Networks Barely Notice White House War on Women’s Pay

Mike Ciandella | October 20, 2014
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Obama has been a champion of equal pay for women, at least according to his administration and the network news media.

The broadcast networks boosted his image on the subject throughout his presidency, from the first bill he signed into law in 2009 to a September 2014 speech mentioning “equal pay.” ABC said Obama waged an “assault” on the pay gap with an executive order over salary disclosures, while CBS said he “boosts equal pay for women.”

The networks credited Obama with signing the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which would allow women more time to sue employers for unfair compensation. Stories repeated his “new attack line” against Republicans over equal pay and praised other legislative efforts including his support for the Paycheck Fairness Act. Yet, the networks virtually ignored the hypocrisy when the White House was taken to task for its own gender wage gap.

Between Obama’s inauguration in January 2009 and early October 2014, ABC, CBS and NBC news programs aired 22 stories that mentioned equal pay or pay gap and the Obama administration in some way. Roughly 95 percent (21 of 22 stories) said nothing about a gender wage gap within the White House itself.

Read more at MRC Business: http://www.mrc.org/bias-numbers/networks-barely-notice-white-house-war-womens-pay

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