On July 26, Colorado Media Matters published an item noting KUSA 9News' failure to report a SurveyUSA poll identifying 9News as its sponsor and indicating that Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) had the lowest approval rating of any U.S. senator. On July 27, 9News vice president and news director Patti Dennis responded to Colorado Media Matters by email, denying that 9News sponsored the poll. Dennis followed up with a second July 27 email in which she stated: “The poll from Survey USA was not all that newsworthy as Time Magazine released a poll on the Worst Senators in America in April in which Sen. Allard came in among the bottom five. We reported that in multiple newscasts in April."

Wendy Norris of the website Colorado Confidential reported on July 27 that "[i]n a phone interview earlier this afternoon with Colorado Confidential, Dennis argued that the story 'didn't fit into the content policy for the day.' " Norris further reported: “When questioned why 9News made the determination that an unflattering poll on Colorado's senior senator was not covered, she [Dennis] claimed that the story was not relevant. Pressed further, Dennis said 'Wayne Allard hasn't done anything newsworthy.' She stated that the news division was more interested in covering stories about the Middle East and immigration.”

Colorado Media Matters has compiled a list of the stories covered on 9News at 5 p.m., 9News at 6 p.m., and 9News at 10 p.m. on July 25 -- the day the SurveyUSA poll was released -- and July 26.

July 25 9News broadcasts

9News at 5 p.m.

5:00 -- Flash flood warnings in Douglas County

5:01 -- Pit bull credited with thwarting child abduction

5:03 -- Police chase ends in fatal crash

5:03 -- Hezbollah response to Israeli bombings

5:04 -- Group at state Capitol protests legislative resolution in support of Israeli military actions

5:04 -- 9News “truth test” of latest Peggy Lamm for Congress ad

5:06 -- Aurora school district superintendent tours district to develop an improvement strategy

5:07 -- Sky 9 traffic accident report

5:11 -- More troops deployed to Baghdad amid increased violence

5:12 -- “America Today” segment:

• Andrea Yates jury deliberates
• California brush fires
• U.S. housing market down

5:16 -- How to make sure consumer products are organic

5:18 -- Weather

5:24 -- Sports

5:28 -- Groundbreaking on homeless teen facility

9News at 6 p.m.

6:00 -- Weather update

6:00 -- Pit bull attack in Weld County; dog kills cat, llama, other dog

6:02 -- Pit bull credited with thwarting child abduction

6:03 -- Police chase ends in fatal crash

6:04 -- Formation of “meth” task force

6:05 - “America Today” segment:

• More troops deployed to Baghdad
• California brush fires
• 39 pounds of marijuana mistakenly delivered to office

6:10 -- Credit card companies moving away from mass mailings

6:10 -- AOL may stop charging for some services

6:11 -- Monopoly game switching from paper money to debit cards

6:11 -- “Stuff for Students” drive information

6:15 -- Weather

6:19 -- Sports

6:24 -- Weather

6:30 -- Lionel Train Collectors Club of America sponsors event at Children's Hospital, will hold convention in Denver

9News at 10 p.m.

10:00 -- Newborn baby found dead; mother charged

10:02 -- News on Israel-Hezbollah conflict

10:03 -- Group at state Capitol protests legislative resolution supporting Israeli military actions

10:04 -- Police looking for hit-and-run suspect

10:06 -- Police chase ends in fatal crash

10:07 -- Pit bull credited with thwarting child abduction

10:07 -- Pit bull attack in Weld County; dog kills cat, llama, other dog

10:08 -- “America Today” segment:

• House passes abortion bill
• More troops deployed to Baghdad
• California brush fires

10:09 -- Colorado wildfires

10:14 -- Denver resident's modeling photo used in online dating scam

10:16 -- Weather

10:20 -- Denver Post tomorrow -- profile on energy-efficient Westminster home

10:24 -- Sports

10:27 -- Rescuers save kitten from drainpipe in Buffalo, New York

July 26 9News broadcasts

9News at 5 p.m.

5:00 -- Weather update

5:01 -- Aurora employee accused of sexual assault on a child

5:03 -- Man dies lifting weights at a Denver rec center

5:04 -- Clear Creek County DA files request for a grand jury investigation into 1983 disappearance of Idaho Springs teen

5:04 -- Former president Ford released from Vail Valley Medical Center

5:05 -- Israel-Hezbollah conflict

5:05 -- Investigators looking into why a piece of a crane blocked part of I-25 this morning

5:06 -- Traffic report

5:06 -- Free legal advice from landlord-tenant counselors

5:10 -- Jury finds Andrea Yates not guilty by reason of insanity in deaths of her children

5:11 -- “America Today” segment:

• War protester disrupts Congress
• Border Patrol notes drop in illegal crossings, credits National Guard presence
• Construction problems with Boston's “big dig”

5:13 -- Allergy Index

5:14 -- Consumer report on roadside assistance options

5:17 -- Weather

5:23 -- