Outgunned: How the Network News Media Are Spinning the Gun Control Debate
Published: 1/5/2000 12:58 PM ET
Table of Contents:
Appendix A: Numerical Breakdown
| 1999 Study, total number of stories analyzed: (July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1999) 653 |
1997 Study, total number of stories: (July 1, 1995 to June 30, 1997) 244 |
|
Study Totals |
|||
| 1999 Gun Study | 1997 Gun Study | ||
| Total anti-gun stories: | 357 (55%) | Anti-gun stories: | 157 (64%) |
| Total pro-gun stories: | 36 ( 5%) | Pro-gun stories: | 10 (4%) |
| Total neutral stories: | 260 (40%) | Neutral stories: | 77 (32%) |
| Total anti-gun talking heads: | 412 (38%) | Anti-gun talking heads: | 165 (52%) |
| Total pro-gun talking heads: | 209 (19%) | Pro-gun talking heads: | 110 (35%) |
| Total neutral talking heads: | 471 (43%) | Neutral talking heads: | 40 (13%) |
| Total anti-gun guests: | 84 (47%) | Anti-gun guests: | 37 (70%) |
| Total pro-gun guests: | 38 (21%) | Pro-gun guests: | 12 (23%) |
| Total neutral guests: | 58 (32%) | Neutral guests: | 4 (7%) |
|
Combined Study (4 Year) Totals |
|
| Total stories: | 897 |
| Total anti-gun stories: | 514 (57%) |
| Total pro-gun stories: | 46 (5%) |
| Total neutral stories: | 337 (38%) |
| Total anti-gun talking heads: | 577 (41%) |
| Total pro-gun talking heads: | 319 (23%) |
| Total neutral talking heads: | 511 (36%) |
| Total anti-gun guests: | 121 (52%) |
| Total pro-gun guests: | 50 (21%) |
| Total neutral guests: | 62 (27%) |
Totals By Network
|
ABC |
|||
| Good Morning America | World News Tonight | ||
| Anti-gun stories: | 92 (64%) | Anti-gun stories: | 43 (63%) |
| Pro-gun stories: | 1 (1%) | Pro-gun stories: | 3 (4%) |
| Neutral stories: | 51 (35%) | Neutral stories: | 23 (33%) |
| Anti-gun talking heads: | 52 (42%) | Anti-gun talking heads: | 73 (40%) |
| Pro-gun talking heads: | 21 (17%) | Pro-gun talking heads: | 41 (22%) |
| Neutral talking heads: | 50 (41%) | Neutral talking heads: | 70 (38%) |
| Anti-gun guests: | 33 (53%) | Anti-gun guests: | 0 |
| Pro-gun guests: | 8 (13%) | Pro-gun guests: | 0 |
| Neutral guests: | 21 (34%) | Neutral guests: | 0 |
|
CBS |
|||
| This Morning | Evening News | ||
| Anti-gun stories: | 19 (38%) | Anti-gun stories: | 28 (53%) |
| Pro-gun stories: | 4 (8%) | Pro-gun stories: | 3 (6%) |
| Neutral stories: | 27 (54%) | Neutral stories: | 22 (41%) |
| Anti-gun talking heads: | 11 (27%) | Anti-gun talking heads: | 48 (38%) |
| Pro-gun talking heads: | 10 (24%) | Pro-gun talking heads: | 25 (20%) |
| Neutral talking heads: | 20 (49%) | Neutral talking heads: | 54 (42%) |
| Anti-gun guests: | 9 (33%) | Anti-gun guests: | 0 |
| Pro-gun guests: | 5 (19%) | Pro-gun guests: | 0 |
| Neutral guests: | 13 (48%) | Neutral guests: | 0 |
|
NBC |
|||
| Today | Nightly News | ||
| Anti-gun stories: | 82 (52%) | Anti-gun stories: | 43 (50%) |
| Pro-gun stories: | 10 (6%) | Pro-gun stories: | 8 (9%) |
| Neutral stories: | 67 (42%) | Neutral stories: | 36 (41%) |
| Anti-gun talking heads: | 53 (31%) | Anti-gun talking heads: | 77 (32%) |
| Pro-gun talking heads: | 28 (17%) | Pro-gun talking heads: | 44 (19%) |
| Neutral talking heads: | 88 (52%) | Neutral talking heads: | 116 (49%) |
| Anti-gun guests: | 40 (46%) | Anti-gun guests: | 0 |
| Pro-gun guests: | 24 (27%) | Pro-gun guests: | 0 |
| Neutral guests: | 24 (27%) | Neutral guests: | 0 |
|
CNN |
|
|
The World Today |
|
| Anti-gun stories: | 50 (55%) |
| Pro-gun stories: | 7 (8%) |
| Neutral stories: | 34 (37%) |
| Anti-gun talking heads: | 98 (45%) |
| Pro-gun talking heads: | 40 (18%) |
| Neutral talking heads: | 79 (37%) |
| Anti-gun guests: | 2 (67%) |
| Pro-gun guests: | 1 (33%) |
| Neutral guests: | 0 |
