Also good news: Likely Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama told me in an interview last week that he shares concerns "about the anti-immigrant tenor that I have seen in some of the broadcasts," which are helping create a climate of hatred against Hispanics.
The study by Media Matters Action Network, a watchdog group, says Dobbs, O'Reilly and CNN's Glenn Beck serve up steady anger, resentment and myths "seemingly geared toward creating anti-immigrant hysteria."
Among the myths perpetuated in these broadcasts are the notions that undocumented Hispanic immigrants are responsible for a crime wave in the United States, that they consume a disproportionate amount of social services and don't pay taxes, that Mexicans are somehow conspiring to take over the United States and that undocumented immigrants are bringing leprosy to the United States.
Through sheer repetition, "airing dozens and dozens of segments on individual cases in which an undocumented immigrant committed a crime, Dobbs, O'Reilly and Beck feed the misperception that these immigrants are responsible for a disproportionate share of crime in America," the study says.
Last year, Dobbs aired segments linking crime to illegal immigration in 94 episodes of his show, O'Reilly in 66 shows and Beck in 29, the study says.
In fact, "the evidence strongly suggests that immigrants in general are less likely to commit crimes," it says. According to the latest Justice Department figures, non-citizen prisoners account for only 5.9 percent of the combined federal and state prisoner population - much less than the estimated 11.7 percent of the U.S. population that came from other countries.
On the issue of social services and taxes, Dobbs aired stories suggesting that undocumented immigrants are a drain on American society on 71 occasions last year, O'Reilly on eight occasions and Beck on 13, the study says. The other side of the argument received a token space in these broadcasts, if any.
In fact, many studies show that undocumented immigrants contribute more to the country than what they cost. A recent report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says that "in aggregate and over the long term, revenues of all types generated by immigrants - both legal and unauthorized - exceed the cost of the services they use."
Undocumented immigrants pay sales taxes on the goods they consume, property taxes on the rent they pay, payroll and income taxes, and often also federal and state income taxes - through paycheck withholding - that might never be paid back to them.
On the Mexican conspiracy theory to take over the country through a reconquista movement, Dobbs has discussed or mentioned the issue on nine occasions over the past two years, the study says. Mexico wants "the erasure of the border between the United States and Mexico. La reconquista is the objective," conservative commentator Pat Buchanan told Dobbs in a Sept. 5, 2006, broadcast.
On the leprosy issue, Dobbs has discussed this disease in the context of illegal immigration a total of 10 times since 2005. On April 14, 2005, one of Dobbs' correspondents claimed - wrongly, as CBS' "60 Minutes" noted later - that there had been 7,000 cases of leprosy over the previous three years. CBS showed government figures noting that the figure was for the previous 30 years.
When I asked Obama about these shows, he expressed concern about "the poisonous atmosphere" that they have helped create. He added, "As a consequence, we've seen hate crimes rise against people of Hispanic descent. It is very important for the next president to show leadership, and explain that we are a nation of immigrants, and that our diversity is a strength and not a weakness."
The campaign of likely Republican candidate Sen. John McCain, who has also been strongly criticized for his immigration stands on these shows, declined to comment on the report, his campaign's press office said.
My opinion: These wild broadcasts are a shame on reputable networks such as CNN and Fox News and an embarrassment to our profession. They should either ask these Hispanic-phobic showmen to present both sides of the story, or present their shows as "opinion" talk shows.
For the record, this column - like all my columns - is published under the label "in my opinion." These television networks should air these shows under equally unambiguous labels.
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ANDRES OPPENHEIMER is a Latin America correspondent for the Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla. 33132; e-mail: aoppenheimer@miamiherald.com.
