Petrelis Files

FEC '06 Files: ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox, NBC News Media People Who Contributed to Candidates & PACs

The November 2006 election is almost a full three months behind us now, so I thought that was enough time for the campaigns and the Federal Election Commission to process the paperwork on who donated and to whom, and, for the information to be made available on the PoliticalMoneyLine.

Using these search terms; ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and NBC News, and Rupert Murdoch, quite a number of relevant donations turned up for people at those networks, on both the editorial and business sides. I've included only donations made by folks on the editorial side, even if they're technical or engineering workers.

I can't say if any of the contributions led to either favorable or biased reporting in any way, and it is certainly legal for people who work for the mainstream media to exercise their First Amendment rights and give money to candidates and causes.

I just think there must be increased transparency about these sort of donations, and it should be just bloggers such as myself providing the transparency.

The news networks themselves, along with the print media and wire services, should be disclosing these donations, and all past political donations, on their own web sites. Let the news consumer decide if the donations reveal any slants or somehow color the news.

What was most surprising to me in looking at these 2006 donations is how many people, okay, anyone, from Fox News gave money to a Democrat, Harold Ford of Tennessee in his Senate bid. Heck, even the boss of media bosses, Rupert Murdoch, coughed up some dough for Ford!

Donations by ABC News employees:

ALDRIDGE, DIANA D
7/13/2005
$1,000.00
ASPEN, CO 81612
ABC NEWS/PRODUCER
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

ALDRIDGE, DIANA D
7/8/2006
$200.00
ASPEN, CO 81612
ABC NEWS/EDITORIAL CONSULTANT
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

BURLOCK, LESLIE W
6/7/2006
$500.00
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118
ABC NEWS/ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
WHITE HOUSE 06

Burlock, Leslie W
8/18/2006
$5,000.00
San Francisco, CA 94118
ABC NEWS/Associate Producer
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Farrell, Hilary
3/26/2006
$500.00
New York, NY 10128
ABC News Productions/Production Asst
FARRELL FOR CONGRESS

McDermott, Michele M
10/14/2006
$250.00
Ashburn, VA 20147
ABC News/Studio/ Field Engineer
JUDY FEDER FOR CONGRESS

Walters, Lou Ann Mrs.
7/21/2006
$250.00
Brooklyn, NY 11226
ABC News/VP Finance
CHRIS OWENS FOR CONGRESS

Donations made by CBS News employees:

Forgotson, Edward H Jr.
6/26/2006
$1,000.00
Brooklyn, NY 11215
CBS News/TV Producer
FRIENDS OF PATRICK J. KENNEDY INC.

ROSEN, JACQUELINE
4/10/2006
$1,900.00
NEW YORK, NY 10021
CBS NEWSPRONET/PRODUCER
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

DAVIS, SETH
4/26/2005
$250.00
RIDGEFIELD, CT 06877
CBS, INC./JOURNALIST
BOB CASEY FOR PENNSYLVANIA COMMITTEE

DAVIS, SETH
3/31/2006
$500.00
RIDGEFIELD, CT 06877
CBS, INC./JOURNALIST
FRIENDS OF JOE LIEBERMAN

DAVIS, SETH
3/13/2006
$250.00
RIDGEFIELD, CT 06877
CBS, INC./JOURNALIST
BOB CASEY FOR PENNSYLVANIA COMMITTEE

WALKER, ELIZABETH
12/13/2005
$1,000.00
BROOKLINE, MA 02445
CBS-VIACOM/TELEVISION JOURNALIST
WOMEN SENATE 2006

WALKER, ELIZABETH A
1/27/2005
$2,000.00
BROOKLINE, MA 02445
CBS-VIACOM
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

WALKER, ELIZABETH A
1/27/2005
$500.00
BROOKLINE, MA 02445
CBS-VIACOM
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

LOEB, MARSHALL
5/20/2005
$1,000.00
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
CBS INC
FRIENDS OF JOE LIEBERMAN

Loeb, Marshall
9/30/2006
$250.00
New York, NY 10017
CBS Market Watch/Media
STEM CELL ACTION FUND

Contributions from a CNN employee:

Roberts, Suzanne Ms.
9/12/2005
$1,000.00
Coatesville, PA 19320
CNN's Headline News/Actress/
DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Donations from Fox News employees and executives:

Banker, Ann Stewart
6/26/2006
$5,000.00
New York, NY 10012
Fox News Channel/Assistant Producer
VOLUNTEER PAC

BROOKS, CODIE
3/31/2006
$300.00
SILVER SPRING, MD 20910
FOX NEWS CHANNEL/RESEARCHER
HAROLD FORD JR FOR TENNESSEE

BROOKS, CODIE
6/28/2006
$200.00
SILVER SPRING, MD 20910
FOX NEWS/RESEARCHER
HAROLD FORD JR FOR TENNESSEE

BROOKS, CODLE E
9/8/2006
$2,100.00
FORT WORTH, TX 76112
FOX NEWS/RESEARCHER
HAROLD FORD JR FOR TENNESSEE

CADDELL, P H
11/12/2006
$1,000.00
CHARLESTON, SC 29406
FOX NEWS NETWORK/FOX CONTRIBUTOR
CARTER FOR SENATE COMMITTEE

CARRY, TIMOTHY S
4/25/2006
$300.00
SUFFERN, NY 10901
FOX NEWS CHANNEL/EXECUTIVE
HAROLD FORD JR FOR TENNESSEE

CHEMIN, PETER
6/23/2005
$1,000.00
BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90212
FOX NEWS CORPORATION
STEVENS FOR SENATE COMMITTEE

