney would like to see perjury crossed off the list of criminal offenses. Yes, "bizarre" is the operative term.
Face the Nation one-upped Fox by having Laura Bush in an "exclusive" interview. This is the equivalent of punting on second down for CBS.
ABC's This Week was the only network actually providing any substance with Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) discussing their recent trip to the Middle East and the situation in Iraq. ABC also managed to get an interview with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Kudos to them for getting it partially right despite the lure of going easy during the holidays. The Dodd-Graham didn't really break much new ground as the Senators exchanged ideas for and against the President's policy favoring a "surge" or increase of troops. Dodd was against it; Graham favored it. The two also differed on diplomatic approaches to Syria and Iran, with Dodd having been to Syria and in favor of more dialogue. Not surprisingly, Graham was opposed to any further diplomatic overtures to either nation.
Collectively, the shows registered only 1 progressive out of 7 guests, a new low.
Week 7 - December 24
| Show | Guests | Score | WeeKTotal | Cum. Total* | Cum. %** |
| Meet the Press (NBC) | Authors Dr. Rick Warren and Jon Meacham | 0 | 0-2 | 5-18 | 27.78 |
| Fox News Sunday (FOX) | Lynne Cheney, Archbishop of Washington Donald Wuerl, Anne Graham Lotz (Billy Graham's daughter). | 0 | 0-3 | 9-22 | 40.91 |
| This Week (ABC) | Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. | 1 | 1-3 | 9-20 | 45.00 |
| Face the Nation (CBS) | First Lady Laua Bush | 0 | 0-1 | 6-17 | 35.29 |
| Total for week, all shows (4 weeks) | all guests | 1 | 1-7 | 29-74 | 39.19 |
*Total of progressive/Democrat guests to total # of guests.
**Total percentage of shows beginning with Sunday, November 12.
Chart updated weekly each Sunday.
How well are the Sunday News Talk shows presenting the progressive/Democratic point-of-view?
We look at the guests each show offers and award them a point for every one that is either an elected Democrat or shares the values of the progressive left and a zero for every one that does not. Generally, Democratic party guests get a 1; Republicans and all others, a zero.
Labels: media, politics, Sunday talk shows
Sunday, December 17, 2006
NBC's very own Grinch on Meet The Press
After hearing that Meet the Press was having Newt Gingrich on as their "exclusive" guest this week, I couldn't wait to see the show before firing off another note to the redoubtable Mr. Russert and the show's producers. Following is the unedited (and unvarnished) email to the show:
Dear Mr. Russert, executive producer Betsy Fischer and producers Michelle Jaconi and Rebecca Samuels:
Are you really as out-of-touch as you seem or are you just jealous that you don't have your own Grinch and needed Gingrich to take up your air and scare the little kids that may be watching?
Is Mr. Gingrich, who resembles the famous Dr. Seuss character, the "Grinch" in ways that cannot be measured by appearance alone, really the best guest you could find this week?
While it may be the case that Mr. Gingrich suffers - like the Grinch - from having too small a heart (the size comparison usually reserved for other Republican bodily parts such as the brain or certain "unmentionables"), those of us on the progressive front have noted a certain lack of relevance in the former Speaker's message and some distance and departure from the reality-based community.
It is noticeable (and ironic) that Mr. Gingrich has not held public office since 1998, but still thinks he's a viable voice for conservative politics. The notion that he's entertaining a run for the presidency would be humorous if it were not the case that he's taking it so seriously. There's a reason he's been out of public office for 8 years - he can't get enough people vote for him to win even a local election.
The problem with Newt may be that his heart is not too small, but that his head is too big - inflated, as the case may be, with the tantalizing notion of possibly becoming the most powerful man in the world. Yes, he's scary all right, but we're not living in Whoville, or Kansas, for that matter.
Maybe all other suitable politicians were out of town, too busy preparing for the upcoming 110th Congress, or had made holiday plans with their families, like most normal people. If that's the case, Newt Gingrich could be considered a solid choice, since he's not much of a "real" family man, having already been married three times (I can't wait to hear him fulminate over values and morals).
Speaking of available guests, Condi Rice (single) was probably looking for something to do this weekend. Why not her? She's proven to be completely ineffective in every office to which she's been appointed. As National Security Advisor she watched and did nothing on 9/11/2001 and as Secretary of State she's overseen the unending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the horror of Darfur and the Israeli bombing of Lebanon just this year. In keeping with your mantra of irrelevance, she seems the perfect pre-holiday guest.
Maybe you and your bosses at NBC just want to continue down the path of becoming less and less relevant to your dwindling viewership. If that's the case, you're doing a bang up job. Mr. Gingrich provides just the kind of peripheral doddering that makes your show so singularly nauseating.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!
Rick Gagliano
Publisher, Downtown Magazine
Thought Puh-leeze
http://thoughtpuh-leeze.blogspot.com
Dear Mr. Russert, executive producer Betsy Fischer and producers Michelle Jaconi and Rebecca Samuels:
Are you really as out-of-touch as you seem or are you just jealous that you don't have your own Grinch and needed Gingrich to take up your air and scare the little kids that may be watching?
