[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 38 (Thursday, March 8, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E349]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NATIONAL MEDIA'S BIASED COVERAGE OF RISING GAS PRICES

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                            HON. LAMAR SMITH

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 8, 2012

  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, a recent study by the Business and 
Media Institute found that news coverage of rising gas prices are four 
times less likely during the Obama administration than the previous 
Bush administration.
  The study found that news sources--such as ABC, CBS, and NBC--only 
covered the rising prices 21 times during the Obama administration 
compared to 97 times under the Bush administration.
  The quantity of coverage was not the only difference. The tone of the 
coverage was different as well. Under the Bush administration, gas 
prices were ``skyrocketing'' as people's ``wallets were running on 
empty.'' Now, ``gas prices creep up.''
  The national media owe it to Americans to provide the facts and let 
the people make their own decisions. Democracy is threatened when the 
national media report in a biased manner.

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