ABC News has come under fire following a recent presidential debate for what many see as a one-sided performance by moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis. The debate, which prominently featured fact-checking of former President Trump, had virtually no scrutiny of Vice President Kamala Harris.
This imbalance sparked outrage among conservative viewers and may have contributed to a sharp drop in viewership for ABC’s “World News Tonight” with David Muir in the days following the event.
Key Facts:
- ABC moderators fact-checked former President Trump five times but did not fact-check Vice President Kamala Harris during the debate.
- “World News Tonight” saw a 12% drop in viewership in the three episodes following the debate, compared to its year-to-date average.
- Muir’s newscast remained the No. 1 evening broadcast despite the drop in viewers.
- Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called for a correction on a fact-check by Linsey Davis, labeling it “100% inaccurate.”
- Former President Trump criticized the debate, calling it “one-sided” and expressing disappointment in David Muir’s performance.
The Rest of The Story:
ABC’s performance during the recent debate has drawn intense criticism from conservative circles. Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis fact-checked former President Trump five times while Vice President Kamala Harris was not fact-checked at all, despite making several questionable statements.
This lack of balance led many conservatives to claim the debate was unfair. One point of contention came when Davis corrected Trump on an abortion-related comment, which the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization later called “100% inaccurate.” They demanded a correction, but ABC has not acknowledged their request.
Viewership for “World News Tonight” dropped significantly after the debate, averaging 6.7 million viewers over the next three episodes, compared to the 7.6 million it had been averaging throughout 2024.
ABC defenders, however, pointed to a recent two-week blackout on DirectTV due to a carriage dispute as a possible reason for the viewership decline. But the drop in the days following the debate, at 12%, was much steeper than the 3% dip that occurred prior to the event, indicating that the debate itself likely played a major role in the ratings fall.
Former President Trump didn’t hold back his criticism. Speaking to Fox News, he said, “Every one of [Harris’ claims] should have been questioned by David Muir, who I’ve lost a lot of respect for. Everyone’s lost respect for him.”
Trump added, “It was so … one-sided. It was one against three,” referring to the moderators’ frequent fact-checking of him while ignoring Harris’ statements.
One key example was Harris’ claim that “there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world.” Days after the debate, ABC’s own Martha Raddatz corrected this statement on air, noting, “There are currently 900 U.S. military personnel in Syria, 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq… All have been under regular threat from drones and missiles for months.”
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In a post-debate interview, Linsey Davis admitted that her decision to focus so heavily on fact-checking Trump was influenced by the disastrous CNN debate involving President Biden earlier in the year.
She told the Los Angeles Times, “People were concerned that statements were allowed to just hang and not [be] disputed by the candidate Biden, at the time, or the moderators.”
Commentary:
It’s clear that ABC’s moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, failed to deliver a fair and balanced debate. Their decision to heavily fact-check Trump while letting Kamala Harris’ inaccuracies go unchecked reflects the very media bias that has caused millions of conservatives to lose trust in mainstream news.
Muir’s failure to question Harris’ bold and incorrect statement about U.S. military personnel was a glaring omission. Even though Martha Raddatz later corrected Harris’ error, the fact that it wasn’t addressed during the debate itself speaks volumes about the one-sided nature of the event.
As Trump rightly pointed out, it felt like “one against three.” Moderators are supposed to clarify facts for the audience, not let their own biases dictate the conversation. Given the 12% drop in viewership for “World News Tonight” after the debate, it’s no surprise that people are tuning out.
ABC, like much of the mainstream media, needs to regain the public’s trust by committing to fair journalism that holds both sides accountable equally. It should make both sides very concerned as to the truth in mainstream news and the integrity of those who deliver it.
🚨 JUST IN: Ratings for David Muir’s “World News Tonight” TANKED following his disastrous debate moderating
GOOD!
Viewership for his nightly ABC Newscast dropped by almost ONE MILLION—12%— in the three days following the debate.
The American people saw the media bias that… pic.twitter.com/275qAjCKba
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 17, 2024
The Bottom Line:
ABC News is facing growing mistrust among conservative viewers, reflected in a steep decline in viewership after its presidential debate. Moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis fact-checked Trump but allowed Harris to make incorrect statements without correction, contributing to the perception of bias.
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If ABC wants to maintain its audience, it must work harder to present a balanced and fair approach, especially when moderating debates with such significant viewership. For now, conservatives are left feeling misrepresented, and many are simply tuning out.
