Right-Wing Media Use Misleading Report To Boost Trump’s Claim Of Media Bias

Written by Julie Alderman

Published

Conservative media are using a report from the Center for Public Integrity (CPI) to reinforce Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s claim that the media is rigged against him, pointing to the report’s claim that media figures have donated more to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign than Trump’s. But according to The Washington Post, the report doesn’t “tell the whole story” and doesn’t prove “widespread bias” because it does not include any campaign trail reporters who influence coverage of the election.

Center For Public Integrity Report Finds That Journalists Donated More Money To Clinton’s Campaign Than Trump’s

Center For Public Integrity: Journalists Gave “More Than $396,000” In Presidential Race And “Nearly All Of That Money … Has Benefited Clinton.” The Center for Public Integrity (CPI) released a report on October 17 finding “people identified in federal campaign finance filings as journalists, reporters, news editors or television news anchors — as well as other donors known to be working in journalism — have combined to give more than $396,000” to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The report asserted that “Nearly all of that money — more than 96 percent — has benefited Clinton,” while journalists gave “about $14,000 to Trump.” From the report:

In all, people identified in federal campaign finance filings as journalists, reporters, news editors or television news anchors — as well as other donors known to be working in journalism — have combined to give more than $396,000 to the presidential campaigns of Clinton and Trump, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis.

Nearly all of that money — more than 96 percent — has benefited Clinton: About 430 people who work in journalism have, through August, combined to give about $382,000 to the Democratic nominee, the Center for Public Integrity’s analysis indicates.

About 50 identifiable journalists have combined to give about $14,000 to Trump. [The Center for Public Integrity, 10/17/16]

But CPI’s Report Doesn’t “Tell The Whole Story” Nor “Prove Widespread Bias” Because It Doesn’t Include “Journalists Who Shape Coverage Of The Race”

Wash. Post: CPI’s Numbers “Don’t Tell The Whole Story” And Don’t “Prove Widespread Bias.” Washington Post reporter Callum Borchers explained that the numbers in CPI’s report “don’t tell the whole story,” because they don’t include “the journalists who shape coverage of the race for the White House” and that “there are no campaign trail reporters on the list of Clinton contributors named” in the report. Borchers noted that the donors included in the report are “TV and food critics, sports and fashion editors, and local news reporters,” and concluded that the report “does not prove widespread bias in coverage of the presidential race.” From the October 17 article:

The donation discrepancy certainly won't boost confidence in the neutrality of news reports, but numbers don't tell the whole story. There are no campaign trail reporters on the list of Clinton contributors named in the Center for Public Integrity's report; the only name that could be classified as covering the presidential politics beat in any way this year would be RT host Larry King, whose celebrity-oriented show features occasional political interviews (King has said he counts Trump as a friend, but backs Clinton's White House bid.)

[...]

The Center for Public Integrity's findings would be far more concerning if they included the journalists who shape coverage of the race for the White House.

One could argue that people who work in the media — in any capacity — should refrain from making political donations. But because not everyone subscribes to that philosophy, let's be clear about who the donors are: They are TV and food critics, sports and fashion editors, and local news reporters.

[...]

The Center for Public Integrity's report is a bad look for the media — no doubt about it. But it does not prove widespread bias in coverage of the presidential race. [The Washington Post, 10/17/16]

Yet Trump Hyped The Report, Claiming It Shows “Media Bias” After Asserting Media Are Rigging The Election Against Him …

Trump: “Media Bias Alert.” Donald Trump promoted the Center for Public Integrity report in an October 17 tweet, writing “MEDIA BIAS ALERT”:

[Twitter, 10/17/16]

Trump: “Dishonest And Distorted Media” Are “Rigging The Election.” Trump tweeted on October 16 that the “election is being rigged by the media, in a coordinated effort with the Clinton campaign” and that the “dishonest and distorted media” are “pushing Crooked Hillary”:

[Twitter, 10/16/16, 10/16/16, 10/16/16]

Trump Surrogates Pushed Claim That Media Are Working For Clinton Against Trump. Trump’s running mate, Mike Pence, said on NBC’s Meet The Press on October 16 that “the obvious bias in the national media” is “where the sense of a rigged election” comes from and that he and Trump will “work our hearts out against all odds, against most of you in the national media.” Trump ally Newt Gingrich that same day on ABC’s This Week claimed, “This election is being rigged by the national media who are doing everything they can to suppress bad news about Hillary, and everything they can to maximize bad news about Trump.” Another Trump adviser, Rudy Giuliani, claimed on CNN’s State of the Union that when Trump “talks about a rigged election,” “what he's talking about is that 80 to 85 percent of the media is against him.” [Media Matters, 10/16/16]

… And Right-Wing Media Claimed CPI Report Proves Trump’s Assertion That The Media Are Rigged Against Him

Fox’s Steve Doocy: The CPI Report Makes It “Look Like The Fourth Estate Is Pulling For Hillary.” Fox News host Steve Doocy asserted that based on the CPI report, “It does look like the fourth estate is pulling for Hillary.” From the October 18 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends:

AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): When you look at donations of all the journalists giving money to the different campaigns, which many people say you shouldn't be doing that as a journalist because you should be fair, but look at this. Journalists have given almost $400,000 to Hillary Clinton compared to Donald Trump’s $14,000. That's 27 to one.

