MediaWatch: February 1995

Vol. Nine No. 2

Networks Which Ignored Wright Now Barely Touch Tom Daschle and Ron Brown Scandals

The Newt-Centric Media Universe

Eric Engberg's February 1 CBS Evening News story could turn out to be the reference work on Newt Gingrich book deal stories. It had everything: The spectacle of Gingrich getting a taste of his own medicine; comparisons of Gingrich's situation with the man he forced into resignation, former Speaker Jim Wright; and allegations of influence-buying from "old-style press baron" Rupert Murdoch, Gingrich's publisher. After criticism from liberal Common Cause head Fred Wertheimer (labeled a "government reform advocate"), Engberg put the burden on Gingrich: "Speaker Gingrich, who could end the controversy by scuttling the book deal, is standing fast." To determine the amount of Gingrich book deal coverage compared to Democratic controversies, MediaWatch analysts reviewed the four network evening news shows (ABC's World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, CNN's World News, and NBC Nightly News) for the six-week period from December 22 to February 2. Analysts identified 27 book deal stories (seven each for all but CNN which aired six). That's a far different pattern of coverage from that given to then Speaker Jim Wright, as well as many other Democratic scandals. Scandal crowded out substance: the book deal drew more network coverage than the Balanced Budget Amendment debate.

The networks first reported the book deal on December 22. "We'll hear more about this one," CBS' Bob Schieffer promised. Of the 27 book deal stories, six mentioned the case of Speaker Wright, either by comparing Democratic attacks on Gingrich to Gingrich's attacks on Wright, or by noting that both stories involved book deals. Gingrich's comparison of his deal to Al Gore's book deal made it into only two stories.

NBC led off the January 19 Nightly News with Lisa Myers, who gave Wright's side of the story: "Former Speaker Jim Wright, whom Gingrich helped bring down, said Gingrich has only himself to blame." Myers quoted Wright's statement: "Gingrich has sewn [sic] the seeds of hate whose weeds now threaten his own garden." ABC's John Cochran reported January 20: "Gingrich defended himself, saying he has nothing in common with former Democratic speaker Jim Wright, who resigned after Gingrich led an attack on Wright's deal to write a book."

None of the six stories mentioning Wright detailed the charges that forced him to quit. While Gingrich's deal was made with a reputable publisher, HarperCollins, Wright's book was published by a former campaign worker who gave Wright a royalty arrangement of 55 percent, four times the industry standard. Books were sold in bulk to lobbying groups such as the Fertilizer Institute as a way around congressional limits on honoraria income.

Washington Post reporter Charles Babcock broke the Wright book story on September 24, 1987. A 1988 MediaWatch study (which didn't include CNN) found the three networks ran no stories on the allegations during the five months following, despite a Gingrich press conference on February 19, 1988.

The pattern of evading Democratic scandals wasn't limited to Wright:

House Bank: On February 7, 1990, The Washington Post reported the General Accounting Office had discovered $232,000 in bad checks at the bank, overseen by Speaker Thomas Foley. The four networks did their first story on October 3, 1991, almost two years later, and two weeks after the newspaper Roll Call set the print media afire with new revelations.

House Post Office. In February 1992, The Washington Times reported possible illegalities at the post office, including exchanging stamps for cash and the selling of cocaine. In the entire two years before Ways and Means Chairman Rostenkowski was indicted on corruption charges in May 1994, the networks aired only 31 stories on his possible crimes. Seven of those asked how the allegations might hurt Clinton's agenda. On July 19, 1993 NBC's Lisa Myers lamented: "Formal charges against Rostenkowski would be an ominous sign for President Clinton's domestic agenda. Rostenkowski's formidable skills are critical to passage of both deficit reduction and health reform." The Gingrich agenda didn't receive similar concern. Of the 27 stories on Newt's deal, only three noted any impact the controversy might have on passing the Contract.

Daschle. On October 16, 1994, New York Times reporter Neil A. Lewis reported allegations against Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who has been accused of intervening with airline safety regulators on behalf of a friend and contributor, Murl Bellew, owner of B&L Aviation of Rapid City, South Dakota. He followed up on the story three times. Yet from the Times story through February 6 none of the evening shows touched it, even after Daschle became Senate Minority Leader. CBS's 60 Minutes did run a tough Mike Wallace piece on February 5.

Brown. The Jan. 14 Washington Post raised questions about Commerce Secretary Ron Brown failing to report income from a failed business bailed out by taxpayers. Despite numerous follow-up stories and congressional demands that he resign, ABC, CBS and NBC aired only one story, the first 13 days later on January 27. (CNN Prime News did one piece, but World News did nothing through Feb. 2.)

Cisneros. On January 12, Attorney General Janet Reno extended the deadline for indictment proceedings against HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, accused of lying to the FBI about the size of payments he made to a mistress. The network evening news shows aired nothing. (While CNN's Inside Politics aired the story January 12 and 13, they also reported January 11 that Samuel Pierce, Reagan's HUD Secretary, admitted some blame for the Reagan-era housing scandals.)

Yet the networks devoted ten stories to what Newt's mother whispered to Connie Chung (including four anchor-read stories marking Mrs. Gingrich's visit to the White House). That's more coverage than all the current allegations against Democrats combined, which generated just three.

The debate over the Balanced Budget Amendment merited 22 evening stories January 1-31. That's five fewer stories than the book deal. Apparently, the media were preoccupied with that other contract. The story was perfect for reporters looking for the old stereotype of Newt Gingrich, partisan slasher. Bruce Morton employed it on the January 5 CNN World News: "So is he the New Statesman, or the old Mighty Morphin Power Ranger of the GOP?"