marijuana

NBC Jumps Aboard Florida 'Pot Bus' to Tout Midterm Marijuana Vote

kyle.drennen — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 21:54:29 +0000

Kyle Drennen

In the only full report on the upcoming midterm election on Thursday's NBC Today, correspondent Gabe Gutierrez shared his journey aboard the "Pot Bus" in Florida, a campaign effort urging voters to back legalized medical marijuana in the state: "...supporters say that they've made about 200 stops over the past few months to rally support....It's a ride full of high hopes."

— Kyle Drennen is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.

CBS Continues Pot Push, Focuses on Marijuana 'Miracle'

scott.whitlock — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:23:20 +0000

Scott Whitlock

Throughout 2014, CBS This Morning has veered between stories happily hyping the benefits of marijuana and reports on its danger. While the segments seesaw back and forth, the network doesn't seem to be able to put together balance individual reports. On Monday, this continued as journalist Adriana Diaz focused on a Minnesota mom who gave her son a form of medical marijuana to help with his traumatic brain injury.

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

ABC’s WNT Reports on Dangers of Driving High, Yet Mention Some ‘Studies Disagree’ That Problem Exists

curtis.houck — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 20:06:00 +0000

Curtis Houck

Thursday night’s edition of ABC World News Tonight with David Muir included a report from ABC News correspondent Clayton Sandell on the growing problem in Colorado with law enforcement encountering motorists that are driving while high on marijuana in the time since the state legalized its recreational use after voters approved it in 2012.

— Curtis Houck is News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Curtis Houck on Twitter.

CBS, NBC Highlight Downside to NYT's Call for Pot Legalization

scott.whitlock — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 22:20:38 +0000

Scott Whitlock

As the New York Times launched a high profile editorial to federally legalize marijuana, NBC and CBS on Monday surprisingly showcased the downside of the pro-pot movement in states such as Colorado and Washington. CBS This Morning host Gayle King alerted, "After voters in Colorado and Washington State gave the green light for recreational use, the Times editorial board now wants the rest of the country to have the same

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

CBS Returns to Puffing Pot: 'High Times' in Seattle

scott.whitlock — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:48:40 +0000

Scott Whitlock

For the second day in a row, CBS This Morning reported live from Seattle as Washington State officially legalizes marijuana. The on-screen graphic for the segment promoted the "high times" sure to come. Standing in front of Cannabis City, reporter Adriana Diaz enthused, "At 12 o'clock, Tuesday, dubbed high noon, Cannabis City's owner cut police tape to symbolically mark the legal sale of recreational pot for the first time." [MP3 audio here.]

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

ABC Promotes Legalized Pot in ‘the Land of Starbucks’; CBS Mentions Shortages, Restrictions, and Opposition

curtis.houck — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 19:15:04 +0000

Curtis Houck

Reporting on the news Tuesday that recreational marijuana is now legal in Washington state, ABC News correspondent Neal Karlinsky filed a story to ABC’s Good Morning America that stands as the latest pro-marijuana story out of many over the last few months across the networks. Reporting from a pot shop in Seattle, he gushed that Tuesday was “bound to be an interesting day.”

— Curtis Houck is News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Curtis Houck on Twitter.

CBS, NBC Push Puff Pieces on Pot, Dream of ‘Light Up and Write Up’ Pulitzer Pot Prize

curtis.houck — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 21:05:22 +0000

Curtis Houck

On Monday, all three broadcast network morning news shows gave mention to the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Washington state with sales set to begin on Tuesday. In particular, CBS This Morning and NBC’s Today devoted entire segments to the drug and not only were both stories positive, a statement from the former President of Drug Watch International on Today was the only sort of opposing viewpoint provided.

— Curtis Houck is News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Curtis Houck on Twitter.