Is Mr. Gingrich, who resembles the famous Dr. Seuss character, the "Grinch" in ways that cannot be measured by appearance alone, really the best guest you could find this week?
While it may be the case that Mr. Gingrich suffers - like the Grinch - from having too small a heart (the size comparison usually reserved for other Republican bodily parts such as the brain or certain "unmentionables"), those of us on the progressive front have noted a certain lack of relevance in the former Speaker's message and some distance and departure from the reality-based community.
It is noticeable (and ironic) that Mr. Gingrich has not held public office since 1998, but still thinks he's a viable voice for conservative politics. The notion that he's entertaining a run for the presidency would be humorous if it were not the case that he's taking it so seriously. There's a reason he's been out of public office for 8 years - he can't get enough people vote for him to win even a local election.
The problem with Newt may be that his heart is not too small, but that his head is too big - inflated, as the case may be, with the tantalizing notion of possibly becoming the most powerful man in the world. Yes, he's scary all right, but we're not living in Whoville, or Kansas, for that matter.
Maybe all other suitable politicians were out of town, too busy preparing for the upcoming 110th Congress, or had made holiday plans with their families, like most normal people. If that's the case, Newt Gingrich could be considered a solid choice, since he's not much of a "real" family man, having already been married three times (I can't wait to hear him fulminate over values and morals).
Speaking of available guests, Condi Rice (single) was probably looking for something to do this weekend. Why not her? She's proven to be completely ineffective in every office to which she's been appointed. As National Security Advisor she watched and did nothing on 9/11/2001 and as Secretary of State she's overseen the unending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the horror of Darfur and the Israeli bombing of Lebanon just this year. In keeping with your mantra of irrelevance, she seems the perfect pre-holiday guest.
Maybe you and your bosses at NBC just want to continue down the path of becoming less and less relevant to your dwindling viewership. If that's the case, you're doing a bang up job. Mr. Gingrich provides just the kind of peripheral doddering that makes your show so singularly nauseating.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!
Rick Gagliano
Publisher, Downtown Magazine
Thought Puh-leeze
http://thoughtpuh-leeze.blogspot.com
Labels: Christmas, Grinch, media, Meet the Press, Newt Gingrich, presidential politics
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Sunday News Shows Scorecard: Hadley goes 3 for 4
It took less than a month, but the major news media has managed to shift the focus back to the right, falling under 50% in progressive guests on Sunday talk shows for the first four-week period. This week was particularly dull and biased as National Security Advisor to President Bush, Stephen Hadley, appeared on three of the four shows. How Fox News Sunday failed to give Hadley a perfect 4-4 is somewhat beyond comprehension.
Sorry this edition of the scorecard is a little late, but it was a particularly boring weekend of news shows and I nearly gave up on the concept of watching them at all. At least Russert gave Jimmy Carter some air time. Carter is the only person in the American media who speaks openly of the apartheid in the Palestinian settlements, but oddly, nobody calls him a Jew hater. Maybe he should give Mel Gibson lessons.
Sunday News Shows Scorecard
How in or out of touch are the Sunday morning shows following the message of the midterm elections?
We look at the guests each show has and award them a point for every guest that is either an elected Democrat or shares the values of the progressive left and a zero for every one that does not. Generally, Democratic Party guests get a 1, Republicans and others a zero.
Week 4 - December 3
Sorry this edition of the scorecard is a little late, but it was a particularly boring weekend of news shows and I nearly gave up on the concept of watching them at all. At least Russert gave Jimmy Carter some air time. Carter is the only person in the American media who speaks openly of the apartheid in the Palestinian settlements, but oddly, nobody calls him a Jew hater. Maybe he should give Mel Gibson lessons.
Sunday News Shows Scorecard
How in or out of touch are the Sunday morning shows following the message of the midterm elections?
We look at the guests each show has and award them a point for every guest that is either an elected Democrat or shares the values of the progressive left and a zero for every one that does not. Generally, Democratic Party guests get a 1, Republicans and others a zero.
Week 4 - December 3
| Show | Guests | Score | WeeKTotal | Cum. Total* | Cum. %** |
| Meet the Press (NBC) | Stephen Hadley, Carl Levin, John Warner, Jimmy Carter | 2 | 2-4 | 5-13 | 38.46 |
| Fox News Sunday (FOX) | Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and Lindsay Graham (R-GA), Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer; Incoming District of Columbia police chief, Cathy Lanier | 2 | 2-4 | 7-12 | 58.33 |
| This Week (ABC) | Stephen Hadley (National Security Advisor), Senator Evan Byah (D-IN), Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack (R-IA) | 1 | 1-3 | 5-11 | 45.45 |
| Face the Nation (CBS) | Stephen Hadley, Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) | 0 | 0-3 | 4-10 | 40.00 |
| Total for week, all shows (4 weeks) | all guests | 5 | 5-14 | 21-46 | 45.65 |
Labels: media, news, politics, Sunday
