Report: News networks cover March for Life 37 times more than last year

The three major broadcast news networks — ABC, CBS and NBC — covered the 2017 March for Life 37 times more than they did last year’s event, according to a new study by the conservative Media Research Center.

According to the study, the three networks spent 21 minutes, 52 seconds covering the 44th annual March for Life, which took place Friday.

The study notes that of the three networks, only ABC covered the 2016 March for Life — and only for 35 seconds.

The additional coverage was primarily framed around the president and the vice president, although the March for Life is an annual event.

President Donald Trump criticized the media multiple times for failing to cover the yearly event, and Vice President Mike Pence became the first sitting vice president to address the gathering in person. Kellyanne Conway, senior advisor to the president, also spoke at Friday’s event.

Although the March for Life received more media coverage in 2017, it still received less airtime than the recent Women’s March on Washington. The same networks covered the Women’s March for 1 hour, 15 minutes, 18 seconds — 3.4 times more than the pro-life gathering.

Some of the coverage of the March for Life was framed around the size of the pro-life crowd compared to that of the Women’s March.

During her remarks at Friday’s event, March for Life president Jeanne Mancini acknowledged that “there has been a lot of talk about numbers over the past week.”

“People keep asking me about our numbers for the March for Life,” she said. “Well, it is hard to add up how many have come here over the last 44 years, but that really isn’t the point. The only number I care about, and the only number that we all care about is – 58 million. Since 1973, 58 million Americans have died as a result of abortion. We stand here today for them – for the little innocent children who have lost their lives to abortion. We also stand here for the mothers who regret their abortion decision.”

The March for Life takes place each year on or near the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

(H/T Newsbusters)