Bozell Statement: On and On It Goes: Networks Cover 'Predator Priests' As They Stay Silent on Catholic Liberty Lawsuits
Published: 5/25/2012 1:17 PM ET
The broadcast networks stubbornly pushed ahead, logging another 24 hours -- now we're at four straight days -- ignoring the Catholic lawsuits against the Obama administration. And once again on Thursday night, instead of covering this historic lawsuit championing religious freedom, the CBS Evening News offered another two and a half minutes to a “massive coverup” of Catholic sex abuse in Philadelphia. That’s five minutes on Catholic abuse charges to 19 seconds on Catholic religious freedom. ABC and NBC are still silent, completely silent.
Taxpayer-funded NPR, which has ignored Catholic religious freedom on its morning and evening newscasts all week, covered the Philadelphia trial for four and a half minutes on the show they call “All Things Considered.” The only Catholic news story worthy of consideration for these outlets seem to be dated stories on what CBS calls “predator priests.”
Twenty Catholic and evangelical leaders joined the MRC this week in calling out the networks for ignoring the Obama administration trampling on the First Amendment. Religious Americans across
the board know this is not just a Catholic issue, and it's far more than the very misleading "contraception issue," the left wants it know as. It’s a freedom issue -- period. The Rabbinical Council of America issued a resolution this month commending the Catholic Church and asking for “further necessary protections to safeguard the religious rights of all Americans.”
the board know this is not just a Catholic issue, and it's far more than the very misleading "contraception issue," the left wants it know as. It’s a freedom issue -- period. The Rabbinical Council of America issued a resolution this month commending the Catholic Church and asking for “further necessary protections to safeguard the religious rights of all Americans.”If the White House were trampling on freedom of the press as much as they’re trampling on freedom of religion, perhaps these people might pause and reflect a minute before bowing and killing stories.
We cannot expect the secular media to provide fairness on religious issues, especially when religious leaders clash with the Obama agenda. We cannot prevent the networks from being transparently sycophantic toward the president they adore. But we can and will expose for the American people – and especially American Catholics – how the media define the “news” as anything that helps Barack Obama, and squelch and ignore any information and advocacy that would hurt Barack Obama.
To schedule an interview with MRC President Brent Bozell or another MRC spokesperson, please contact Colleen Sullivan - csullivan@crcpublicrelations.com or Jeremy Little - jlittle@crcpublicrelations.com
