ABC, CBS, And NBC News Made An Intentional Decision To Ignore Bernie Sanders

Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 01:50 pm

An analysis of network television news coverage reveals what supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders have long suspected; the three broadcast television networks are intentionally ignoring the Sanders campaign.

Eric Boehlert of Media Matters has the revealing details:

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So in terms of stand-alone campaign stories this year, it’s been 234 minutes for Trump, compared to 10 minutes for Sanders. And at ABC World News Tonight, it’s been 81 minutes for Trump and less than one minute for Sanders.

Bernie Sanders polls equal to or better than Donald Trump in every single poll, but the corporate owned network news divisions have given Trump nearly 30 times more airtime than Sanders. These same broadcast networks also spent nearly the same amount of time covering the bogus Republican email scandal as they did discussing Hillary Clinton’s campaign, so it’s not as if the networks are anti-Sanders and pro-Clinton.

The corporate owned profit first network news divisions have made the editorial decision that they are going to lavish airtime upon the presidential candidate who most fits their corporate owners’ ideology.

The networks are ignoring Bernie Sanders because his anti-corporate message is dangerous to their well being. The broadcast and cable networks both have a habit of ignoring stories that can hurt their bosses’ bottom lines.

Sen. Sanders is trying to inform the electorate, but the broadcast networks would rather focus on keeping voters ignorant by focusing on Trump.

Donald Trump is the perfect corporate media candidate. The mainstream press has decided that has to be entertaining and turn a profit. Trump is an entertainer who is masquerading as a presidential candidate. Trump has turned the Republican primary into his own reality show.

Sen. Sanders has consistently criticized the media for their coverage of the election. In August, Sanders said, “I want you to talk about and force discussion about climate change. Do you think you do that enough? I would like you to force discussion of poverty in America. I have talked over and over and over again that 51 percent of African-American kids are unemployed or underemployed. You think that’s an important issue? I do. Are you going to discuss it?”

The data shows that the corporate media is not going to give any coverage to Sanders or the issues.

Bernie Sanders is a huge threat to the corporate media, which is why they are ignoring his campaign.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association