[...]

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): The funny thing is, Chris Cillizza over at the Washington Post tweeted “Reporters don't root for a side, period.” He took a lot of blowback online for that, because according to this result from the Center for Public Integrity, I mean look at that, 96 percent of the donations thus far recorded have gone to the Democrat rather than the Republican, including apparently Hillary Clinton friend Larry King donated the maximum, $2,700, because he said disagrees with Donald Trump on abortion and immigration. And remember, Carole Simpson, who was the first African-American woman to moderate a debate? She also has donated the maximum to Hillary Clinton. So it does look like the fourth estate is pulling for Hillary.

EARHARDT: There’s also a reporter at ESPN, there was a reporter with The New Yorker, they were both writing things. They not only gave money, but they were writing negative stories or negative tweets about Donald Trump. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/18/16]

Fox’s Ainsley Earhardt: The Report “Could Give Donald Trump Some Back Up To His Complaints That The Media Is Rigging This Election.” Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt highlighted the results, claiming that the findings “could give Donald Trump some back up to his complaints that the media is rigging this election.” From the October 18 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends:

AINSLEY EARHARDT (CO-HOST): Ninety-six percent, that is Hillary Clinton’s share of campaign contributions from folks who work in the news business. The findings by the Center for Public Integrity could give Donald Trump some back up to his complaints that the media is rigging this election. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/18/16]

Fox’s Clayton Morris: CPI Report “May Be Proof” Of Trump’s Claim That “The Media Is Rigging The Election.” Fox host Clayton Morris asserted that the CPI report “may be proof” of Trump’s claim that “the media is rigging the election.” From the October 18 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends First:

CLAYTON MORRIS (CO-HOST): Donald Trump has said time and time again the media is rigging the election.

[BEGIN VIDEO]

DONALD TRUMP: They take a story with absolutely nothing that didn't exist and they put it in front page news because they want to poison the minds of the voters.

[END VIDEO]

MORRIS: Well, now there may be proof. According to the Center for Public Integrity, journalists have donated nearly $400,000 to both presidential campaigns so far, but 96 percent of that went to Hillary Clinton's campaign. [Fox News, Fox & Friends First, 10/18/16]

Wash. Times: “The Report Would Appear To Fit” Trump’s Claim “That The Media Is Unfairly Trying To Boost Mrs. Clinton’s Chances.” The Washington Times alleged that “on its face, the report would appear to fit” Trump’s claim that “the media is unfairly trying to boost Mrs. Clinton’s chances in the election.” From the October 17 article:

In recent days, Mr. Trump has alleged that the media is unfairly trying to boost Mrs. Clinton’s chances in the election, and on its face, the report would appear to fit into that line of attack. [The Washington Times, 10/17/16]

Wash. Examiner’s Paul Bedard: CPI Report “Reinforced” Trump’s Claim Of Media “Bias.” Washington Examiner columnist Paul Bedard claimed that the “explosive new report” from CPI “reinforced” Trump’s claim that the media has a “bias” towards Clinton. From the October 17 post:

Already accused of “rigging” the election to help Hillary Rodham Clinton beat Donald Trump, America's journalists have reinforced that perception of bias by handing Clinton nearly $400,000 in donations so far, according to an explosive new report.

[...]

That journalists support Democrats like Clinton is no surprise, as several polls have showed their political bent. But the donations put on an added layer of bias. [Washington Examiner, 10/17/16]

American Spectator’s Melissa Clouthier: CPI Report Has Helped Prove That “You Have A Political Media Wholly Dedicated To A Political Outcome.” American Spectator managing editor Melissa Clouthier asserted that the CPI report has “yanked the mask off the journalism profession,” claiming it shows “a political media wholly dedicated to a political outcome.” From the October 17 American Spectator post:

This election has yanked the mask off the journalism profession. Donald Trump has provided this great service: revealing the motivations and loyalties, and making overt the covert actions, of people claiming to be neutral and honest brokers. This has happened within the political class, journalism, organized religion, and entertainment.

[...]

When one combines the in-kind giving just from the media fawning with actual money to the candidate (forget the money that guys like George Stephanopoulos send to The Clinton Foundation—and he’s not alone) and then adds in the selective bias by refusing to report damaging stories, you have a political media wholly dedicated to a political outcome. [The American Spectator, 10/17/16]