This weekend the breaking news app on my phone was going crazy with alerts from CNN for the Women’s March, and that got me thinking. I didn’t remember any such alerts for the annual March for Life that was in Washington DC on Friday, so I decided to do a comparison on how CNN covered both events.
Instead of combing through their TV coverages which would take precious hours, I decided to use their CNN breaking news account @cnnbrk on Twitter instead – since that was the source of the alerts I was getting on my phone. To be fair, I also checked CNN’s main account @CNN to see how they covered both events.
You should also know that I did not include duplicate tweets from CNN on the Women’s March, which were many. I instead tried to focus on the unique tweets on each Twitter account for each event.
Prepare to not be surprised.
March for Life
Nothing.
President Trump is speaking via video feed to the March for Life gathering in Washington, where he will tout his administration's anti-abortion record.
— CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2018
Watch on CNN: https://t.co/UYpqI3w42L
Live updates: https://t.co/tqCvOqBGFT pic.twitter.com/C7kbJrOH2f
President Donald Trump touted his administration's anti-abortion record during remarks broadcast to the March for Life gathering in Washington https://t.co/gdUSEU6teP pic.twitter.com/E0uv5hTFRp
— CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2018
Well that was quick.
ZERO breaking news tweets and only TWO from CNN’s main account, and those two tweets only focused on Trump’s speech. If he hadn’t spoken at the event, it would have gotten zero coverage from CNN on Twitter.
Women’s March
"Woke" grandma embodies spirit of Women's March https://t.co/B37qHzJHkB pic.twitter.com/txoFoP1tMq
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 20, 2018
"Gender equality can't just exist outside ourselves — it must exist within. We must take responsibility not just for our actions, but for ourselves." - Actress Scarlett Johansson speaks at the Women's March in Los Angeles https://t.co/M5pSNN63YJ pic.twitter.com/iwkHXWLhsX
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 20, 2018
"When I raise my hand, I am aware of all the women who are still in silence." - Actress Viola Davis references the #MeToo movement during the Women's March in Los Angeles https://t.co/MXbeaVKUFh pic.twitter.com/xPb5vvA4BL
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 20, 2018
One year later, Women's March returns https://t.co/f4zmoDsIWR pic.twitter.com/wCAVPcfltL
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 20, 2018
Demonstrators turn out Sunday for second straight day of Women's Marches https://t.co/F0ucOAJTAg pic.twitter.com/xyEOI650cX
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 21, 2018
Women's March momentum continues with first "Power to the Polls" rally in Las Vegas https://t.co/uZoMPhC4J5 pic.twitter.com/iElfZedWU9
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 21, 2018
Mother and daughter highlight why Women's March is so important https://t.co/42gSYpa8Rr pic.twitter.com/Tmxl8FY3sQ
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 21, 2018
"It is not up to women of color to save this country from itself. That's on all of us." Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards urges white women to "do better" in fight for equality at the Women's March rally in Las Vegas https://t.co/OemPJQmHLr pic.twitter.com/oGeaklBSxO
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 21, 2018
The 2018 Women's March in photos: Here are the faces of people who participated across the world https://t.co/iFrUSgy5PC pic.twitter.com/mzdcXjRyFM
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 21, 2018
Cher speaks at the Women's March in Las Vegas, saying this is "one of the worst times in our history" and that women have the power to make things right https://t.co/chu9G1gUWU pic.twitter.com/eCJtYBKi3z
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) January 22, 2018
That’s TEN tweets from CNN’s breaking news account.
Here's why Women's March organizers are turning their attention to Nevada this year https://t.co/xvk8n5YDbg pic.twitter.com/mwuR5PXY9n
— CNN (@CNN) January 16, 2018
As the Women's March anniversary approaches, divisions in the movement's strategy have emerged https://t.co/4PxbUIwk6Q pic.twitter.com/9bjTHNt137
— CNN (@CNN) January 18, 2018
Women who March: The Movement
— CNN (@CNN) January 19, 2018
CNN followed the national organizers of the Women's March over the course of a year, documenting how a moment became a movement https://t.co/mL2HLwUhlG pic.twitter.com/I6QJdMSWCv
From Las Vegas to New York City, here's everything you need to know about women's marches this weekend. You can also follow our CNN reporters who are covering the marches ⬇ https://t.co/hlHg20L5rp pic.twitter.com/yuc6f9T3Pf
— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2018
One year later, Women's March returns https://t.co/zGFsbA1KUt pic.twitter.com/mQ2jwGZMjs
— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2018
A protester who dubs herself "Woke Grandma" tells CNN's @MarquardtA that she's "marching for true equality, justice and kindness" at Women's March in NYC https://t.co/eE6VZgho0n https://t.co/xLsz7RHKUH
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) January 20, 2018
"Woke" grandma embodies spirit of Women's March https://t.co/Q9q0uWV5uZ pic.twitter.com/5dV4vR0TEU
— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2018
"Gender equality can't just exist outside ourselves — it must exist within. We must take responsibility not just for our actions, but for ourselves." - Actress Scarlett Johansson speaks at the Women's March in Los Angeles https://t.co/SGMjlDIoor pic.twitter.com/WAlD8miRq9
— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2018
"When I raise my hand, I am aware of all the women who are still in silence." - Actress Viola Davis references the #MeToo movement during the Women's March in Los Angeles https://t.co/5VT3NOgntA pic.twitter.com/vLyBTPyMy9
— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2018
From New York to Seattle, check out these aerial views of the Women's March across the country https://t.co/nWKaiN7rdz pic.twitter.com/nzo7oy9jVc
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
Natalie Portman said experiencing "sexual terrorism" at the age of 13 made her feel the need to cover her body and inhibit expression while addressing thousands in LA gathered for the Women's March https://t.co/LjDJxrz1DV pic.twitter.com/X9Ee9dZUBM
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
"Peace train" brings protesters to Women's March with renewed vigor https://t.co/26LxrGzFDL pic.twitter.com/5Qp7jJqtwn
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
This "woke" grandma's message embodies the spirit of the Women's March https://t.co/yaHAkJXvft pic.twitter.com/0QWAfS6IAK
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
Demonstrators turn out Sunday for second straight day of Women's Marches https://t.co/7XToZfpgt0 pic.twitter.com/BpKYK1KQXe
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
Women's March momentum continues with first "Power to the Polls" rally in Las Vegas https://t.co/ivcs9PUcJM pic.twitter.com/0ThP6RJCsf
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
"It is not up to women of color to save this country from itself. That's on all of us." Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards urges white women to "do better" in fight for equality at the Women's March rally in Las Vegas https://t.co/eOCFcxt80P pic.twitter.com/TPqajIu8u5
— CNN (@CNN) January 21, 2018
Cher speaks at the Women's March in Las Vegas, saying this is "one of the worst times in our history" and that women have the power to make things right https://t.co/vLk7QURMC1 pic.twitter.com/iTLA1BOY59
— CNN (@CNN) January 22, 2018
The 2018 Women's March in photos: Here are the faces of people who participated across the world https://t.co/1llOb1gvNn pic.twitter.com/RzoCjLSRUm
— CNN (@CNN) January 22, 2018
And those are another EIGHTEEN tweets from CNN’s main account.
Undoubtedly you noticed the tweet from CNN’s Newsroom account. It’s only there because @CNN retweeted it.
So there you go. The Women’s March event got massive coverage by CNN and the March for Live got nearly nothing. And if it weren’t for trump speaking at the event, it would have been nothing.
And just in case you think that maybe that’s because the March for Life event didn’t have that many people show up, think again. Here’s a time lapse of the March for Life: