MRC War Coverage Study Praises Fox News, CBS And Embedded Reporters - Press Release - April 23, 2003 - Media Research Center
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The Media Research Center today released its report card for network war coverage, issuing grades for overall network reporting, anchors, embedded reporters and Baghdad reporters. Fox News Channel led the networks while Foxs Brit Hume, CNNs Wolf Blitzer and CBSs Dan Rather had the best grades among the anchors. Among the worst grades were those given to ABC News anchor Peter Jennings and NBC/MSNBC reporter Peter Arnett, who was actually fired for his propaganda-like comments in an interview with Iraqi television.
Fox News did the best job of all the networks, and Fox anchors Brit Hume and Shepard Smith were especially strong. Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw actually did fairly steady jobs, far outdistancing Peter Jennings who couldnt seem to find any merit to American military or foreign policy, wrongly predicted the war would last long, and stressed the Americans inability to win support among the Iraqi people, said Brent Bozell, president of the Media Research Center.
The War Coverage Network Report Card
| Networks | |
| Fox News Channel |
B |
| CBS |
B- |
| NBC/MSNBC |
C+ |
| CNN |
C+ |
| ABC |
D- |
| Anchors | |
| Brit Hume, FNC |
A |
| Wolf
Blitzer, CNN |
B+ |
| Dan Rather, CBS |
B+ |
| Shepard Smith |
B+ |
| Tom Brokaw |
B |
| Aaron Brown |
B- |
| Brian Williams |
B- |
| Peter Jennings |
F |
| Embedded Reporters |
| Best: |
| 1. David Bloom, NBC/MSNBC |
| 2. Walter Rodgers, CNN |
| 3. Greg Kelly, FNC
|
| Worst: |
| 1. Ted
Koppel, ABC |
| Baghdad Reporters |
| Best: |
| 1. John Burns, CBS
|
| Worst: |
| 1. Peter Arnett, NBC/MSNBC |
| 2. Richard Engel, ABC |
Embedded reporters excelled when they acted as the viewers eyes and ears in Iraq. The late David Bloom of NBC, in his innovative Bloommobile, was the star of the group, offering hours of riveting live coverage of the Third Infantrys historic drive toward Baghdad, including a powerful sandstorm that turned day into night. On the other hand, Foxs Geraldo Rivera embarrassed himself and his network by stupidly revealing information that jeopardized American lives. He apologized and accepted his rebuke but his gaffe was the low-point for FNCs otherwise exemplary coverage, said Richard Noyes, director of research for the Media Research Center.
To schedule an interview with Mr. Noyes, or another Media Research Center spokesperson, contact Katie Wright at (703)-683-5004, ext. 132.
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Complete Special
Report: Grading TV's War News
Executive Summary
Media Reality Check:
Gulf War II: Grading Television's War News
