Tony Perkins, president of the
Christian conservative Family Research Council (FRC), has virtually
disappeared from cable news networks CNN and MSNBC, while appearances
on Fox News have increased in the last year.
According to an analysis from Equality
Matters, Perkins, a vocal opponent of gay rights, hasn't appeared
on MSNBC since March, 2013 or CNN since February, 2014.
Perkins' numerous appearances on cable
news networks during the 2012 Republican presidential primary season
led to a petition by Faithful America, a progressive Christian group
dedicated to “reclaiming Christianity from the religious right,”
asking MSNBC to stop inviting Perkins. More than 20,000 people
signed the petition. A second petition directed at CNN attracted
more than 32,000 signatures.
“CNN has a long history of inviting
Perkins to represent the Christian point of view, without disclosing
to their viewers that his organization has been officially designated
a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center – largely because
he has falsely claimed that gay men molest children,” the petition
read in part.
“While Perkins has virtually
disappeared from MSNBC and CNN, FRC’s anti-LGBT bigotry and
misinformation hasn’t entirely faded from the airwaves,” Equality
Matters' Luke Brinker wrote. “In February, CNN’s Crossfire
hosted FRC senior fellow Peter Sprigg to champion an Arizona bill
that would have allowed businesses to refuse services to LGBT people.
In May, the network turned to the FRC’s Ken Blackwell for his
thoughts on gay NFL player Michael Sam.”