Pew study: cable TV news favors opinion over reporting, MSNBC moreso than all

[Winehole23]

The news programs that Americans watch on national cable channels and their local television stations have changed significantly in recent years while the network evening newscasts have remained remarkably stable, according to a new study from the Pew Research Center.

On cable, the news structure of the three channels—the mix of interviews, packaged segments and live coverage—has changed. After relying on significantly distinct formats five years ago, the three rivals now look strikingly similar.


At the same time, some of the differences that demarcated daytime cable from prime time have also eroded in the past five years. Traditionally known for its attention to breaking news, daytime cable’s cuts in live event coverage and its growing reliance on interviews suggest it may be moving more toward the talk-oriented evening shows. This transition may cut the costs of having a crew and correspondent provide live event coverage.


CNN, which has branded itself around reporting resources and reach, cut back between 2007 and 2012 on two areas tied to that brand—in-depth story packages and live event coverage. Even so, CNN is the only one of the three big cable news channels to produce more straight reporting than commentary over all. At the other end of that spectrum lies MSNBC, where opinion fills a full 85% of the channel’s airtime.1 (http://stateofthemedia.org/2013/special-reports-landing-page/the-changing-tv-news-landscape/#fn-14122-1)
http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2013/03/1-On-MSNBC-Opinion-Dominates-Reporting.png (http://stateofthemedia.org/files/2013/03/1-On-MSNBC-Opinion-Dominates-Reporting.png)

http://stateofthemedia.org/2013/special-reports-landing-page/the-changing-tv-news-landscape/

[Winehole23]

Among the key findings:



Interview segments are now as prominent in daytime cable as they are in prime time. Coverage of live events and live reports dropped in daytime programming by about one-third—from 33% of the newshole in 2007 to 23% in 2012. And the airtime devoted to interviews rose from 39% to 51%, equaling the percentage of airtime they fill on cable at night, when partisan talk and debate drive the programming.



In 2007, CNN spent far less time airing interviews and far more time running edited packages than either Fox or MSNBC on prime time. But that had changed markedly by 2012. The percentage of CNN evening programming filled with interviews jumped from 30% in 2007 to 57% in 2012. At the same time, the airtime for edited packages plunged from 50% to 24%



A separate analysis of cable in late 2012 finds that, over all, commentary and opinion are far more prevalent on the air throughout the day (63% of the airtime) than straight news reporting (37%). CNN is the only channel to offer more reporting (54%) than opinion (46%), though by a small margin. By far the highest percentage of opinion and commentary is on MSNBC (85% to 15% reporting). Fox was in between at 55% commentary and 45% reporting.



The average story length on local television news decreased substantially over time. In a separate Pew Research Center analysis of local news content from 1998 to 2002, some 31% of the stories were more than a minute long and 42% were under 30 seconds. In 2012, only 20% of the local television stories exceeded a minute while 50% lasted less than 30 seconds.



The already considerable amount of time devoted to sports, weather and traffic on local newscasts rose even higher among the stations studied, from 32% 2005 to 40% in 2012. The biggest increase came in the airtime devoted to sports, to 12% from 7%. The traffic and weather components of the newscast increased by a smaller percentage (to 29% from 25%), but four in ten of the newscasts examined here led with a weather story.



One measure of the unchanging nature of the broadcast network news format, particularly in the evening, is the story length. The average evening news story package lasted 141 seconds in 2007 and 142 seconds in 2012. The average interview was nearly identical as well: 110 seconds in 2007 and 108 in 2012. And the time allotted to the average stand-up report decreased only slightly, from 91 seconds to 88 seconds, in that five-year interval.

same

[Wild Cobra]

LOL...

MSNBC, 85% for the commentary, only 15% for factual news.

[boutons_deux]

there are news programs (all the news that fits the corporate advertizing) and their are opinion programs.

[DarrinS]

Not surprised

[boutons_deux]

It's very clear that MSNBC prime time shows are all opinion, not news. duh

It's very clear that Fox Repug Propaganda "news" shows are all opinion. duh

[DarrinS]

What is the MSNBC show that is news?

[boutons_deux]

What is the MSNBC show that is news?

