Media Coverage of Congressional Investigations
An evident bias against the Republican Party by broadcast networks can be observed through their coverage of congressional committee investigations. When a committee is assembled to damage Republican reputations, every action is deemed newsworthy. The January 6 Committee, led by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, exemplified this trend. It comprised no Republican counterweight.
If a committee aims to hold Democrats responsible for government overreach, networks appear to shy away from coverage. On July 25, Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul released more than 1,100 pages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government computer diary, spanning 2019 to 2022. CBS Evening News ended a network silence with a brief 24-second report. Further coverage only resumed when Fauci appeared before Paul’s committee.
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Fauci’s diary entries contained notable points. He admitted early that COVID did not originate from Wuhan wet markets, though he later aggressively denounced the lab-leak thesis as conspiracy. His close relationships with TV anchors, including CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, featured prominently. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos texted Fauci, praising positive impressions post-interview.
Friendships with media personalities were evident. Fauci detailed dinners at CNN’s Jake Tapper’s home, noting a growing friendship. Later, Fauci provided Tapper questions for CNN’s interview with Trump adviser Brett Giroir.
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Network coverage began to surface when Fauci faced Paul’s committee. Networks appeared as if defending Fauci. ABC’s Jay O’Brien noted the committee’s intense focus on the 85-year-old Fauci, a long-time target of Paul. CBS previewed the hearing with Dr. Celine Gounder claiming Fauci lacked authority to close the country, though politicians followed his advice. Gounder also doubted Fauci’s interest in fame, contradicting available diary evidence.
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NBC’s reporter Monica Alba quoted Fauci’s writings about reveling in fame. However, coverage often suggested wrongdoing or lack of decorum by Paul in releasing Fauci’s diaries, prepared on a government computer. CBS Evening News covered an ‘angry Senate hearing’ where Paul expelled one of Fauci’s lawyers, while Democrats called the GOP investigation biased. Fill-in anchor Matt Gutman aired excerpts with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of Fauci, discussing U.S. support for ‘gain-of-function’ research in China.
On different occasions, ABC’s Jay O’Brien highlighted Fauci as a trusted guide for Americans during the pandemic. His silence was viewed sympathetically, focusing on his extensive government service. George Stephanopoulos argued the hearing showed extreme partisanship, contrasting the nonpartisan portrayal of January 6 hearings.
Republican hearings are often depicted as angry spectacles, whereas Democrat hearings are framed as noble and accountable. This biased portrayal contributes to low public trust in the elitist media.
Tim Graham, Executive Editor of NewsBusters.org, co-authored with Brent Bozell, Unmasked: Big Media’s War Against Trump.