Let’s start with the obvious: there is a far right wing of the Republican Party and a far left wing of the Democrat Party. We can argue about what the definition of “far right/left” is, but there is no, or at least should not be any, argument that they both exist.
So how does PBS report the “far” parts of each party?
Well, the Media Research Center, a conservative group, examined PBS (and MSNBC and CNN) broadcasts, and, from Bill D’Agostino’s article at newsbusters.org, this is what it found:
Summary of Findings:
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- Over the past six months, CNN, MSNBC, and PBS have used the terms “far right” (or something similar) 1,222 times, and “far left” 86 times.
- Broadcast networks ABC, CBS, and NBC used no such labels in any of their flagship morning or evening newscasts.
- PBS was 42 times more likely to deem someone or something “far right” than “far left.”
- Across CNN, MSNBC, and PBS combined, the GOP was deemed far right 81 times, while Democrats were called far left only once.
- Political violence was 5.5 times more likely to be brought up in association with the far right.
PBS was the most slanted in their application of political epithets. The taxpayer-funded network referenced the “far left” just three times, and the “far right” 127 times — an absurd 42-to-one ratio.
MSNBC and CNN are reliably leftward – with MSNBC hot-and-heavy leftist and CNN, though not in the same category as MSNBC, leaning solidly in that direction.
But PBS? Taxpayer-funded PBS? Isn’t that supposed to be a neutral source of information? Isn’t that what it vociferously claims to be? Isn’t that why PBS is suing the Trump administration for defunding it on the grounds that it is not neutral at all, but a leftward propaganda mill?
Y’know, looking at the above analysis, Trump & Co. just might have a point.
We’ll see how this plays out. But if the taxpayers – the ones who installed a Republican President, Republican Senate and Republican House – no longer have to pay for a venue that is so skewed toward the other side, I wouldn’t worry about it going away.
Hey, there’s always George Soros….
