Coverage Discrepancy in Pardons of Trump and Biden
A study shows that ABC, CBS, and NBC spent significantly more time covering Trump's pardons for January 6 defendants compared to Biden's preemptive pardons for his family members.
Flagship newscasts on ABC, CBS, and NBC dedicated over 46 minutes to covering President Donald Trump pardoning individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol attack, while barely spending time on former President Joe Biden's preemptive pardons for his family, according to a recent study by the Media Research Center.
During the final hours of his administration, Biden issued preemptive pardons for relatives including James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden. On the same day, Trump signed pardons for over 1,500 individuals charged with crimes related to the January 6 events after retaking office.
The analysis covered flagship morning and evening newscasts from January 20 through January 22. While both pardons occurred on the same day, the coverage was significantly biased.
Specifically, ABC, CBS, and NBC spent 46 minutes and 32 seconds on Trump’s pardons, compared to just three minutes and 32 seconds dedicated to Biden’s preemptive pardons. For instance, ABC’s "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight" allocated 15 minutes and 30 seconds on Trump’s pardons, with only 34 seconds on Biden's.
CBS’s morning and evening shows dedicated 16 minutes and 32 seconds to Trump, versus a mere 64 seconds for Biden. Similarly, NBC's "Today" and "Nightly News" spent 14 minutes and 30 seconds on Trump, while Biden received less than two minutes of coverage.
Trump, during a recent interview, justified the pardons for the January 6 defendants by stating they had endured long periods of imprisonment and were treated harshly. He emphasized that they were protesting the electoral results, which he claimed justified their actions.
In contrast, Biden’s decision for preemptive pardons drew criticism primarily from political opponents, but the coverage paled in comparison to Trump’s pardons, reflecting a stark disparity in media attention.
