Legacy media networks have a combined coverage time of 30 minutes.
QUICK FACTS:
- Mainstream media outlets CBS, NBC, and ABC only broadcasted a total of 30 minutes of coverage for the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, according to a report from the Conservative nonprofit Media Research Center (MRC).
- Despite the disaster threatening the health of millions of residents, citizens were told they could return to their homes less than one week after the incident.
- Since returning to their homes, residents and first responders reported experiencing “a bad cough, headaches, sore throat, and diarrhea.”
- Mainstream news organizations failed to provide an adequately updated report on these issues: CBS provided one minute, 40 seconds; NBC provided a 38-second update, and ABC did not report the updated situation at all.
- “For the broadcast networks to revisit East Palestine now would be to admit that their prior abandonment of it was an error born out of laziness and a lack of curiosity,” reads the MRC report.
- MRC did acknowledge that “CNN, the Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and NewsNation, even the taxpayer-funded leftists at PBS” provided updates on the situation.
CONDITION OF EAST PALESTINE, OHIO:
- A woman living ten miles outside of East Palestine returned home to find that her chickens and roosters died and believes the scent of the chemicals released during the derailment and is to blame for the birds’ death.
- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) suggested the polluted water in the Ohio River did not pose a health risk, yet still advised on drinking bottled water.
- Ohio Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff echoed the governor’s sentiments, saying, “For right now, I think bottled water’s the right answer.”
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that houses showed no sign of “vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride.”
- Vinyl chloride, a chemical released during the derailment, is connected to liver cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, brain cancer, and lung cancer.
- A resident of East Palestine, Maura Todd, told The Washington Post, “I’ve watched every news conference and I haven’t heard anything that makes me think that this is a data-driven decision” and noted that she has been experiencing nausea and headaches.
- Hazardous materials specialist Sil Caggiano said, “I was surprised when they quickly told the people they can go back home, but then said if they feel like they want their homes tested they can have them tested. I would’ve far rather they did all the testing.” He added that there may be sudden cancer surges in coming years due to the event.
BACKGROUND:
- More chemicals than were initially reported were discovered in East Palestine.
- The now-discovered ethylhexyl acrylate is known to cause shortness of breath and coughing.
- Environmental activist Erin Brockovich said of the situation, “This is why people don’t trust government. You cannot tell people that there has been and continues to be hazardous pollutants contaminating the environment while at the same time saying ‘all is well.’”
