Press coverage of abortion

 Today for the first time in several years I watched the PBS NewsHour. I monitored it for a journalist perspective. The coverage was the one-year anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Don't bother bashing me if you are pro or anti. I don't give a rat's patootie your position. This post is about news coverage, not position.

PBS noted that in the year since the decision, abortion rights have been trammeled. Women now travel nearly 4x further to obtain the procedure. One California professor said women could end up traveling 1000s of miles to obtain abortions. Many young (women mostly) protesters said it was a travesty against women's health rights.

News coverage. The facts. Prior to Roe, about 1 million abortions were performed in the United States. That number has dropped by ~26,500 That is less than a 2.7 percent drop. Doesn't sound like decimation to me. PBS said the average travel time had increased from
~21.6 minutes to 100 minutes. Big numbers. But, a far cry from the learned professor's "1000s of miles." Instead of 20 minutes, women wanting the procedure now drive an hour and a half. Not a decimation of health care.

Now, all the perspectives above arguing against the end of Roe should be covered by a responsible press. But, so should relevant facts to put the issue in perspective for people.

Therein lies my embarrassment of my graduate degree in journalism.

Again, no position on the issue. Just disgust with press coverage of a contention issue in the United States today.