I think your projecting. Reporting the news is just that, reporting. If the news "demeans" anything, that is the subjective opinion of the viewer.
The ABC was the only network to have Christopher Hitchens interviewed, in fact had his very own QandA once. ABCs Lateline was the only program to have Sam Harris on.
Also, all the other news network 'reported' the same thing, yet all the 'red herring messenger attacks' have been on the ABC.
