US Elections 2024: ‘Imbalance’ in TV coverage of Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, says report

Ahead of the US elections 2024, a recent study from the Media Research Center (MRC) found that presidential race coverage between former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC, CBS, and NBC News has been the most “lopsided in history.”

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As per a report by Fox News, according to the analysis published just a week before the election, Harris has enjoyed 78% positive coverage since July, while Trump has faced 85% negative coverage on these networks.

“The difference in coverage between the two candidates is far greater than in 2016, when both Trump and then-challenger Hillary Clinton received mostly negative coverage (91% negative for Trump, vs. 79% negative for Clinton,)” according to MRC analysts, the report noted.

The MRC reported that ABC, CBS, and NBC have dedicated over 200 minutes of airtime predominantly focusing on negative coverage of controversies surrounding Trump, while often downplaying or ignoring issues related to Harris. This includes accusations of plagiarism and allegations involving her husband, Doug Emhoff, a Fox News report stated.

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Analysts examined over 600 segments aired on ABC, CBS, and NBC about the presidential race, starting from the day President Biden suspended his candidacy in late July up to October 25. After several weeks of favorable coverage for Harris as the Democratic nominee, the MRC analysts noted a shift in tone from the three networks following the debate between Harris and Trump in September.

President Biden was the apparent Democratic candidate until July, when his poor debate performance against former President Trump raised concerns about his age, leading him to withdraw from the race. He endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, who secured the necessary support to become the party's nominee.

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The U.S. presidential elections are scheduled for November 5, with Harris facing off against Trump. Trump seeks a comeback to the White House after a contentious exit, while Harris aims to make history as the first woman president.

A recent poll by the New York Times and Siena College indicates that Harris and Trump are tied at 48% in the popular vote, remaining neck and neck despite three tumultuous months in U.S. political history.