Forty four people were shot [1] over the weekend in a bloody epidemic sweeping Rahm Emanuel's Chicago. Yet, CBS has, thus far, ignored the ignored the crime wave. In contrast, ABC's Good Morning America and CBS This Morning on Tuesday both briefly covered the violence in the city run by Barack Obama's former chief of staff.
GMA news reader Dan Abrams explained, "Special authorities are creating a special crime-fighting unit in Chicago after a shocking spike in street violence." [MP3 audio here [2].] He noted that among the victims were "six children and two more teenagers overnight." On Today, Willie Geist explained that five children were shot in a park on Easter Sunday. Even though CBS allowed no time for tragic news out of Chicago, the network's morning show devoted four minutes to a possible maple syrup shortage.
MSNBC's Morning Joe will be broadcasting live from Chicago [3] on Wednesday to celebrate the 100th birthday of Wrigley Field. Among the guests will be Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Perhaps Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski could quizz the Democrats running the city and state about out of control violence.
On September 5 2012 [4], as Chicago endured its bloodiest month of that year, the three networks welcomed Mayor Emanuel to promote Obama's reelection. The skyrocketing murder rate went unmentioned.
On August 23, 2012 [5], 13 Chicago residents were shot in a violence-soaked 30 minute period. ABC and NBC ignored the crime.
A transcript of the ABC and NBC news briefs can be found below.
GMA
4/22/14
8:03
19 seconds
DAN ABRAMS: Special authorities are creating a special crime-fighting unit in Chicago after a shocking spike in street violence. More than 40 people were shot over the weekend, including six children and two more teenagers were shot overnight. The new unit is comprised of prosecutors who will use federal law to go after gangs, guns and drugs.
Today
4/22/14
7:14
20 seconds
WILLIE GEIST: A weekend of gun violence in Chicago leaves nine people dead and 32 others hurt. The latest shooting happened around 7:30 on Sunday night. A group of kids were leaving a park near an elementary school when someone pulled up in a car and asked them a question. The group fled but some in the car opened fire, hitting five of them. The victims range in age from 11 to 15. One of them is in critical condition.
— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter. [6]