"With less than 50 days left before Americans go to the polls, the main news outlets seem content to spread the gunsmoke of controversy — to the degree that their attention to the latest sparring over Bush and Kerry's military service 30 years ago has obscured coverage of each candidates' stance on the issues that voters say matter most.Media for Democracy analysis of network news' campaign coverage in the first six months of 2004 reveals that NBC, ABC and CBS devoted less than five percent of their nightly coverage of the candidates to their positions on the economy, health care, education and national security. A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll listed these four issues as the most important factors determining Americans' vote for president this year."
"The upcoming presidential debates are broadcast media's last chance to return their coverage to message. Three debates have been proposed by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the organization that oversees the quadrennial face-off between leading presidential candidates. President Bush has yet to say whether he will participate. John Kerry has agreed to meet the president at all three."
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