Oil Prices Drop and Networks Ignore It
Published: 8/18/2005 1:00 PM ET
Gas
Hysteria
Oil Prices Drop and Networks Ignore It
Continuing the media
trend of ignoring positive economic news and highlighting negative
news, the networks bypassed a huge decline in the price of oil.
The media continue to overplay the gas price story. Yesterday, oil
prices plummeted to their lowest level in two weeks. None of the
three major networks noted this development.
Here are some of the latest high and low points:
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Oil price drops: CBSMarketwatch.com noted something the
networks ignored: At the same time, crude prices tapped a low
under the $63-a-barrel mark for the first time in two weeks then
recovered to close nearly flat for the session. After the oil
price crisis coverage of the previous day, the absence of this
story was certainly telling.
Liberal hypocrisy: Left-winger Robert Kennedy Jr., called an ardent environmentalist by NBCs Nightly News, is stuck battling clean energy a windmill farm off the coast of Nantucket. Anne Thompsons Aug. 17 story showed how environmentalists are battling it out against one another because some dont want the windmills messing up their expensive coastal views. According to Thompson: But Kennedy, who supports wind power, says it should no more be here inside his family's compound than inside Yosemite or Central Park. Kennedy didnt care that Nantucket is an ideal location because the off-shore area is windy and shallow enough to build the towers.
More Pain at the Pump: NBC continued its part increasing fears of gas prices on Aug. 17, pumping up the terror of high prices by showing people desperate to find lower gas prices at a time when pain is guaranteed, according to reporter Mike Taibbi. The report included a customer saying you have to take out a loan just to get gasoline. The highlight of the broadcast was a clip of customers so angry that they were screaming and cursing one another. Said Taibbi, Its getting nasty out there.
