Cracker asked:


Last June, as Newsbusters readers will remember, ABC allowed President Obama to pitch his health care proposal in a special edition of ABC’s Primetime hosted by retiring World News anchor Charlie Gibson and (now incoming anchor) Diane Sawyer. Obama was given additional airtime to pitch his health care agenda that evening on Nightline.

Conservatives didn’t get equal time.

Worse, ABC News even refused to allow the conservative group Conservatives for Patients Rights to purchase paid advertising to put out an alternative perspective.

Immediately afterward, the National Center for Public Policy Research (full disclosure: which I work for) began a multi-month review of the commercials run on World News. We found something interesting.

In the 98 broadcast days of ABC World News advertising logged by National Center Executive Director David Almasi and analyzed by Policy Analyst Matt Patterson, ABC’s World News broadcast featured 1,102 commercials, 597 of which were placed by member companies of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) trade association, representing 54.17 percent of total commercials aired.

PhRMA very aggressively supports President Obama’s health care agenda.

David Almasi doesn’t think it’s a coincidence.

“It’s clear that World News relies on the members of PhRMA to sponsor it,” Almasi says. “Ford and Proctor and Gamble are reliable sponsors, but the overwhelming amount of paid ads were for drugs pushed by the members of this very powerful and very political trade association. Ad after ad on World News comes from members of the drug lobby group PhRMA. It’s almost laughable how many ads they run each day. If they were to stop, it would seem doubtful the broadcasts could continue.”

Says Matt Patterson, who analyzed and wrote a report on the findings, “ABC News seems to have a significant financial stake in the success of ObamaCare. Should we be surprised that they hand over an hour to Obama to promote his plan, while shutting out opposing views?”

“There was not one day in which the members of PhRMA were not major advertisers on World News,” Almasi adds. “It’s hard to believe that the producers of the program don’t have this on their minds when they are selecting the issues they cover. CBS burned off the series Swingtown two summers ago because the network found advertisers weren’t interested… NBC cancelled Southland before the second season even aired because of concerns the show… would be unacceptable to advertisers. The concerns of advertisers do drive content. With so many PhRMA members sponsoring World News, it would be hard not to think that people at the network are always mindful of who is paying their bills. PhRMA makes no bones about its support for ObamaCare, and PhRMA’s member companies appear to be the lifeblood of ABC’s flagship World News program.”

Patterson recalls something Newsbusters readers won’t have forgotten: White House Communications Director Anita Dunn attacked the legitimacy of Fox News in October and White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod said of Fox’s news programming, “it’s really not news.” Patterson notes that the White House has shown no similar concern for objectivity at ABC: “ABC appears willing to turn over large chunks of its news programming to a politician, if that politician is backed by companies representing more than half of their advertisements. And for the President, it seems it’s OK for a news organization to support a point of view - so long as it’s his.”

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/amy-ridenour/2009/12/18/abc-news-advertising-review-may-explain-why-conservatives-were-locked-
Lord - Of course we need a better health care system. Besides the fact you totally dodged my original question, you’re not telling me anything I nor most Americans already don’t know. But we (65% of Americans) are smart enough to know we don’t want government running health care, nor do we want the tremendous financial burden that is certainly to come with such an endeavour, which even without it we’re still teetering on financial collaspe. Not to mention government has such a horrendous track record with ANYTHING it puts it’s grubby hands on. AND the fact no one here wants to die while waiting for crucial health care like so many do in your esteemed developed countries you so much want to be like (Which if that’s the case I’m sure Canada would love to take you in). The point is it’s much more to this than your simple bad guy/good guy fantasy (”people who wants to kill americans”). Bottom line, if you want to have a debate about it please email me. I’d be more than happy to do so.
But in the meantime, how about answering my question first: DOES ABC NEWS HAVE A FINANCIAL STAKE IN OBAMACARE?
wdx2bb - “The President of the United States is always going to get extra air time because of his position.”

Seriously? They wouldn’t do this for Bush and you know it. Plus, you have failed to point out any mistakes I’ve posted here. It’s too easy to just dismiss something you don’t agree with and call it biased. Perhaps it is, but as I said before, you fail to correct the record. You merely dodge my question entirely. So, since you cannot or will not correct anything I have here, and since you totally avoid my question altogether, is it safe to assume I have it right? I think so. Sorry you lose, but thanks for playing.

HOBERT

songchai asked:


Check this article;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081020/ap_on_bi_ge/the_influence_game_housing

RUBEN

hello is anyone home asked:


McCain campaign won’t commit to debate on Friday
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/candidates_financial_meltdown

Lawmakers: Financial bailout agreement reached
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_bi_ge/financial_meltdown

Stocks rise on bailout hopes; credit remains tight
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/wall_street

SONJA

Zack A asked:


I well im doing a story on the Economy for my high school news show and im having a hard time finding any news station that suggests any help for students. It would help me greatly if anyone had any advice and it can be purely opinional. My main focus is on Juniors and Seniors planning planning on going to college. If you do have any ideas just try and relate them to the problems in the economy and ways so that they can secure their financial future.

Thanks Zack

EARL

Janik S asked:


Hi,
I would like to ask what are the specific advantages of Gold AMEX. I was told that with such card, one can freely use most of those classy airport lounges around the globe regardless of class or airline being used at the particular flight. One just shows his/hers GOLD AMEX and wham, you are out of crowds in hall with crying kids, jumping teenagers and so on. You can open complimentary Financial Times, watch news and regarge your laptop or cell. Is this piece of information right or wrong?

DINA

Annie M asked:


(lets say 25 seconds), which programming language is the best to do so? (I am not sure if I would have to scrape a financial news site or if I would have API access to direct stock quotes.)

VESTA

J-J asked:


As I was looking for information on the ****** cartoon printed in the NY Post yesterday I flipped to Fox News , there was Greta Van Susteren and her buddy Mark Furhman discussing an issue.
I later came across this clip about Fox News ****** and noticed that even Greta had denounced Mark Furhman back in 1994.
Wow i guess some people really do sell their soul for political or financial gain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrgZ87UGIzk

MELLISSA

cannonball asked:


I watch financial news channels all day long. All you hear about is a recovery. But it seems as if the only folks recovering are the rich. It seems as if those who have money to invest and those who were bailed out by the government are the ones making money. They’re taking that bailout money and investing it or hoarding it. They are not lending it out. And then you have these analysts on there who are interviewed. They get the most bullish folks possible. But for the life of me, I cannot find any positive economic signs. Sure, corporate profits are up. But that is the result of layoffs measures to squeeze even more production out of their existing employees. And the inventory levels for manufacturing companies aren’t a positive sign either. And the biggest economic indicators of all are simply dismal- the job market, the housing market, and consumer spending. Even the Fed (usually the biggest bulls of all) is hesitant to say anything about a recovery. They actually say things will be flat or worse in the coming months. So are these financial news channels lying about the economy to boost (false) confidence in the market? And if so, what motive would they have to do such a thing?

EDNA

dabo asked:


when banks have bad news, bank stocks drop like a rock and short stocks such as SKF skyrocket 2 times the inverse of the financial market. yet when when there are foreclosures in both the housing market and in huge commercial property companies, short real estate stocks such as SRS don’t adjust much. whats the reason?

WILLY

John asked:


Do you think Obama is in over his head?

What qualifications does he have to manage a historically huge financial crises?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20100121/pl_bloomberg/a8uii1bcrdmy
Sad Cat: Investors are what keeps this country going you fool! Do you know anything about economics? Anything?

CASSANDRA