Topic: Media Research Center
If right-wing radio host Mark Levin has a complaint, it can count on a sympathetic ear from the Media Research Center, as demonstrated by the years the MRC's "news" division, CNSNews.com, has spent cranking out Levin stenography. So when Levin feels the need to rant about coverage of a new directive from the company that syndicates his radio show, Tim Graham has a pillow for him to cry on:
Early on Monday morning, Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi posted a hot story headlined “Talk-radio owner orders conservative hosts to temper election fraud rhetoric.” It said “Cumulus Media, which employs some of the most popular right-leaning talk-radio hosts in the United States, has told its on-air personalities to stop suggesting that the election was stolen from President Trump — or else face termination.”
Cumulus executive Brian Phillips insisted Cumulus and its program syndication arm, Westwood One, “will not tolerate any suggestion that the election has not ended. The election has been resolved and there are no alternate acceptable ‘paths.’”
Farhi put Mark Levin at the center of his story about "orders," but Levin told NewsBusters “I never received that memo, and my crew never received that memo. This story is done by a reporter who has never spoken to me – ever." He said if he received that memo, "I would make sure the entire nation would hear about it." He added "I would like a correction and an apology from the Post, but I won’t hold my breath.”
Farhi would not comment to NewsBusters on Levin’s accusation that there was no attempt at contact. Isn’t it fascinating when reporters say “no comment”?
Of course, the basic story is true -- Cumulus did, in fact, issue a memo to that effect. Whether Levin personally received a copy is irrelevant. Indeed, the question is whether Levin is receiving special treatment; the company's directive appears mostly directed to local hosts, while national hosts like Levin are apparently not being held to it.
But Levin wasn't done whining to Graham:
Levin also told NewsBusters the Post was “unprofessional” in another story last Thursday suggesting he somehow played some role in a protester dying of a heart attack at the Capitol: “Greeson appeared to have an account on the right-wing social media site Parler filled with recent obscene and violent posts, fueled by misinformation spread by right-wing radio host Mark Levin, the Proud Boys and others.”
Levin also complained the “reprobates” at Mediaite used the Post story against him. The site’s Ken Meyer energetically slimed Levin and Dan Bongino as inciters of an “insurrectionist mob.”
"My broadcasts are on my website going back four years," Levin said. "I haven't incited anything." He said his protests have all been about the election decisions made in four states that he says violate the Constitution, including the way elected judges in Pennsylvania overrode the state legislature in setting election rules.
It's not clear what specific case Levin is referring to, but actual scholars of constitutional law (which Levin also claims to be but apparently isn't) have said that courts have discretion to interpret election law.
Also, it's hilarious that Graham ismocking the Post reporter for declining to comment on his gotcha question when the MRC routinely refuses to publicly comment on controversies regarding it, i.e., the fact that MRC chief Brent Bozell spent years slapping his name on columns Graham ghost-wrote. Y'know, Tim, it's never too late to share your opinion about that with the world.
