Media Matters searched transcripts in the Snapstream video database for all original programming on CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC for either of the terms “Trump” or “E. Jean Carroll” or any misspelling of the term “Carroll” within close proximity of any of the terms “assault,” “rape,” “battery,” “trial,” or “mistrial,” or any variation of any of the terms “sex,” “defame,” or “allege” from April 24, 2023, the day before the trial began, through May 2, 2023.
We timed segments, which we defined as instances when either E. Jean Carroll’s sexual assault case against former President Donald Trump was the stated topic of discussion or when we found significant discussion of the case. We defined significant discussion as instances when two or more speakers in a multitopic segment discussed the case with one another.
We also timed mentions, which we defined as instances when a single speaker mentioned the case in a segment about another topic without another speaker engaging with the comment, and teasers, which we defined as instances when the anchor or host promoted a segment about the case scheduled to air later in the broadcast.
We rounded all times to the nearest minute.