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What can viewers of the Sunday morning public-affairs shows see today? A whole lot of Republicans.
Looking at the lineups of the five major Sunday shows — NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CBS’s “Face the Nation,” ABC’s “This Week,” Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday,” and CNN’s “State of the Union” — we see the following:
* 5 Republican presidential candidates (Paul on NBC, Bachmann on CBS, Huntsman on ABC, Perry on Fox, and Santorum on CNN)
* 2 Republican senators (Lindsey Graham on NBC and Mitch McConnell on Fox News)
* 1 Republican congressman (Steve King on CBS)
* 1 Republican governor (Terry Branstad on NBC)
* 1 Republican former governor (John Sununu on CNN)
* 2 Republican former congressmen (Bob Walker and Tom Davis on CNN)
* 1 Democratic senator (Dick Durbin on NBC)
* 1 former Obama White House official (Anita Dunn on CNN)
For those keeping score, that’s a 12 to 2 advantage for one party over the other.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But, Steve, this makes sense. We’re in the midst of a contentious race for the Republican presidential nomination, as evidenced by a debate just 12 hours ago. Of course the Sunday shows are going to have a lot of GOP voices on.”
And that explanation would work for me, if this weren’t so common outside the context of the presidential race. Remember this lineup in May? Or this one in March?
My advice: if you’re looking for a great public-affairs show over the weekend, watch Chris Hayes.
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chi res on December 11, 2011 9:49 AM:
OMG!!!
DID JOHN MCCAIN DIE???!!!
c u n d gulag on December 11, 2011 9:51 AM:
If it's Sunday, it's "Meet the Republicans."
chi res,
LOL!
chi res on December 11, 2011 9:52 AM:
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But, Steve, this makes sense. We’re in the midst of a contentious race for the Republican presidential nomination, as evidenced by a debate just 12 hours ago. Of course the Sunday shows are going to have a lot of GOP voices on.”
Uh, Steve? You don't know your readers very well if you think ANYONE is going to say THAT.
arkie on December 11, 2011 9:57 AM:
I'm watching Hayes now. Great program. Each member of today's panel deserve his/her own program.
SteveT on December 11, 2011 9:59 AM:
My advice: if you're looking for a great public-affairs show over the weekend, watch Chris Hayes.
"Up with Chris Hayes" is what the Sunday shows should look like.
Unless Paul Krugman is on ABC's "This Week", I turn off the teevee after "Up" is over and don't turn it on again until it's time for football.
* * * * * *
from Captcha: maintaineth ctabiles
I don't know what it means, but it sounds like good advice.
kevo on December 11, 2011 10:00 AM:
Hot Gas Bag line ups like this Sunday's posted above will make many a football fan outta even the most reluctant!
Some among us may simply choose to watch the different colored uniformed men running like ants, over slow and dripping intellectual pain offered by the likes of our National Republican News Networks!
Let the results be shown in the ratings! -Kevo
Brenna on December 11, 2011 10:15 AM:
Agree. Chris Hayes is terrific. It's nice to be able to watch a political show on Sunday.
It's "Meet the Republiclowns". Fixed that for ya c u n d gulag. Haha, saw someone coin that today.
drinking jim crow on December 11, 2011 10:16 AM:
And that explanation would work for me, if this weren�t so common outside the context of the presidential race. Remember this lineup in May? Or this one in March?
Steve - the real test of this theory would be to go back and look at what the Sunday show lineups featured at this time in 2007.
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scott (the other one) on December 11, 2011 10:27 AM:
Serious question: how do you think the producers of these shows justify the disparity in their own minds? Do you think they even bother to try?
stormskies on December 11, 2011 10:30 AM:
Once again, one of the worst enemies we have in our country is in fact the CORPORATE MEDIA ....
CJP on December 11, 2011 10:35 AM:
Have loved Chris hayes show from the start. He has the most interesting, knowledgable guests and gives time to develope actual discussions. Really hope they keep this show on.
bleh on December 11, 2011 10:50 AM:
Here's one theory: who's the largest (probably large majority) demographic in the audience for these shows? Answer: older, middle- and upper-class white men. How do they skew politically? Answer: Republican.
Plus, these things are cheap as hell to produce, and they reach an affluent demographic, so advertisers pay reasonably well for them. Yeah, sure there MAY be "untapped markets," but really, why mess with success?
It's just the Fox News model, writ small. Find people who want to hear something, and tell it to them over and over.
cookie on December 11, 2011 11:07 AM:
It's also a 12-2 advantage for old white men over women; and 13-1 for whites v. minorities. Go diversity!
