Fox News Covered Kermit Gosnell Case Less Than MSNBC, CNN

Fox News Covered Philadelphia Abortion Doctor Case
In this undated photo released by the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, Dr. Kermit Gosnell is shown. Gosnell, 69, a family practice physician, was arraigned Thursday, Jan. 20 2011, on eight counts of murder in the deaths of seven babies and one patient. Nine employees of his Women's Medical Society clinic also have been charged, including four with murder. (AP Photo/Philadelphia Police Department via Philadelphia District Attorney's Office)
In this undated photo released by the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, Dr. Kermit Gosnell is shown. Gosnell, 69, a family practice physician, was arraigned Thursday, Jan. 20 2011, on eight counts of murder in the deaths of seven babies and one patient. Nine employees of his Women's Medical Society clinic also have been charged, including four with murder. (AP Photo/Philadelphia Police Department via Philadelphia District Attorney's Office)

After Kirsten Powers dedicated her USA Today column last week to what she considered the media's failure to prominently cover the Kermit Gosnell case, members of the conservative media argued that the horrifying story was not given the major coverage it deserved because of the mainstream media's opinion towards abortion rights.

A new study from liberal media watchdog group Media Matters argues otherwise. "When news of Gosnell's arrest and the enormity of his alleged crimes first broke in January 2011, Fox News covered the story the least of the three cable networks," Media Matters' Simon Maloy reported on Wednesday.

Media Matters searched through its transcript and video archives from January 19 2011, the date of Gosnell's arrest, through the end of the month. His arrest was covered by CNN for 33 minutes, 24 seconds; by MSNBC for nine minutes, 16 seconds; by Fox News for six minutes. 31 seconds.

Since last week's outcry, there seems to be a spike in coverage about the trial, which entered its fifth week on Monday.

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