ABC's Troubling Political Donations

The notion that any journalist can remove completely their own ideas and preferences from their work  is a myth that only the very best of journalists pursue, let alone always achieve. In the face of ABC's pending Obamanation on health care reform, that's especially troubling given the tremendous imbalance in ABC's record of recent political contributions.

None of the four McCain contributors, which includes Elizabeth Hasselbeck, are from journalists at ABC. Meanwhile, approximately 130 ABC employees gave money to Obama. That's close to a 33 - 1 ratio. Yet, ABC officially announced that they and they alone would manage what questions were asked of Obama about his program, including from the audience.

It strikes me as simply unwise to entrust such a significant portion of the debate around a policy that will impact American lives, potentially forever, to just one organization with such an imbalance in their political views.

An analysis of contributions to the Obama and McCain campaign shows that ABC employees contributed more than $160,000 to the Obama campaign versus less than $5,000 to the McCain campaign.

Comments

[nina]

Don't watch abd,nbc,or cbs. No ratings....no money. Hit them where it counts.

[syn]

This reminds me of my experience in NYC theater, everyone had to agree with the collective groupthink otherwise you would not receive your key to Kingdom Hollywood.

If you don't comply you are ostracized out of the social network and labeled a right-wing freak.

Wall Street, by the way, is no different than Broadway; 'Republican' wall-streeters donated piles of campaign cash to fundraiser bundler's in the Democratic Party, not because these 'Republicans' agree with the 'Democrat' message but because it's the only way to stay in the social networking way of doing business.

Socio-economic groupthink pressure can easily sway any rugged individual into accepting serfdom.

[megapotamus]

I wasn't too punked out about this. Really, isn't it better that they have not even the customary feigned figleafs? But when they decided to refuse even paid rebuttal ads, that is the end. ABC is undeserving of anyone's attentions. Ad buyers should be made aware of this fact. MSM ratings plummet daily but not fast enough. The broadcast marxists see it though and are apparently bent on a glorious kamikaze run as their final act. If O-style socialism works, we all become socialists and Charlie Gibson is a genius. Will anyone give odds on this outcome?

[rusty]

"It strikes me as simply unwise to entrust such a significant portion of the debate around a policy that will impact American lives, potentially forever, to just one organization with such an imbalance in their political views."

Not when those political views are the same as the one pulling the strings! You don't really think the Administration would let FoxNews run the program, do ya?

[BJ]

Whatever happened to the obama.com scam where anyone in the world could donate in any amount to the campaign?

[A Nielsen Rating]

Disney owns ABC. Boycotting ABC isn't enough. So boycott Disney and let them know it. That includes DisneyLand, DisneyWorld, Disney Cruises and all Disney products.

[orthodoc]

This is complete crap on the part of ABC.

The Director of Communications for the Obama White House Office of Health Reform, Linda Douglass,just left ABC News last month. She's as neutral as a home town ref: "I see this as a moment of transformational change in the country and I have spent my lifetime sitting on the sidelines watching people attempt to make change. I just decided that I can’t sit on the sidelines anymore."

They're so deep in the tank, they need scuba gear.

And now, amazingly, ABC nails down all sorts of exclusive interviews with Obama and is playing host to a single sided presentation of what will be Obama’s healthcare advertisement.

[Mike K]

I still think this is ABCs obeisance to Obama after he was embarrassed in the primary debates by Gibson's question on capital gains taxes and stephanopolis' questions. They are doing penance just like the old communists did if they offended Stalin or Mao.

[malclave]

I believe that it's certainly possible for journalists to separate their professional obligations from their personal preferences.

I just don't believe that most even try.

[Algen 500]

To comply with the truth in advertising laws ABC needs to change their name to the OBC (Obama Broadcasting Corporation)then no one will be confused or misled.

[Nahanni]

ABC is owned by the Walt Disney corporation.

