A Media Matters for America review* of broadcast and cable news reports shows that two polls released on October 3 by CNN and NBC News/Wall Street Journal, indicating a drop in President Bush's approval rating to 39 percent from 42 percent, have been largely ignored by the media, with each poll receiving just two mentions on their own respective networks and no mentions elsewhere. In contrast, two earlier polls showing an increase in Bush's approval rating, one released September 21 by the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg showing Bush's approval rating up from 41 percent to 44 percent, and one released September 18 by USA Today/Gallup, showing Bush up from 39 percent to 44 percent, received numerous mentions on multiple networks.
The CNN poll, conducted September 30 through October 2, received only two mentions -- both on CNN: once during the October 3 edition of The Situation Room, and once the same day on Paula Zahn Now. The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, conducted during the same period, similarly received just two mentions -- both on NBC channels: once during the October 3 edition of MSNBC's Countdown and once during the October 4 broadcast of NBC's Today. Both polls showed a decrease from 42 percent to 39 percent in Bush's average approval rating. At no point were the two polls mentioned together.
In contrast, cable and broadcast reports featured the USA Today/Gallup and Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg results nine times in a comparable period after their release. They were also cited together as evidence of a Bush bounce following his September 11 anniversary speeches on the following programs:
- CNN's Newsroom, 9/21/06 (two mentions)
- CNN's Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, 9/21/06
- Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, 9/21/06
- MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, 9/21/06
- CNN's Anderson Cooper 360, 9/21/06
- CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, 9/21/06
- PBS' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, 9/22/06
- Fox News' The Journal Editorial Report, 9/23/2006