CHERNIN, PETER A
7/20/2006
$10,000.00
SANTA MONICA, CA 90402
FOX NEWS CORPORATION/PRESIDENT & CO
DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Elder, John
2/11/2006
$500.00
New York, NY 10036
Fox News Channel/Program Director
SKINNER FOR CONGRESS 06

Elder, John
8/17/2006
$200.00
New York, NY 10036
Fox News Channel/Program Director
SKINNER FOR CONGRESS 06

REGAN, MICHAEL JR
6/6/2005
$1,000.00
ARLINGTON, VA 22207
FOX NEWS CORPORATION
STEVENS FOR SENATE COMMITTEE

REGAN, R M MR JR
11/3/2006
$1,000.00
ARLINGTON, VA 22207
FOX NEWS CORPORATION/GOVERNMENT REL
STEELE FOR MARYLAND INC

VAN SUSTEREN, GRETA
9/17/2005
$2,100.00
CLEARWATER, FL 33755
FOX NEWS/JOURNALIST
VAN SUSTEREN FOR SENATE INC

VAN SUSTEREN, GRETA
3/31/2006
$2,100.00
CLEARWATER, FL 33755
FOX NEWS CHANNEL/JOURNALIST
VAN SUSTEREN FOR SENATE INC

Contributions from an NBC News/MSNBC employee:

Scarborough, Joe
3/31/2006
$2,100.00
Pensacola, FL 32503
MSNBC/Host
FRIENDS OF DERRICK KITTS

And finally, in his own category, Rupert Murdoch and the donations he made:

MURDOCH, RUPERT
6/14/2006
$5,000.00
LOS ANGELES, CA 90064
FOX, INC./CHAIRMAN AND CEO
SANTORUM MAJORITY COMMITTEE

MURDOCH, RUPERT
4/25/2006
$300.00
BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210
NEWS CORPORATION/MEDIA EXEC.
HAROLD FORD JR FOR TENNESSEE

Murdoch, Rupert
11/6/2006
$2,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/CEO
TALENT VICTORY COMMITTEE

Murdoch, Rupert
6/14/2005
$1,000.00
New York, NY 10043
News Corporation/Chairman and CEO
LONGHORN PAC

MURDOCH, RUPERT
12/13/2005
$2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS AMERICA INCORPORATED/CHAIRMAN
TEAM SUNUNU

MURDOCH, RUPERT
7/26/2006
$2,100.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN/CEO
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

MURDOCH, RUPERT
7/26/2006
$2,100.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN/CEO
FRIENDS OF HILLARY

Murdoch, Rupert
5/22/2006
$1,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/CEO
REYNOLDS FOR CONGRESS

Murdoch, Rupert
11/1/2006
$1,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/CEO
REYNOLDS FOR CONGRESS

Murdoch, Rupert
11/7/2006
$1,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/CEO
PRYCE FOR CONGRESS

MURDOCH, RUPERT
6/20/2005
$2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION
MCCONNELL SENATE COMMITTEE '08

Murdoch, Rupert
6/12/2006
$2,100.00
New York, NY 10022
Media/Chairman
DREIER FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE

MURDOCH, RUPERT
12/20/2005
$2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN
STEVENS FOR SENATE COMMITTEE

MURDOCH, RUPERT
12/20/2005
$2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN
STEVENS FOR SENATE COMMITTEE

MURDOCH, K R
11/1/2006
$2,000.00
LOS ANGELES, CA 90035
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN
FRIENDS OF GEORGE ALLEN

MURDOCH, K R
10/26/2006
$2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/DIRECTOR
BOB CORKER FOR SENATE

MURDOCH, K R MR
11/7/2006
$2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN & CHIEF E
STEELE FOR MARYLAND INC

MURDOCH, K RUPERT
11/1/2006
$2,000.00
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
NEW CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN
FRIENDS OF CONRAD BURNS - 2006

MURDOCH, K RUPERT
7/28/2006
$5,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE

Murdoch, K Rupert
10/25/2006
$5,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/Chairman & Chief E
NEWS AMERICA HOLDINGS INC-FOX POL ACTION COMMITTEE (AKA NEWS AMERICA-FOX POL ACTION CMTE

MURDOCH, K RUPERT
6/21/2006
$2,500.00
NEW YORK, NY 10036
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE

MURDOCH, K RUPERT MR
11/8/2005
$2,100.00
NEW YORK, NY 10012
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN & C.E.O.
SANTORUM 2006

MURDOCH, K RUPERT MR
11/8/2005
$2,100.00
NEW YORK, NY 10012
NEWS CORPORATION/CHAIRMAN & C.E.O.
SANTORUM 2006

Murdoch, K. R Mr.
6/23/2006
$2,500.00
Washington, DC 20001
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE

Murdoch, K. R Mr.
3/24/2005
$5,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/Chairman & C.e.o.
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE

Murdoch, K. Rupert
10/27/2006
$2,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/Chairman and CEO
FRIENDS OF WEINER

Murdoch, K.R.
6/29/2006
$2,000.00
Washington, DC 20001
News Corporation/CEO/Chairman
CANTOR FOR CONGRESS

Murdoch, K.R.
11/6/2006
$1,000.00
New York, NY 10036
News Corporation/CEO
JOY PADGETT FOR CONGRESS