Thursday, June 25, 2009

Media Matters Daily Summary 06-25-09

Wash. Post misleads on Medicare cost growth
The Washington Post suggested that the rising cost of Medicare and Medicaid is driven primarily by the aging of the American population. But the CBO has found that the principal factor behind these rising costs is the "growth in per capita costs rather than from the aging of the population." Read More

Cameron whitewashes Barbour's record on Katrina
Carl Cameron stated that Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour "emerge[d] from the Katrina disaster with a reputation for competence and effectiveness in crisis." However, Barbour reportedly sought and obtained waivers to redirect funds designated for low-income Katrina victims. Read More

MSNBC, Fox tease White House meeting on immigration by showing footage of border-crossers
In teasing a White House meeting on immigration, MSNBC and Fox News again aired footage of people apparently crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, despite the fact that such footage largely distorts the issue. Read More

Media skew health care debate by casting public plan option as left-most proposal
The media have portrayed the inclusion of a public option in a health care reform package as the most progressive position in the debate and described Sen. Kent Conrad's proposal for health coverage cooperatives as the "compromise" position. This framing ignores many progressives' advocacy of a single-payer system. Read More

Fox News omits Republican scandals in assessment of Sanford prospects
In two segments over the course of four hours on June 25, Fox News' James Rosen highlighted only scandals involving Democrats during reports that purported to examine earlier political sex scandals in an effort to assess South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's situation. Read More

Morris falsely claimed that "government is telling people, cut back on cesarean sections"
Dick Morris falsely claimed that "right now the government is telling people, cut back on cesarean sections, go through natural childbirth. It's a lower cost." In fact, the Obama administration is "telling people" no such thing Read More

Media conservatives target the 2010 census, encourage audience not to complete forms
Conservative media figures and outlets have encouraged their audiences not to complete the 2010 U.S. census, stated that they would not complete it -- which would constitute a violation of the law -- or stated that the questions included in the survey are "unconstitutional." Read More

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