More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.
While all three network morning shows on Monday acknowledged the “controversy” and “outrage” swirling around 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick refusing to stand during the National Anthem, the broadcasts still framed the disrespectful act as him taking a “stand” to “protest racism in America.”
On NBC’s Today, fill-in co-host Carson Daly teased the story: “Still to come, star-spangled controversy. NFL star Colin Kaepernick speaks out for the first time about why he’s standing up for sitting down.” During the report minutes later, correspondent Jo Ling Kent proclaimed: “Colin Kaepernick is no stranger to controversy, protesting police violence and racial injustice frequently on social media. Now he's taken a stand again by refusing to stand during the National Anthem, angering some fans and fellow players.”