Send a nastygram to Bob Iger telling him that if ABC, the Corruptocrats and the 0bamamessiah get their way no one in this country will have any disposable income left after the Corruptocrats and the 0bamamessiah raise our taxes sky high to pay for the "socialist workers paradise" that ABC, the Corruptocrats and the 0bamamessiah are trying to cram down our throats. That means people won't be able to afford to go to movies, Disneyland or on a Disney cruise. It also means there will be no money to pay for things like cable TV or even toys for the kids. Ask him if strangling the golden goose that is the American people is really a good idea or is he wanting to drive the company into the ground so the Corruptocrats and the 0bamamessiah will "bail it out". If they do get bailed out there goes his big bonus, corporate jet, limousine and all the other little "perks" that come with being a CEO.

[Jane]

I just studied the list. I hate to break the news to you guys but these are not ABC News Employees. 90% of those listed work for entertainment. I did see a sportscaster but he works for the local Chicago affiliate. But I would hardly think he would influence the debate on Healthcare.

I just looked DIsney up in the financials. they have about 130,000 employees. 150 who work under the ABC umbrella (of which ABC news is a division witin) gave money to Obama. some 140 of those 150 work for Entertainment. Are any of you surpeised that actors and writers from Hollywood are giving $$ to Obama?

I think you concern could better be directed elsewhere. this ain't much of story.

[Tallulah]

Jane, darling, you are an idiot. Or a shill. But I repeat myself.

ABC has been outed many times as being utterly dominated (yes, in the "news" division) by the Left. In the 2004 election, one of the news chiefs sent an email to his staff to go easy on Kerry/Edwards, but ream out the Republican candidates. An anonymous whistle-blower on the ABC staff made the email public.

This didn't get any more traction than Evan Thomas's open declaration that the Media's support of the Kerry ticket would be worth some ten to fifteen points in the polls.

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[PaulC]

I agree with Jane. Study the list. A total of 3 journalists are on it. The rest are either actors, hairdressers, or otherwise affiliated with ABC Entertainment. This does not erase the fact that most journalists are biased towards Obama. Anybody with any sensory development at all realizes that. This list however, only confirms that most people in the entertainment business at ABC who contributed in the last election are liberals. I think everybody knows that.

[JaySmith]

Jane may be right about that particular list, but as you say it doesnt make the point invalid. There have been countless articles about how the news and media organizations are pro-Democrat.

I'd like to hear about Disney though. Maybe in the past it was kind of a mainstream,"traditional values" oriented work place but I've read articles that many of the employees were gay, maybe since the Katzenberg era so they tended to skew much more towards the Left for a while now. Of course the more hardcore business execs may be much more mainstream-center in politics. If that's the case, I doubt any kind of boycott would have an effect unless it was a large one.

Plus look at MSNBC, they went headlong into being pro-Dem and pro-liberal and are now suffering poor ratings after the presidential election and they still seem to be planning on sticking with it.

[Dan Meyer]

The thing that is hard to understand here is that ABC News had the chance post-Peter Jennings to become the moderate network between CBS, CNN, NBC and PBS on the left and Fox on the right. The RNC apparently felt that Charles Gibson was the best chance Sarah Palin had of getting a fair shake from the "mainstream" media (with Russert's death) and the Fox talkers spent about a quarter of the time on ABC compared with NBC or CNN. Furthermore, Brit Hume started with ABC and John Stossel is still there. Seems like ABC is threatening to blow a golden opportunity.

[fiona]

From orthodoc:
he Director of Communications for the Obama White House Office of Health Reform, Linda Douglass,just left ABC News last month. She's as neutral as a home town ref: "I see this as a moment of transformational change in the country and I have spent my lifetime sitting on the sidelines watching people attempt to make change. I just decided that I can’t sit on the sidelines anymore."

Can anyone verify this? It is the most interesting and telling of the comments above and would account for a part of Mr. Meyer's comment above.

[Craig - Internet marketing guy]

I have not listened to ABC et al. for years. More and more people are following suit. I mean really folks... getting news from a TV screen it seems so ridiculous now in hindsight.