Coverage of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Situation
Recent days have seen liberal networks tackle the situation surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool quite directly. A study by the Conservative Media Research Center indicates that five networks accumulated nearly seven hours of coverage between June 14 and June 22.
Leading the charge was CNN, clocking in at 215 minutes and 37 seconds—over three and a half hours. MS NOW wasn’t far behind at 160 minutes and 51 seconds, which is more than two and a half hours.
A former Olympic athlete has been charged in connection with the damage to the reflecting pool. There’s also a report mentioning President Trump advocating for appropriate draining of watersheds.
Among the three major broadcast networks, CBS News had the most coverage with about 15 minutes, followed by ABC News with just over 10.5 minutes and NBC News with nearly 9.5 minutes.
Bill D’Agostino from NewsBusters shared that while the broadcast networks combined for 35 minutes and 10 seconds of coverage, this may seem less impressive compared to CNN and MS NOW’s nearly 19 hours of daily news. To put things in perspective, that 35 minutes transforms into a substantial 267 minutes and 16 seconds in cable news terms, which actually edges out CNN’s total coverage.
President Trump noted that vandals apparently used chemicals to wreak havoc on the newly renovated reflecting pool.
The Reflecting Pool has drawn significant attention since it became overrun with algae shortly after restoration by the Trump administration, which cost around $15 million. Some media outlets appear to be rather pleased about the algae issue, especially given Trump’s emphasis on beautifying D.C. ahead of next month’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
Tim Walz sparked discussions about Trump, reflecting criticisms amidst reports of a fraud scandal.
Journalists have even entered the reflecting pool to investigate the murky conditions and peeling sealant recently applied.
Several individuals, including 67-year-old David Hahn, a three-time Olympian, have been arrested under suspicion of vandalism. He faces a misdemeanor charge for allegedly damaging government property.
