Inauguration - The riots

I chose to compare three popular online news outlets – CNN, Fox News and BuzzFeed – on their coverage of the riots in Washington D.C. and in other locations that occurred during and following the Inauguration. CNN’s coverage of the riots was lengthy and well-rounded, offering video, live tweets and striking photographs. A section of the article was dedicated to “Demonstrations elsewhere” and was being updated in real time as reporters at the different demonstration areas (New York, Portland, Seattle, etc.) sent in information.

Fox News also had photo and video accompanying their article, but the article itself only covered what happened in Washington D.C. and the damage that had been done there. Their sources were relatively balanced; half were protestors and half were Trump supporters. There was a single mention of peaceful protestors near the end of the article, but it was very brief.

Like most live coverage that BuzzFeed conducts, the claims in their article were mainly backed by photos and tweets from BuzzFeed’s own journalists who were at the scene. Unlike CNN but much like Fox, this article only covered the riot in Washington D.C. What I found most interesting upon reading this article, in comparison to Fox News and CNN, is that there was little to no mention of the peaceful protestors at the site of the riots. Like Fox, all the coverage included only spoke of the damage that had been done, with photos and video to add proof.

As such, CNN offered the best well-rounded coverage, BuzzFeed had the fastest updates (though they all only spoke about what was going on in one location), and Fox News was the most succinct and to the point.