MediaWatch: February 1988
Table of Contents:
- MediaWatch: February 1988
- Study: Campaign '88: CBS' Liberal Agenda
- NewsBites
- Revolving Door
- Rather Obnoxious
- Janet Cooke Award: Susan Spencer: CBS News
Janet Cooke Award: Susan Spencer: CBS News
As the number of homeless seems to increase, their plight has become the latest media cause-celebre. On January 24, the Sunday edition of the CBS Evening News devoted three consecutive reports to exploring homelessness. The February Janet Cooke Award goes to Susan Spencer, anchor and narrator of the first piece, a look at the growing determination by the homeless "to fight back." Unfortunately, instead of taking the opportunity to explain the numerous causes of homelessness or to explore a variety of different solutions that have been offered, Spencer's story looked at the situation as defined by liberal politicians. Not once did she give time to any competing views offered by more conservative experts.
First, she misleadingly claimed estimates on the number of homeless "go as high as 3 million." In fact, thorough studies in the past year conducted by the Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development place the actual number at 250,000 to 350,000. After making the problem seem more massive than it really is, Spencer focused on Philadelphia mayor Wilson Goode, who said, "you can't cut affordable housing, you can't cut job training programs and expect there to be anything other than homelessness."
Spencer failed to point out that just last year Congress passed an emergency bill allocating over $350 million dollars for homeless aid programs. Spencer had decided not to tell viewers about people who see the government as more the problem than the solution. As they point out, the homeless hype began during the same years the number of federal housing units peaked, 1982-85. But she did legitimize a specific policy pushed by militant homeless leaders, telling viewers: "But even with more affordable housing, the militants say that homelessness will not be solved without action on another front: the minimum wage. It stands at three dollars and thirty-five cents an hour, right where it stood since 1981, while inflation has pushed prices up nearly 34 percent."
MediaWatch informed Rand Morrison, producer of the story, that the District of Columbia's minimum wage ranges from $3.90 to $4.85 an hour depending on job classification and yet still has a growing homeless population. He refused to acknowledge it might have been proper for a news story to give such counter arguments.
When MediaWatch told him many experts believe rent control is a large cause of homelessness, Morrison became confused, responding: "I don't understand your point." So MediaWatch explained that a study published in National Review last September found low vacancy rates and almost no apartment construction in cities with rent control, but just the opposite situation in cities without it. Since basic supply and demand shows high demand for limited housing drives up apartment costs beyond the means of poorer residents, it's no surprise the study determined that "the presence of rent control is associated with an increase in homelessness of 250 percent." But Morrison still failed to understand, saying "I'd really have to think about it." When MediaWatch expressed surprise he had not come across this widely held view of conservative economists when researching his story, Morrison suddenly decided: "I've really got to go."
Asked why "only one point of view was aired," Spencer told MediaWatch: "It was not a comprehensive look at the homeless problem."
MediaWatch: "Do you have any plans to review other causes and solutions?"
Spencer: "Not at the moment."
Why not, given she only found time to air the views of liberal activists? Spencer saw nothing wrong with that: "It was a focused piece on militancy. Understand?" And then she hung up. To air just one side of the story without once mentioning or intending to ever broadcast the other is highly irresponsible and shows viewers cannot rely on CBS News for even-handed coverage of controversial subjects.