I don't know, I don't get my news from TV. And why should MSNBC have ANY news at all?

Obviously with their prime time opinion shows, that's where they think the advertising money is.

[DarrinS]

I don't know, I don't get my news from TV. And why should MSNBC have ANY news at all?



We know where you get your news.

http://thinkprogress.org/
http://www.dailykos.com/
http://rawstory.com/
http://www.alternet.org/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/
http://www.truth-out.org/

[boutons_deux]

We know where you get your news.

http://thinkprogress.org/
http://www.dailykos.com/
http://rawstory.com/
http://www.alternet.org/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/
http://www.truth-out.org/

and I'm better informed than you true believers of Fox propaganda and other hate media.

[TeyshaBlue]

you left out rightwingwatch.com:lmao

[TeyshaBlue]

and I'm better informed than you true believers of Fox propaganda and other hate media.

Yeah, you really demonstrated that in the ethanol thread.:rolleyes


and lol at anyone that doesn't subscribe to moonbat blogs as believers of Fox propaganda.

The irony is so fucking think I could walk on it.

[boutons_deux]

"Editors’ Note: The Associated Press named the minors charged due to the fact they have been identified in other news coverage and their names were used in open court. FoxNews.com will not name the defendants.

However, Fox News broke this promise on Monday, revealing the name of the rape victim that news organizations have collectively abstained from reporting."

http://www.alternet.org/media/fox-news-airs-name-16-year-old-steubenville-rape-victim

very certainly NOT an oops.

[boutons_deux]

Yeah, you really demonstrated that in the ethanol thread.:rolleyes


and lol at anyone that doesn't subscribe to moonbat blogs as believers of Fox propaganda.

The irony is so fucking think I could walk on it.

thanks you, thank you.

[2centsworth]

http://www.anotherwayoflookingatit.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cruzVsMSNBC_meme.jpg

[TeyshaBlue]

lol

[ChumpDumper]

The network? Or some guy who was speaking on the network?

[2centsworth]

The network? Or some guy who was speaking on the network?

From what I read it was Joe Scarborough mainly. I would say he's one of the voices of the network.

[ChumpDumper]

From what I read it was Joe Scarborough mainly. I would say he's one of the voices of the network.i guess I can see why they wouldn't want to say it was Scarborough.

[Drachen]

Well I was going to come in here and do a bizzaro WC type post in response to that picture, but it seems that chumperdumper has already taken that mantle.

[TeyshaBlue]

The network? Or some guy who was speaking on the network?

Apparently, Joe Scarborough. His dialogue starts at about 2:00.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7woCWpeoJc8

[TeyshaBlue]

From what I read it was Joe Scarborough mainly. I would say he's one of the voices of the network.

dammit! Too fast for me and my bungled youtube embedding.

[boutons_deux]

where in the Constitution is govt regulation of guns and ammo limited?

[2centsworth]

where in the Constitution is govt regulation of guns and ammo limited?
ask Ted Cruz

[boutons_deux]

ask Ted Cruz

thought I'd start with NRA-educated Constitutional scholars right here on ST.

[2centsworth]

Apparently, Joe Scarborough. His dialogue starts at about 2:00.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7woCWpeoJc8

Morning Joe is a Joke. Hilarious watching it. Joe the objective Republican:lol

I didn't see any of the others on the panel correcting Joe. To me, if you're going to have a panel show a current events seems like your only job would be to know what the hell you're talking about.

[TeyshaBlue]

thought I'd start with NRA-educated Constitutional scholars right here on ST.

Is that where thinkprogress told you to start?

[ChumpDumper]

Well I was going to come in here and do a bizzaro WC type post in response to that picture, but it seems that chumperdumper has already taken that mantle.I would ask the same for Fox News tbh. It's almost always a stretch to say the entire network is saying one thing or another, but I guess it's slightly more legit when a host says it. Not much though.

[boutons_deux]

Is that where thinkprogress told you to start?

TB :lol

so you don't know where the Constitution forbids regulation of guns and ammo?

[TeyshaBlue]

:cry I don't know what I'm talking about! :cry

[boutons_deux]

so you don't know where the Constitution forbids regulation of guns and ammo?