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The crude oil disaster that is poisoning the Gulf of Mexico received its heaviest coverage so far to start the week. It occupied fully 64% of the three networks' Monday newshole (38 mins out of 59), not because of any headline-grabbing new development but because two of the three anchors--ABC's Diane Sawyer and CBS' Katie Couric--decided to introduce their newscasts from the scene. Accordingly NBC (7 min v ABC 15, CBS 15) spent least time on the BP disaster. Brian Williams, its anchor, had already made his trip there three weeks earlier. The oil disaster has now been Story of the Day for the last ten straight weekdays. Back in 1989, the Exxon Valdez disaster logged 270 minutes of coverage in an entire year on the network nightly newscasts. Already BP's mess has attracted 331 minutes of coverage and the relief well to stop this leak may not be completed until August.

CBS' Couric took to the air to file a five-minute summary of the state of the Gulf waters. She explained that it is BP's job to oversee the clean-up operation, as required by the Oil Pollution Control Act, which was passed in the wake of Exxon's catastrophe. On board a Coast Guard helicopter, Admiral Mary Landry explained the federal role: "BP is the responsible party…We absolutely have the ultimate responsibility to hold them accountable for the work they are doing."

Enter Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive, who offered an availability to ABC's Jeffrey Kofman as he toured the scene. "I believe we are fighting a battle," the BP boss stated in Churchillian fashion. It is "a battle the enemy is clearly winning," Kofman commented. "I am gutted. I am absolutely devastated," Hayward exclaimed. Kofman quoted Hayward's words back to him: "The Gulf is a very big ocean. It can handle this." He asked: "Do you still feel that way?" No, conceded Hayward: "Clearly the defenses of the shore have been breached."

Andrew Tyndall 5/26/10 12:12:37 pm

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