Derek Chauvin’s conviction in the murder of George Floyd signaled a win for accountability of police officers and justice for victims. And that’s how the three main evening news broadcasts covered it.
However, Floyd’s death is not an isolated incident. During the trial, multiple police killings became national stories. Adam Toledo. Daunte Wright. Ma’Khia Bryant. And the day after the verdict came out, Andrew Brown Jr. died as well.
This is why legislation to help curb police misconduct is so crucial — one conviction is a step, not the entire journey. CBS aired a full segment on the next steps in police reform. It featured Vanderbilt professor Michael Eric Dyson to talk about Floyd’s death being one of many and the need for change.
“Until we have a serious reckoning with what is going on across the board, we won’t have true justice for Black citizens in this country,” Dyson said.
CBS correspondent Wesley Lowery said, “I do think this does help build momentum on Capitol Hill,” while also managing expectations by discussing how tough it is to enact real change.
This portion of the broadcast lasted over four minutes, and it elevated the story immensely. It positioned the conversation toward prevention and accountability while offering a realistic path forward.
ABC didn’t do this. Correspondent Linsey Davis briefly mentioned the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill sitting in Congress. But David Muir immediately pivoted to a legal analyst to discuss the jury and its deliberations. White House correspondent Cecilia Vega mentioned the bill later in the broadcast, but for only 20 seconds.
NBC devoted most of its time to President Joe Biden’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’s speeches. Hearing directly from them adds value, and, to their credit, they discussed the next steps forward. But no analysis followed for what still needs to be done.
CBS’ Jamie Yuccas mentioned the Chauvin verdict could have an immediate effect around the country: “The verdict comes at a high-stakes moment in the wake of multiple cases of deadly police force against young Black men.” She simultaneously showed video of Wright being shot. Neither ABC nor NBC mentioned other police killings.
That changed on Wednesday, the day after the verdict. Muir and Co. talked about the Justice Department investigations into the Minneapolis Police Department. They broke down the Bryant shooting with an in-depth segment. The broadcast also mentioned Brown.
NBC’s chyron titled “After the Verdict: What’s Next?” led Wednesday’s broadcast, and the network presented in depth coverage of the future of police reform — including insight from multiple guests.
But on Tuesday, the day of the verdict — at a vital moment in broadcasting—CBS showed how to frame this story while the others faltered.
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