CBS Puffs Pot as an Empowerment Tool for Women: 'Breaking the Grass Ceiling'

scott.whitlock — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 18:35:12 +0000

Scott Whitlock

CBS This Morning on Tuesday continued its role as the biggest cheerleader of legalized marijuana. Reporter Barry Petersen hailed the role of women in Colorado's expanding pot industry. A network graphic touted, "Breaking the Grass Ceiling." Except for one throw-away line, the entire segment avoided the health dangers of marijuana.

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

CBS Puffs 'Pot Lobbyist' in D.C.: 'Making Friends in High Places'

scott.whitlock — Fri, 02 May 2014 19:41:58 +0000

Scott Whitlock

CBS This Morning journalists on Friday continued the show's obsession with legalized pot, offering an uncritical puffing of a new marijuana lobbyist in Washington D.C. Gayle King touted, "Marijuana is now legal in some form in nearly half the country.

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

CBS Wakes Up to the Dangers of 'Edible Pot,' Notes Deaths in Colorado

scott.whitlock — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 20:57:05 +0000

Scott Whitlock

Ten days after touting the best marijuana in Colorado, CBS This Morning journalists woke up to some potential dangers for the state's decision to legalize pot. Gayle King on Wednesday informed viewers, "Colorado is rethinking the rules for pot-infused food this morning after two recent deaths." [MP3 audio here.]

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

CBS Puffs Legalized Pot in Colorado, Touts the Best Marijuana: 'Ghost Train Haze'

scott.whitlock — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 20:29:51 +0000

Scott Whitlock

CBS This Morning journalist Barry Petersen on Monday offered a puff piece on legalized pot in Colorado, displaying no skepticism about health effects. Instead, he happily explained that "more than 60,000 gathered to party for 4/20. In marijuana lore, the day in April to celebrate all things pot." Petersen noted that the convention includes "an actual trophy for the best pot." [MP3 audio here.]

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

Reefer Madness: Only 3 Percent of Pot Stories Mention Health Risks

julia.seymour — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 15:45:18 +0000

As stoners call for education, networks leave users high (and dry).

Sean Long

As stoners prepare for their annual 420 smoking “holiday” on April 20, the broadcast networks have done little to educate users on the risks of their leafy drug of choice in spite of extensive reporting on state legalization of pot.

— Sean Long is Staff Writer at the Media Research Center. Follow Sean Long on Twitter.

CNN Laments Medical Marijuana's Illegality: 'Can't A Stroke of the Pen Change This Problem?'

matthew.balan — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 00:06:07 +0000

Matthew Balan

On Friday's This Hour, CNN's John Berman bemoaned how medical marijuana is still illegal in many jurisdictions, and hinted that executive action needed be taken to fix this situation. After noting that "one of the problems right now is the federal law," Berman asked, "Can't they change this? Can't a stroke of the pen change this problem?"

— Matthew Balan is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matthew Balan on Twitter.

After Hyping Colorado's 'Marijuana Munchies,' CBS Belatedly Discovers 'Contaminated' Pot

scott.whitlock — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 17:49:35 +0000

Scott Whitlock

Weeks after the journalists at CBS This Morning hyped the "cannabis capitalism" taking hold in Colorado, the network has come to the belated realization that pot can be "contaminated." The state became the first in the nation to legalize marijuana, but as co-host Norah O'Donnell noted, "the supply can come with its own surprises." [MP3 audio here.]

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.

CBS Touts 'Cannabis Capitalism' and 'Pot Tours' That Cure the 'Marijuana Munchies'

scott.whitlock — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 20:35:22 +0000

Scott Whitlock

The journalists at CBS This Morning on Friday appeared excited over the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, hyping the "cannabis capitalism" in the state and a new "pot tour" business that has sprouted up. Showing little skepticism, reporter Barry Petersen offered a light-hearted take: "Appropriately enough, the pot tour ends at a sub shop where Acapulco gold is a sandwich and they're ready to help with those marijuana munchies." [MP3 audio here.]

— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter.