News Release

Behind MSNBC’s Russia Obsession

Share

Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-12.13.49-PM-1491948385AARON MATÉ, aaronmate [at] therealnews.com, @aaronjmate

Maté recently wrote the piece “MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Sees a ‘Russia Connection’ Lurking Around Every Corner,” which states: “MSNBC, the country’s most prominent liberal media outlet, has played a key role in stoking the frenzy over Trump’s alleged involvement with Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential race — in lock step with the Democratic Party’s most avid partisans.

“Jennifer Palmieri, a senior member of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, captured the prevailing mentality when she recently urged party members to talk about the Russian ‘attack on our republic’ — and to do so ‘relentlessly and above all else.’

“And no leading media figure has done so more than Maddow. In the period since Election Day, ‘The Rachel Maddow Show’ has covered ‘The Russia Connection’ — and Russia, generally — more than it has any other issue.

“The Intercept conducted a quantitative study of all 28 TRMS episodes in the six-week period between February 20 and March 31. Russia-focused segments accounted for 53 percent of these broadcasts. …

“Maddow’s Russia coverage has dwarfed the time devoted to other top issues, including Trump’s escalating crackdown on undocumented immigrants (1.3 percent of coverage); Obamacare repeal (3.8 percent); the legal battle over Trump’s Muslim ban (5.6 percent), a surge of anti-GOP activism and town halls since Trump took office (5.8 percent), and Trump administration scandals and stumbles (11 percent).”

Maté is a producer and anchor for The Real News.