The three major news networks have given Vice President Kamala Harris overwhelmingly positive coverage since she emerged as the Democratic nominee, according to a new study.
The study by the conservative Media Research Center found that the coverage of Harris has been 84% positive, compared to former President Trump, whose coverage has been 89% negative. The MRC evaluated comments from reporters, anchors and other guests on the NBC News, ABC News, and CBS News evening shows since July 21.
Harris emerged as the likely Democratic nominee after receiving an endorsement from President Biden following his announcement that he would be bowing out of the race that day. Harris officially clinched the nomination in early August, but she had effectively been the party leader since Biden left the race.
The study found 57 positive comments about Harris across all three networks, compared to just 11 negative remarks.
"Many of the fawning comments came from voters raving about the new Democratic candidate," the MRC's Rich Noye wrote. "'We know that she is a powerhouse speaker,' one happy Gen Zer enthused on the July 23 NBC Nightly News. ‘I haven’t felt this kind of excitement since Obama,’ another proclaimed on the August 10 CBS Weekend News.'"
The report added that networks have largely not identified Harris as progressive or liberal, despite her staunchly left-wing voting record in the U.S. Senate.
The media coverage of Harris' running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, according to the Media Research Center, has also been far more positive than his Republican counterpart, Sen. JD Vance. According to the study, the coverage of Walz has been 62% positive, compared to Vance, whose coverage was 92% negative.
Similarly, the study found that the evening newscasts have spoken positively about the size of the crowds at Harris' rallies and more.
"From July 21 to August 17, evening news viewers heard 192 positive statements about Harris’ huge crowds, fundraising success, and momentum in the polls, vs. only 12 negative such assessments, for a 94% positive horse race score," the MRC study read.
Harris was quickly embraced by Democrats after Biden announced he would be bowing out of the race. Harris has faced some scrutiny from members of the press as she has yet to sit for an interview or hold a press conference since becoming the nominee.
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While she has been busy on the campaign trail, spoken at various events, and given informal remarks to reporters at various points, she hasn’t done a formal press conference or wide-ranging interview in the four weeks that have followed.
Trump held his second press conference in a week on Thursday at Bedminster, and since Aug. 6, he's answered 81 questions in pressers and interviews, including a two-hour session with supporter Elon Musk last week.
Harris spoke for a few minutes at a campaign stop with reporters in Pennsylvania on Sunday, telling the media she still considered herself an "underdog" as the Democratic National Convention kicks off this week. She will become the second woman in history to accept a major party's nomination on Thursday, following Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Harris also declined to sit down with TIME Magazine, which published a highly positive cover story earlier this month after she secured the nomination.
Fox News' Brian Flood and David Rutz contributed to this report.
