They Heart Huckelberry

by digby

This irks the hell out of me. Media Matters did another study highlighting how the Sunday news shows (other than This Week) continue to feature far more conservatives than liberals, even since the election when the Democrats took control of the congress. The Sunday shows are refusing to address the issue or are snide and dismissive in spite of the study’s data proving that they favor the GOP.

Here’s an example from the producer of Face the Nation:

Responding to Media Matters’ finding that Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC) appeared on her show nine times in 2005 and 2006, Pratt said: “We love Graham. He’s a great guy.” But more notably, Pratt suggested that ideology and balance are irrelevant when it comes to hosting administration officials, many of whom appear on Face the Nation without being countered by someone from the opposite side of the political aisle: “It doesn’t matter whether Secretary [of State Condoleezza] Rice is a conservative or a liberal,” Pratt said. “She’s the secretary of state.” For viewers, the result of Pratt’s position is to be denied the informed views of a guest countering the administration’s message. Pratt’s comments suggest that she believes it is appropriate for the program she produces to consistently offer the government, but not those who may disagree with it, access to the airwaves, and to host more Republicans than Democrats overall.

David Brock writes at Kos and MYDD today:

Thousands have taken action on our site – www.sundayshowreport.com – agreeing to stand up to the imbalanced debate occurring every Sunday morning on the influential network political talk shows. That number is growing by the hour. The Sunday morning shows are not as eager to respond. Media Matters has yet to hear directly from the Sunday shows or the networks. Even the press is getting the cold shoulder, with some reports claiming “[r]epresentatives for Meet the Press and Face the Nation would not comment on the report’s findings” and others claiming the networks are dismissing Media Matters’ findings. Providing equitable access to progressive points of view is critical for the future of our national debate. That’s why we need your help today. You, and people like you, can make the networks hear the truth and get us one step closer to fair and equitable coverage on the Sunday shows. Please click here to view Media Matters for America’s new report and take action. Together, we can force these influential shows to respond and make the necessary changes we seek.

Do it. This is ridiculous.