Former Clinton adviser Mark Penn has called for an internal investigation into ABC News following the 2024 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Penn raised concerns that the debate may have been rigged in favor of Harris.
He cited the moderators` disproportionate fact-checking of Trump while allowing Harris to go unchallenged on multiple occasions, creating an impression of bias.
Penn suggested ABC should hire an independent law firm to review internal communications to determine if there was an intentional effort to manipulate the debate outcome. He emphasized that the network`s moderators fact-checked Trump extensively but failed to scrutinize Harris`s claims, despite allegations that she made several false statements.
Penn also noted Harris`s close personal connections with ABC executives, adding to the suspicion of favoritism.
This criticism has come from both Republicans and some Democrats, and Trump himself said he would not participate in any more debates due to what he perceived as unfair treatment.
So far, there is no credible evidence to suggest that any debate, including one involving Donald Trump and Kamala Harris was rigged by ABC or any other network. Allegations of rigged debates are often raised in highly charged political invironments, but such claims typically lack substantiation, but an investigation could give us an answer.
In the U.S., presidential debates are organized by the Commision of Presidential Debates (CPD), a non-partisan organization. Networks like ABC or others that air these debates follow CPD guidelines, and the debate format, moderators, and rules are agreed upon by the campaigns in advance.
The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris in 2024 drew 67,1 million viewers in the U.S. Despite the high viewership, the debate was met with significant controversy, particularly due to claims of bias in the moderation.
Viewership for presidential debates has historically fluctuated, with key factors like the candidates involved and the political climate influencing audience size. In comparison, the first debate in 2020 between Donald Trump and Joe Biden drew about 73 million viewers.
This is nothing compared to the most-watched U.S. Presidential debate ever; the debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on September 26, 2016, which attracted 84 million viewers.
This broke the previous record held by the 1980 debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, which drew around 80,6 million viewers.
The 2016 Trump-Clinton debate`s record viewership was attributed to the high level of interest in the polarizing candidates and the intense political climate. It was broadcast across multiple networks and also streamed online, though the 84 million figure only accounts for traditional TV viewership.
But people can see and hear and make up their own minds, and if they see something unfair, they will react. That`s exactly what people are doing. And this is exactly why the trust in media is declining.
Trust in legacy media has seen a significant decline over the past 20 years. According to Gallup, trust in mass media (newspapers, TV, radio) has dropped from around 55% in 1999 – 2001 to about 32% in 2022.
This decline has been gradual but became more pronounced in the past decade, especially during and after the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, when media credibility was increasingly questioned.
Around 55% of Americans said they trusted the media «A great deal» or «a fair amount,» in 2001. This number fell to 32% in 2016, largely fueled by political polarization. In 2022, trust hit a near-record low at 32%, with trust among Republicans being particularly low (just 14%) and Democrats at 70%.
Pew Research Center also reported a consistent decline in trust, especially among younger audiences and Republicans. They found that in 2021, only 26% of Americans said they trusted national news organizations «a lot» or «somewhat.»
The decline is attributed to factors like increased political polarization, the rise of social media, and widespread perceptions of bias or sensationalism in traditional news outlets. This decline has created a trust gap, where many Americans now turn to alternative media sources or social media for information.
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