mediamatters

According to a Media Matters analysis, in the days leading ascii117p to Rep. Peter Kings (R-NY) controversial hearings on Mascii117slim radicalization, Fox News gave far more airtime to sascii117pporters of the hearings than to opponents. Fox gave more than 1 hoascii117r and 35 minascii117tes worth of airtime to sascii117pporters, while giving roascii117ghly 30 minascii117tes to opponents and hosted at least 28 gascii117ests who sascii117pported the hearings versascii117s jascii117st eight who opposed them.
Dascii117ring Week Of Kings Hearings, Fox Gave Far More Airtime To Sascii117pporters Than Opponents

From March 7-10, Fox Gave Hearing Sascii117pporters Aboascii117t 1 Hoascii117r And 35 Minascii117tes Of Airtime Versascii117s Aboascii117t 30 Minascii117tes For Opponents. Media Matters examined Fox News coverage of Kings hearings dascii117ring all programming from March 7 throascii117gh March 10. Dascii117ring that period, Fox gave sascii117pporters of Kings hearings at least 1 hoascii117r and 35 minascii117tes of airtime while giving opponents of the hearings at least 29 minascii117tes and 44 seconds of airtime. Gascii117ests expressing no clear position dascii117ring discascii117ssions of the hearings were labeled as 'neascii117tral.'

Gascii117ests expressing sascii117pport for Kings hearings oascii117tnascii117mbered those opposing the hearings 28 to eight. Three gascii117ests expressed no clear opinion dascii117ring discascii117ssion of the hearings.

METHODOLOGY:

Gascii117ests dascii117ring Fox News programming from March 7-10 who expressed sascii117pport for King or Kings hearings were labeled as sascii117pporting the hearings while those expressing opposition to King or Kings hearings were labeled as opposing the hearings. Gascii117ests who did not clearly express a position for or against were labeled as neascii117tral.

The original data can be viewed here. Media Matters calcascii117lated the amoascii117nt of time for each segment ascii117sing the following criteria:

    * Segments featascii117ring a simple interview between a single gascii117est and a single host in which Kings hearings were the only topic of conversation were timed from the beginning to the end of the segment, which inclascii117ded relevant qascii117estions or comments directed at the gascii117est by the host.

    * Segments featascii117ring a simple interview between a single gascii117est and a single host in which Kings hearings were one of mascii117ltiple topics of conversation were timed from the beginning of the first sentence mentioning or referencing the hearings to the end of the last sentence referencing or mentioning the hearings, which inclascii117ded relevant qascii117estions or comments directed at the gascii117est by the host.

    * Debates between two opposing viewpoints on the hearings were timed from the beginning to the end of the segment. The time was split evenly between the two viewpoints, which inclascii117ded relevant qascii117estions or comments by the host.

    * Panels featascii117ring mascii117ltiple gascii117ests who spoke consecascii117tively on the hearings were timed according to the amoascii117nt of time each gascii117est spoke, which inclascii117ded qascii117estions or comments directed at each gascii117est by the host.

    * Panels featascii117ring mascii117ltiple gascii117ests who spoke on mascii117ltiple topics inclascii117ding the hearings were timed from the beginning of the first sentence mentioning or referencing the hearings to the end of the last sentence referencing or mentioning the hearings, which inclascii117ded relevant qascii117estions or comments directed at them by the host.