Exhibit 1-9: Washington Bureau Chiefs and Correspondents

In April 1996, the Freedom Forum published a report by Chicago Tribune writer Elaine Povich titled, 'Partners and Adversaries: The Contentious Connection Between Congress and the Media.' Buried in Appendix D was the real news for those concerned about media bias: Based on the 139 Washington bureau chiefs and congressional correspondents who returned the Freedom Forum questionnaire, the Washington-based reporters — by an incredible margin of nine-to-one — overwhelmingly cast their presidential ballots in 1992 for Democrat Bill Clinton over Republican incumbent George Bush.

KEY FINDINGS:

  • 89 percent of Washington-based reporters said they voted for Bill Clinton in 1992. Only seven percent voted for George Bush, with two percent choosing Ross Perot.

  • Asked 'How would you characterize your political orientation?' 61 percent said 'liberal' or 'liberal to moderate.' Only nine percent labeled themselves 'conservative' or 'moderate to conservative.'

  • Fifty-nine percent dismissed the Republican's 1994 Contract with America 'an election-year campaign ploy.' Just three percent considered it 'a serious reform proposal.'

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