Interesting example of how networks "spin" things...

[Spin Police]

Today the Commerce department slightly revised their esitimate of 1st Quarter GDP growth - Their initial estimate was 4.2%, which they revised upward to 4.4%.

This is how Fox News provided "spin" to the story, taking a positive take on the news...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,121061,00.html

Economy Picks Up Growth in First Quarter

WASHINGTON — The economy (search) grew at a 4.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year, slightly faster than previously thought and fresh evidence that the recovery possessed good momentum as it headed into the current quarter.

The increase in gross domestic product from January through March reported by the Commerce Department (search) on Thursday marked an improvement from both the 4.2 percent pace first estimated for the quarter a month ago and the 4.1 percent growth rate registered in the final quarter of 2003


By Contrast, CNN takes the same basic news and their "spin" is that this is actually mildly bad news because even though the GDP was revised upwards, it was revised upward by 0.1% less than some though the upward revision would be.

This is the CNN spin of the same story.


http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/27/news/economy/gdp_revision/index.htm

GDP growth rate revised up
 
But second look at 1Q gross domestic product comes in slightly below economists' estimates.

May 27, 2004: 11:57 AM EDT
By Andrew Stein, CNN/Money staff writer
 
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The U.S. economy grew faster than initial indications in the first quarter, the government reported Thursday, but the second look at gross domestic product came in below economists' estimates.

A revision of the first-quarter GDP growth came in at a 4.4 percent annual rate, up from an initial reading of 4.2 percent and below expectations of 4.5 percent growth, according to Briefing.com.
 

Is it not AMAZING the difference in tone between the two stories?

They revised the GDP upwards and 3 times in the lead + 1st two sentences CNN uses the phrase "below expectations"


ABC news put a fairly positive spin on the story


http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Business/MarketCoverage.html

Stocks Higher on Strong GDP Reading
Stocks Mostly Higher on Strong GDP Reading, Decline in Weekly Jobless Claims, Easing Oil Prices

 May 27, 2:16 pm ET — Investors sent stocks mostly higher Thursday as a strong gross domestic product reading provided fresh signs of strength in the economy. The market was also encouraged by a decline in weekly jobless claims and easing oil prices.

<<<paragraphs deleted>>>

Before the market opened, the Commerce Department reported that the economy grew at a 4.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year. The solid growth rate was slightly faster than the 4.2 percent pace first estimated a month ago as well as the 4.1 percent growth rate registered in the final quarter of 2003.


Even CBS news took a positive take


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/30/national/main596840.shtml

Economy Doing Better Than Expected

WASHINGTON. May 27, 2004

"Although the four-week average of jobless claims edged up slightly in late May, it nonetheless remains close to the lowest levels seen in the last three and a half years."
John Ryding, Bear Stearns

(CBS/AP) The economy grew at a 4.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of this year, slightly faster than previously thought and fresh evidence that the recovery possessed good momentum as it headed into the current quarter.


 

[classical liberal]

The democrats are always calling growth that comes in under expectations losses.  Of course, the dems are to outlay increase as the reps are to revenue curtailing, and vice versa.

[angus]

The democrats are always calling growth that comes in under expectations losses.  Of course, the dems are to outlay increase as the reps are to revenue curtailing, and vice versa.

That's all changing though, as you have pointed out repeatedly.

[opebo]

The economy is great - about as good as it ever gets.  The problem with the Democrats, the press, and the Left in general is that they expect too much from the economy.  If it doesn't somehow provide a wonderful life for the working class, it is broken or malfunctioning.  A more realistic view is of course that these people are never in a very good situation.

[agcatter]

Doesn't matter how good the economy does - it will never make it thru the mainstream media blackout.

[CARLHAYDEN]

I think we have a tangible example not only of CNN's bias, but of the reason for its declining ratings.

[angus]

I think we have a tangible example not only of CNN's bias, but of the reason for its declining ratings.

well, don't forget that CNN's average viewer is, like, 60.  Watch their commercials sometime; they're all insurance and mechanical beds and viagra.  Give 'em 20 years and they'll have about the same viewership numbers as Dennis Miller's show on cable.  

[12th Doctor]

Well, this just proves what I always knew, CNN is hopelessly biased.

[CARLHAYDEN]

I think we have a tangible example not only of CNN's bias, but of the reason for its declining ratings.

well, don't forget that CNN's average viewer is, like, 60.  Watch their commercials sometime; they're all insurance and mechanical beds and viagra.  Give 'em 20 years and they'll have about the same viewership numbers as Dennis Miller's show on cable.  

Not sure of the demographics of CNN.

Do note that since Fox News became available, it is consistently beating CNN.

[Smash255]

I think we have a tangible example not only of CNN's bias, but of the reason for its declining ratings.

well, don't forget that CNN's average viewer is, like, 60.  Watch their commercials sometime; they're all insurance and mechanical beds and viagra.  Give 'em 20 years and they'll have about the same viewership numbers as Dennis Miller's show on cable.  

Not sure of the demographics of CNN.

Do note that since Fox News became available, it is consistently beating CNN.

If I can find the link I will post it, but while Fox has higher ratings than CNN more people actually tune into CNN.  Fox's viewers tend to watch for longer periods of time than CNN viewersand that leads to higher ratings.  The ratings you see is not based on the amount of people that watch, but the average amount of people that tune in for a specific time period

For example in a given hour 1000 people tune into CNN & 825 people tune into Fox.  The average CNN listener tunes in for 15 minutes, the average Fox lister tunes in for 20 minutes.  CNN's average at any one time is 250 viewers, Fox's average at any one time is 275 viewers.  So therefore while CNN has more viewers, Fox has higher ratings because it averages out that more people are tuned into Fox at any given time.


Anyway about the way the stories were presented.  Well it was true that the growth was higher than originally thought, however it is also true the growth rates were below economists forecasts

[Smash255]

By the way here is the link

http://www.fair.org/extra/0404/fox-ratings.html

[CARLHAYDEN]

By the way here is the link

http://www.fair.org/extra/0404/fox-ratings.html

Interesting article.

There are a number of problems with it however.

First, FAIR is a liberal group, whose analysis is always to the point that the media isn't liberal enought.  Look at their record.

Second, CNN has two different channels (Headline and regular), the column does not differentiate between the two.  

Third, since CNN got into the business before FOX, and got a real break with the first Gulf War, it got a boost at the time which has since largely petered out.

[Smash255]

By the way here is the link

http://www.fair.org/extra/0404/fox-ratings.html

Interesting article.

There are a number of problems with it however.

First, FAIR is a liberal group, whose analysis is always to the point that the media isn't liberal enought.  Look at their record.

Second, CNN has two different channels (Headline and regular), the column does not differentiate between the two.  

Third, since CNN got into the business before FOX, and got a real break with the first Gulf War, it got a boost at the time which has since largely petered out.

It is a left leaning website, however it is true that Fox beats CNN in the ratings (average amount of viewers at any given time) , but CNN has a larger CUME (total viewers for larger than 6 minutes)

[12th Doctor]

I do find it interesting though how none of the networks have given any aittime to this jewel of a speech...




But they do have the time to show us ever single dog in the pictured in the prisoner abuse photos.

"And here, in this picture we see a German Shepard.  But, in the next picture we have a Golden Retriever".

[Lunar]

I saw seen five clips of that speech on FOX on the day that it happened.

You do know that Al Gore being liberal isn't exactly "news."  I don't see how him speaking even comes close to the dogs in the prison abuse photos.