Graphic of the Week: Media Might Have a SLIGHT Bias When It Comes to Harris vs. Trump Coverage

Doug P. | 10:15 PM on August 19, 2024

The Democratic National Convention is off and running in Chicago. Speaking of off and running, protesters have been trying to dismantle parts of the tall fence that's been erected around the convention site, even though we've been told constantly that the country needs "bridges not walls." Hopefully the protesters will be asked to produce photo ID just to increase the irony level.

Meanwhile, the Harris campaign is relying on the media to put a positive spin on everything from the convention to Kamala's word salads to Walz's lying. The Democrats' trust in the media to provide positive spin and gaslighting is well placed.

One example confirming the media taking sides comes in the form of this study of how network news treats the Republican side vs. the Democrat candidate. Shocker? No, not really:

‘Unprecedented’ positive media for @VP @KamalaHarris, 89% negative for Trump

Harris’s coverage 84% positive by ABC, CBS, NBC. Trump's entirely hostile, 89% negative @newsbusters @RichNoyes https://t.co/d12hgoOZVJ via @dcexaminer
— Paul Bedard (@SecretsBedard) August 19, 2024

It won't be surprising if an outlet like Politico reports the above study as "Republican media pounces on lib media bias."

One of Harris’s people said they are relying on journalists to explain her policies to the American people in a way that will help the Harris campaign.

This apparently will not be a heavy lift for them.
— Lilly Wilson (@RealLillyWilson) August 19, 2024

Nope, they've got this for Harris! Via MRC/Newsbusters:

Since Joe Biden exited the 2024 presidential race four weeks ago, the liberal networks have delivered an unprecedented boost of positive publicity to his successor in the race, Vice President Kamala Harris. Not only has Harris received 66% more airtime than former President Donald Trump, but the spin of Harris’s coverage has been more positive (84%) than any other major party nominee, even as Trump’s coverage has been nearly entirely hostile (89% negative).
As always, our calculation of spin omits so-called “horse race” assessments (see methodology statement below), but a separate count shows those statements have also favored Harris by a whopping margin (94% positive, vs. just 43% positive for Trump). At the same time, the network coverage has virtually eliminated any discussion of the strident left-wing positions Harris took as Senator or during her 2020 presidential campaign. And while Republican Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance and his Democratic counterpart, Tim Walz, have received nearly equal amounts of airtime, the networks have celebrated Walz (62% positive press) and punished Vance (92% negative).