Barely a news story

Weekly Example of Media Bias   —   Posted on September 9, 2015

The excerpt below is from a Media Research Center report:

CBS on Monday and Tuesday ignored Barack Obama’s latest executive order, this one affecting 300,000 workers. NBC and ABC skimped on the story, offering just seconds. On the NBC Nightly News, Kate Snow [announced], “With the stroke of the President’s pen on this Labor Day, about 300,000 workers will get something many have fought for: guaranteed paid sick leave.”

On Monday’s Today, Sheinelle Jones [related], “President Obama signs an executive order affecting hundreds of thousands of American workers. The measure requires that federal contractors give paid sick leave to employees including about 300,000 workers who currently do not receive it.”

Repeating administration talking points, she uncritically announced, “The Labor Department said the cost will be off set by fewer people leaving their jobs and increases in worker loyalty.”

NBCNews offered a similar line, vaguely noting, “The White House wouldn’t specify the cost federal contractors would face to implement the executive order.”

Of course, there was no criticism of the move on NBC and ABC [although the move is opposed by the affected businesses and many Americans].

Combining Today and Nightly News, NBC on Monday allowed a total of 42 seconds. Good Morning America on Monday managed 14 seconds. CBS skipped the story.

Transcripts of the September 7 news briefs can be found below:

NBC Nightly News 9/7/15 7:05
KATE SNOW: With the stroke of the President’s pen on this Labor Day, about 300,000 workers will get something many have fought for: guaranteed paid sick leave. President Obama announced an executive order giving sick leave to employees of federal contractors, among others. Starting in 2017 they’ll get up to seven sick days a year, depending on how many hours they work.

NBC’s Today 9/7/15 9:30
SHEINELLE JONES: Taking a look at the headlines on this Labor Day, President Obama signs an executive order affecting hundreds of thousands of American workers. The measure requires that federal contractors give paid sick leave to employees including about 300,000 workers who currently do not receive it. The Labor Department said the cost will be off set by fewer people leaving their jobs and increases in worker loyalty.

ABC’s GMA 9/7/15 7:14
TOM LLAMAS: And on this Labor Day, President Obama is signing an executive order that requires federal contractors to give employees paid sick leave. The order will affect about 300,000 workers. The President will also call on Congress to extend paid sick leave to private sector workers as well.