MSM Blows Off The Family Research Council Shooting. Is It Because It Was A Terror Attack Against A Christian Organization?

Only ABC Offers Full Story on Shooting at FRC; CBS, NBC Blow It Off With Tiny Reports




By Tim Graham

ABC was the only broadcast network that offered a full story on the FRC office shooting on Wednesday night. They led with the story and gave it two and a half minutes. None of the network newscasts reported the breaking detail that shooter Floyd Corkins volunteered for six months at the D.C. Center for the LGBT Community, adding depth to his political motivation.

On NBC Nightly News, Brian Williams gave the story just 17 seconds: “In Washington today, police say a man with a gun walked into the offices of the conservative lobbying group the Family Research Council, and opened fire. He never made it past the lobby. He shot a security guard in the arm before the guard was able to subdue him.”

On CBS Evening News, substitute anchor Bob Schieffer offered 20 seconds: “A gunman opened fire today at the Washington headquarters of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian lobbying group. The man shot a security guard in the arm before that guard and others tackled him, and he was arrested. Police say that the suspect made negative comment about the council's work just before the shooting.”

Does anyone believe that under the same circumstances -- hostile ideological shooter captured after security guard only shot in the arm -- a conservative nut attacking a gay activist group or abortion advocacy group would draw just 20 seconds? (For one example, a quick Nexis search reminds me CBS This Morning offered a full story from Wichita on August 20, 1993, after late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller was shot in both arms.)

On both NBC and CBS, the FRC brief was followed by a full story promoting President Obama’s new deferral program for illegal alien "Dream Act" students. NBC gave that two minutes, CBS two minutes and fifty seconds.