Washington D.C., Apr 28, 2005 / 22:00 pm
A poll by ABC and The Washington Post demonstrated that 81 percent of U.S. Catholics approve of the selection of Pope Benedict XVI, but both media outlets downplayed these results, observed media analyst Tim Graham.
Instead, they chose to headline another one of the poll’s findings that 66 percent of Americans do not want a change in Senate filibuster rules.
The Media Research Center’s director of media analysis noted that the Post put its filibuster story on page one Tuesday, and placed the pro-Pope poll on page A-11.
He also observed that ABC’s World News Tonight highlighted the filibuster poll Monday, but did not mention the papal poll. Instead, anchor Charles Gibson turned to a brief report on his thoughts about the Pope’s election. ABC’s Good Morning America noted the pro-Pope number in passing Monday.