The media’s bias against health care reform

Great piece by Steven Benen on how the media covers health care reform. Here Steve looks at how they're currently covering the court cases challenging the constitutionality of health care reform. As Steve notes, the media - all of it - is consistently publishing "health care reform stuck down" news on its front page, while relegating "health care reform wins in court" news to its lesser pages.

Washington Post
* 6th Circuit ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page A5, 1053 words
* Steeh ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page A2, 607 words
* Moon ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page B5, 507 words
* Hudson ruling (against the ACA): article on page A1, 1624 words
* Vinson ruling (against the ACA): article on page A1, 1176 words
* Kessler ruling (upholding the ACA): no article, zero words

New York Times
* 6th Circuit ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page A15, 853 words
* Steeh ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page A15, 416 words
* Moon ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page A24, 335 words
* Hudson ruling (against the ACA): article on page A1, 1320 words
* Vinson ruling (against the ACA): article on page A1, 1192 words
* Kessler ruling (upholding the ACA): article on page A14, 488 words

Associated Press
* 6th Circuit ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 832 words
* Steeh ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 474 words
* Moon ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 375 words
* Hudson ruling (against the ACA): one piece, 915 words
* Vinson ruling (against the ACA): one piece, 1164 words
* Kessler ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 595 words

Politico
* 6th Circuit ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 940 words
* Steeh ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 830 words
* Moon ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 535 words
* Hudson ruling (against the ACA): three pieces, 2734 words
* Vinson ruling (against the ACA): four pieces, 3437 words
* Kessler ruling (upholding the ACA): one piece, 702 words

My mom says she remembers seeing Walter Cronkite saying "the cat that doesn't get stuck in the tree isn't news" (or something to that effect). And she/he is right. Health care reform survives to another day is good news. Health care reform struck down is big news. Controversy is simply bigger news. But... the media has a job to balance their coverage. They can't always publicize cases where one side loses and downplay cases where that same side wins.

Steve had already done this analysis once before, in February. And it clearly didn't get through to the media.