According to a recent Media Research Center (MRC) report, ABC News anchor David Muir’s coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump has shown a stark difference in treatment.
The news outlet has given overwhelmingly positive coverage to Harris while portraying Trump negatively.
The MRC reviewed 100 campaign stories that aired on ABC’s World News Tonight from July 21, when Harris announced her candidacy, through September 6.
Analysts found that all of the coverage about Harris was positive, with 25 clearly favorable statements and zero negative remarks — a “gravity-defying” 100% positive spin.
On the other hand, Trump received only five positive comments compared to a whopping 66 negative ones, resulting in a dismal 7% positive spin score for the former president.
According to the report, Muir’s news program did not include negative commentary from reporters or nonpartisan sources about Harris, while Trump faced criticism from ABC’s reporters and anchors.
This led to a heavily biased portrayal of the two candidates, with Harris enjoying a boost from the media while Trump was consistently undermined.
ABC Avoids Criticizing Harris
The report also pointed out that ABC’s World News Tonight avoided calling Harris a “liberal” or “progressive,” labels that CBS and NBC applied to her early in her campaign.
While CBS and NBC provided some criticisms of Harris, such as concerns about her economic policies, ABC’s coverage was largely uncritical, promoting only her positive aspects.
Furthermore, the study found that while other networks occasionally showed voters expressing opposition to Harris, ABC did not air any such segments. Instead, ABC featured pro-Harris voters and shielded her from any substantial criticism.
The network also avoided reporting on personal controversies surrounding Harris’s family, such as her husband Doug Emhoff’s past adultery, while giving ample coverage to Trump’s controversies.
Disparity in Coverage of Trump
In contrast, Trump’s comments and actions were repeatedly scrutinized by ABC.
The network aired multiple segments critical of Trump, such as his remarks on Harris’s race and his visit to Arlington National Cemetery.
ABC continued its negative coverage of Trump long after initial stories broke, according to the MRC, contributing to the 93% negative press Trump received on the network.
The report concluded that Muir’s role as both the anchor and managing editor of World News Tonight allows him to control the narrative presented on his show, raising concerns about the impartiality of tomorrow’s debate.
The debate will be a critical moment for both candidates, and with Muir moderating, viewers will be watching closely to see if the concerns raised in the MRC report play out on the national stage.