Research/Study
Study: National television coverage of East Palestine train derailment ignored industry culpability
Only 3% of coverage discussed rail industry’s campaign to weaken regulations
Published
National TV news failed to incorporate critical context about the rail industry’s efforts to weaken safety regulations for 10 days after a train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on the night of February 3.
A Media Matters analysis from February 4 through February 13 found that:
- Only two programs, both airing on February 13, included a discussion on how regulations governing the transport of hazardous materials by rail were weakened under multiple administrations by rail industry lobbyists, including those representing Norfolk Southern.
- Major TV news networks on cable (CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC) and broadcast (ABC, CBS, and NBC) aired nearly 3 hours across 92 segments about the Ohio train derailment.
- None of this coverage aired during the major Sunday political shows including ABC’s This Week, CBS’ Face the Nation, Fox Broadcasting Co.’s Fox News Sunday, and NBC’s Meet the Press.
- The tragedy received no national TV news for a three-day period from February 10 through February 12.
- Coverage resumed during February 13 evening programming on cable news. Fox News and MSNBC aired a combined 56 minutes of coverage on February 13, accounting for 34% of total train derailment reporting on TV news.