SYSPROG on December 11, 2011 11:18 AM:
YES YES YES for Chris Hayes. His show has people that ACTUALLY know what they are talking about, ACTUALLY have different points of view and ACTUALLY agree/disagree without going bats@#$ crazy. WHY MSNBC doesn't rerun it (instead of jail break programs) is beyond me. On the West Coast it begins at 4am(Saturday) and 5am(Sunday). Yes, I tape it so if I don't wake up I can watch it BUT it is such a refreshing alternative to ANYTHING ELSE it should be able to be watched at a reasonable time.
[Here is the link to the show on the MSNBC website, where you can stream it at your convenience.]
richard on December 11, 2011 11:59 AM:
All that list needs is a partridge in a pear tree.
hells littlest angel on December 11, 2011 12:36 PM:
Up with Chris Hayes is terrific. The fact that he manages to find non-horrible right-wingers to appear on the show amazes me every week. He had Buddy Roemer on yesterday, who is such a decent, reasonable guy, he makes Jon Huntsman look like Newt Gingrich.
T2 on December 11, 2011 12:57 PM:
Stormskies is right, but don't we say that every day on this blog? Its not gonna change..as long as the Message is controlled by Mega Conservative Corperations, we'll get no relief from obviously slanted reporting. It's Media Control that keeps GOP Conservative messages slamming us all the time. And Media Control is, right now, all that's propping up the GOP.
MSHuiner on December 11, 2011 1:40 PM:
I gotta give props to Rachel Maddow! It was she who put me onto how awesome Steve Benen is, and who introduced me to Chris Hayes. Both Steve and Chris are doing an AWESOME job and are now my top go-to politics guys!
Kathryn on December 11, 2011 1:58 PM:
Up with Chris Hayes is great as many have noted, Progressives are soooooo much more likable than corporate tools, David Gregory and Brian Williams come immediately to mind. There surely are some regular commentors on this blog who could tote up the Republican versus Democratic guests on Sunday shows for the entire year of 2011 with all the brainpower/computer savvy on display here. I'd love to know the big number.
For anyone who is interested, Pres. Obama is doing an interview on Sixty Minutes at 7:00 tonight.
mrgavel on December 11, 2011 2:07 PM:
This state of affairs will continue until the progressive community goes after a news outlet and takes it down or severely damages its profitability. Until that happens, expect more of this kind of crap.
Imagine the effect if the progressive blogs led a campaign to stop people from watching Meet the Press or anyone of the Sunday talk shows. At first it wouldn't matter to their corporate paymasters but after about a year, it would certainly matter assuming that there was a loss of viewers.
Upper west on December 11, 2011 2:43 PM:
Steve. You forgot about Dem. crazy firebrand Donna Brazile!
exlibra on December 11, 2011 5:59 PM:
CBS had both Bachmann and Steve King? I bet ($10K of home-made money) that Steve Benen and Zeitgeist watched that one! Have you resolved your bet (as to who's the loonier of the two) yet, guys?
steve on December 11, 2011 11:51 PM:
i enjoy watching those sunday shows time to time though they are never in depth.
it's not necessary good for republicans to show up so often and only say those scripted lines the viewers hear again and again about how obama's policy failed because businesses aren't hiring because of all the regulations.
repeat too much, too often, you will be naturally skeptical. at lease your ears will turn deaf to the rhetoric.
i also recommend Fareed Zakaria's GPS on CNN on Sunday. i personally think his show is the best. it's not liberal like Chris Hayes but pretty objective and unique by comparisons.
Alan Wilkov on December 12, 2011 12:51 AM:
Meet The Press was rediculous today. I posted about it on another site . The lack of balance was a discrace . Constant pummeling of Obama and all things Democrat . No wonder the President's approval is below where it should be. The economy is improving and I'm beginning to think that people will really start to notice before the election next year. I sometimes wonder if alot of Democrats or progressives don't want to do the Sunday thing because they fell that they won't get a fair shake.
Midland on December 12, 2011 9:01 AM:
The real test of this theory would be to go back and look at what the Sunday show lineups featured at this time in 2007.
Crow, the Sunday morning shows have been about 3-1 or higher Republican for the last decade or so. Some weekends, they shoot up to all Republican. Some weekends, they strive for balance by bring on Democrats who are willing to burn air time criticizing Democrats.
Basically, these shows are Meet the Aging Network News Stars and Face their Republican Golfing Buddies.
Just a guy on December 12, 2011 3:02 PM:
On a Sunday morning, why aren't these Good Chreestians in church? Maybe they're really working for someone else? Could it be ......