TV vs. Trump in 2018: Lots of Russia, and 91% Negative Coverage

So far, 2018 looks an awful lot like 2017 — at least when it comes to the broadcast networks’ hostile approach to Donald Trump. A Media Research Center analysis of the ABC, CBS and NBC evening newscasts in January and February found ten times more negative comments about the President than positive statements, and found the ongoing Russia investigation once again swamped all other topics.

For this study, MRC analysts looked at all 505 evening news stories that mentioned President Trump or his administration in January and February. Out of 851 total minutes of airtime devoted to the administration, the networks spent almost one-fourth of it (204 minutes, or 24%) on the Russia investigation, eclipsing other major topics such as the economy, immigration reform, and even the gun debate.

Since Trump took office on January 20, 2017, the three broadcast evening newscasts have spent a combined 1,438 minutes on the Russia investigation, accounting for more than one out of every five minutes (21%) of coverage of the Trump presidency.

Network coverage has also emphasized the drama of Trump’s presidency while giving short shrift to its substance. In January and February, nearly 63 percent of news coverage was devoted to scandals like the Russia investigation, plus tabloid fodder such as the domestic abuse scandal involving White House aide Rob Porter (54 minutes), the fallout from Michael Wolff’s book about the Trump White House (53 minutes), reports that the President made disparaging comments about African nations in a closed-door meeting (31 minutes), along with dozens of other controversies the networks deemed worthy of airtime.