A report released by the Media Research Center on Monday surveyed how the top 3 major liberal networks were covering the issue of firearms legislation after the Las Vegas shooting.
In the Media Research Center’s report, authored by Geoffrey Dickens, it showed that ABC, CBs, and NBC’s news program spent at least 30 minutes arguing in favor of the new gun-control measures for every 6 minutes that they aired pro-gun opinions.
The study closely analyzed statements by anchors, guests, reporters and soundbites and determined if those statement were supportive of gun rights, or not. Dickerson explains, “In the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting massacre, the Big Three (ABC, CBS, NBC) networks wasted little time in exploiting the tragedy to advance their anti-gun rights agenda. In just six days (October 2-8) of coverage, the networks filled their evening and morning show programs with statements favoring gun control over gun rights by a ratio of roughly 5 to 1.”
The he also singled out the comments of former NBC Nightly News anchor – and guest – Tom Brokaw on 3rd of October, as an example to support the argument of the sentiments being aired on the media.
The report highlights Brokaw’s monologue, in which the news anchor states, “I would say to this audience, and any audience before which I appear these days, we are where we are because of the power of people who wanted these kinds of guns. And the NRA managed to organize them and get them as a political force in America. So, the question is, if you’re not happy with what has happened, your individual obligation as citizen is to organize on the other side.”
The report also found that the three networks spent over 28 minutes specifically pushing for the regulation and banning of “bump fire” stocks for every 1 minute they aired opinions opposed to additional regulation of “bump fire stocks.”
