New alliance demands end to media blackout on life issues

A new coalition of pro-life groups has formed to increase pressure on the mainstream media to give abortion stories greater attention.

The Alliance For Fair Coverage of Life issues has been organized by the conservative Media Research Center, and is supported by LifeSiteNews, Students for Life, Human Life International, Priests for Life, the Susan B. Anthony List, American Principles Project, Radiance Foundation, Young America’s Foundation, and more.

Its mission is “call[ing] out journalists for their ongoing blackout of pro-life news and demand[ing] reporters live up to the standards of journalistic integrity by covering life issues.” They note that ABC, CBS, and NBC have “devoted just 78 seconds” since 2013 to covering the March for Life these past few years, which they call doubly inexucsable in the wake of the Center for Medical Progress undercover videos revealing Planned Parenthood’s illegal baby parts business.

The Alliance’s main project is calling on pro-lifers to get more airtime for the March for Life by petitioning ABC, CBS, and NBC via phone calls, print mail, and Twitter (with the #CoverTheMarch hashtag). All three networks’ phone numbers and addresses are available at the Alliance’s website.

In addition, the Alliance calls on journalists to follow a series of specific guidelines “to regain the trust of the American public,” including reporting on life issues and pro-life demonstrations, including pro-life experts in their coverage and analysis, refuse awards from pro-abortion organizations, and seriously investigate allegations against the abortion industry.