"If It's Sunday, It's Conservative."

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_11/015679.php


IF IT'S SUNDAY.... Josh Marshall noted the other day, "The bookers and producers of the Sunday shows are committed to the continuing dominance of conservative/Republican marquee guests. No question about it." The proof is fairly obvious. Josh noted this email from a reader:

Text On Sunday morning political shows, three Democrats are confirmed as guests: Carl Levin, Barney Frank, and Charlie Rangel. It's as if Democrats didn't just win huge electoral advances in the Presidential, House, and Senate elections. So we get the same thing we've had the past 8 years--republican hegemony on Sunday. Kyl? Check. Gingrich? Check. Steele? Check. Jindal and Shelby? Check and check.

Atrios offered a helpful numeric count on the guests on today's public affairs shows:

7 Appearances by Republican current elected officeholders
3 Appearances by Democratic current elected officeholders.
2 Appearances by Republican former elected officeholders.
1 Appearance by a Bush Cabinet Secretary.
T. Boone Pickens
Ted Turner.

In February 2006, Media Matters released a fascinating report called, "If It's Sunday, It's Conservative." The reserch found that the Sunday-morning talk shows on ABC, CBS, and NBC, which play a huge role in shaping the conventional wisdom and prevailing political opinions, feature more conservative voices than liberal, "in some cases, dramatically so." What's more, MM found that it was a trend that was getting worse -- a slight Republican/conservative advantage in the Clinton years had grown considerably worse under Bush.

As a practical matter, from 2001 to 2006, Democrats were largely locked out of the power structure. If the Sunday-morning shows wanted to hear from political figures who would shape policy, and political pundits with insights into what was going to happen next, it meant stacking the deck in the GOP's favor.

The problem, of course, is that the political winds shifted but the shows haven't changed. The Sunday after the midterm elections, for example, when Democrats swept back into power, "Meet the Press" had two guests: John McCain and Joe Lieberman. Today's guest list is only marginally better, despite Democrats' ascension.

Democrats have had two incredibly successful election cycles in a row, and are now poised to control the White House, the Senate, the House, and a majority of governorships. Will bookers on the Sunday shows ever notice?

-Steve Benen

[BlueManDude]

1. My feeling is that the more people are exposed to top GOP leaders...

the more they support Democrats.

[Dinger]

5. I Respectfully Disagree

We've been exposed to them enough. We don't need any more. I like a balance though, an equal amount of Democrats and republicans. I wish Crossfire was back on CNN.

[BootinUp]

10. oldtime Crossfire

Kinsley v Buchanan was almost always a good watch.

[annabanana]

20. Jon Stewart was right about Crossfire...

"You're HURTING America"

The false equivalencies of that show were well past their sell date..

[ms liberty]

2. K&R n/t

[UTUSN]

3. & yet O'LOOFAH *fumes* that GE-NBC is a Liberal outlet!1 n/t

[opihimoimoi]

4. They have Huckee 24/7 on TV....thats a big one...

[geckosfeet]

6. Not when people keep paying their cable bills and donating to NPR. eom

[Dinger]

7. C-Span Is No Prize Either (FAIR, 2005):

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2780

[YellowRubberDuckie]

8. T Boone Pickens was on the daily show last week...

..and he said something about being excited about Obama winning the Presidency. I don't think he's so much conservative as he's just a really brilliant business man.
Duckie

[Edweird]

9. It's that damn librul media!

[TWiley]

11. The founder of the Parents Television Council coined Librul media

It was a lie then as it is today. The media is only as librul as the conservative management who owns it allows it to be. Many librul pundits got canned during the horror of the bushtapo regiem, and NO conservative ones got whacked.

Google PTC or Parents Television Council to get the horrific truth about that nasty nasty nasty organization..

[SpiralHawk]

12. There is no such thing a republicon conservative.

Republicons love to use the word 'conservative' to describe themselves and their radical policies which have savaged the economy, the environment, and the moral standing of America.

But the word 'conservative' is just more of their radical, tortured, mindf*ck propaganda, and has no relation to the reality of who they are and their EXTREME, immoral, corrupt, and destructive ways.

[babylonsister]

24. Sorry it took me so long to read this, but I love that! There are different

groups of rethugs and conservatives, where as we are all those blasted libruls, where Democratic, progressive, or liberal isn't taken as a valid name. I don't actually know where I fall there, other than a Democrat.

[AndyTiedye]

13. The Political and "News" Shows on TV Reflect the Political Views of the OWNERS of the Networks

The political shows on TV will showcase the right wing as long as the networks are owned by right wingers.

[Jawja]

14. and "If it's Sunday, NO TV Talk...

just NFL Football" in my house.

I turned off the Sunday TV Political Shows years ago.

Since the electorate handed the Conservatives their collective A$$ on November 4, it appears a lot of other folks aren't watching, either.

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. 58% of the Senate is Democratic same with Governorships

56% of the house is Democratic maybe a little more. That being said
the news has a 40% democratic vs a 60% republican advantage on talking heads & talking points
that 'catapults the propaganda' to the masses.

Its frustrating, especially if you hope to change the consciousness of the populous.
The media have their own agenda which it to $erve their corporate masters.

I hope to see revisions in FCC and cable guidelines in the Obama administration that addresses
this imbalance.

[VP505]

16. The only way to deal with that is

to NOT watch when they have a mostly Republicker line up. I don't bother to watch because I have heard enough RW crap to last a lifetime. However when something important is being debated I might take a peek to see if there is anything worthwhile being said, if not it off to something else.

[Marr]

17. Watch the commercials and you'll see why the panels are always conservative.

Those shows are paid for by oil companies, weapons manufacturers, big pharma, and various other massive corporate interests. They define the range of debate on these shows.

[annabanana]

26. naw. . . that's just one of those, you know

coincidences you see around there. .

[suede1]

18. So tired of the liberal media crap. Just shows facts don't back that up.

[annabanana]

19. They will have to be DRAGGED (kicking and screaming, if need be)

into the present.

America is, if anything, a Center-Left Country. The populace is, on an issue by issue basis, far ahead of the Government. . and far FAR ahead of the corporate media.

They are going to have to be hollered at, like Gibson & Stephanopolos during the debate last April until they become responsive. Public shaming is the most effective tool at hand and we are getting better and better at using it.

[Captain Hilts]

21. What a perp walk Sunday mornings are!

[Dinger]

22. That's For Sure nt

[Hissyspit]

23. It's been that way for decades.

[Peggy Day]

25. I took someone's suggestion a while back from DU-don't watch it

So, I record SNL and Mad TV the night before, and watch them instead. Believe me, my Sunday starts out SO much better. Laughing is better.
The Sunday talk shows used to piss me off to no end, I would fret and fume at all the lies and spin. I found watching comedy worked out better for me. If there was anything real exciting, I can go to Huffington Post. They have a good summary of the shows.