More Time for Dance-Off and Sunken Corvettes Than Another ObamaCare Delay
After being the lone network to report ObamaCare's newest delay on Wednesday morning, CBS dropped the story on Wednesday evening's newscast. Both NBC and ABC reported the news -- very briefly -- but only NBC provided criticism from Republicans.
"The White House announced late today that some will now be able to keep their plans for another two years before they have to meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Republicans immediately cried foul, calling it a political move to prevent cancellation notices from showing up in the mail just before the mid-term elections this fall," reported NBC's Brian Williams on the Nightly News.
ABC ignored any criticism from Republicans, however. Both NBC and ABC spent the bare minimum of time on the story, providing just a news brief each. World News actually spent more time (24 seconds) covering a dance-off at a college basketball game than on the ObamaCare delay (18 seconds).
Nightly News spent 2 minutes, 20 seconds on the recovery of classic Corvettes swallowed in a sinkhole, and just 23 seconds on ObamaCare.
Below is a transcript of the March 5 news briefs:
ABC's World News:
DIANE SAWYER: And a note, today, out of Washington. The White House announced, it's official. If you like your old health care plan, you can keep it for another two years. Even if the plan does not meet the new requirements for insurance under ObamaCare. The deadline had already been extended by one year. Now, a two-year deadline.
NBC Nightly News:
And about that promise by the President, "if you like your health care plan you can keep it." The White House announced late today that some will now be able to keep their plans for another two years before they have to meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Republicans immediately cried foul, calling it a political move to prevent cancellation notices from showing up in the mail just before the mid-term elections this fall.
— Matt Hadro is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matt Hadro on Twitter.
