KOA's Colorado's Morning News aired Romney criticism of Sen. Clinton over taxes, but no opposing perspective or response

Summary: In reporting on Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's October 10 speech at the University of Denver, April Zesbaugh stated on Newsradio 850 KOA on October 11 that Romney "chided Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton for wanting to raise corporate taxes." But the Colorado's Morning News broadcast failed to provide a response from Democrats or offer a factual description of Clinton's economic proposals.

During the October 11 broadcast of Newsradio 850 KOA's Colorado's Morning News, co-host April Zesbaugh stated that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, during an October 10 speech at the University of Denver (DU), "chided Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton for wanting to raise corporate taxes." However, Zesbaugh's report offered no Democratic perspective or response to Romney's assertion about Clinton's tax policy proposals and no factual description of any such proposals.

Romney made the reported remarks during a forum scheduled as part of a campaign tour through Colorado. During the broadcast, Zesbaugh reported that Romney "dropp[ed] by DU yesterday talking about building America's economy, and he chided Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton for wanting to raise corporate taxes." Zesbaugh then said that Romney "suggested looking to Ireland to see what happens when you lower corporate taxes," before airing a clip of Romney's speech in which he asserted that Ireland's "economy took off" when "[t]hey lowered their tax rates." In reporting Romney's criticism, however, KOA failed to offer a response from any Democrats or provide any further description of Clinton or Romney's economic or tax proposals.

From the October 11 broadcast of Newsradio 850 KOA's Colorado's Morning News:

APRIL ZESBAUGH (co-host): GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was in town yesterday. He says Colorado could be a key state in the primaries and feels he'll do well here. Romney dropping by DU yesterday talking about building America's economy, and he chided Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton for wanting to raise corporate taxes. He suggested looking to Ireland to see what happens when you lower corporate taxes.

ROMNEY [audio clip]: They lowered their tax rates, and what was the result? Their economy took off. And their revenues took off, because corporations moved there, grew there; more people got hired; they paid taxes; the taxes, tax revenues came into the government; and you have a bright and prosperous nation.

ZESBAUGH: Some top Colorado Republicans backing Romney, including former Governor Bill Owens, businessman Bruce Benson, and former Congressman Bob Beauprez.

—T.S.P.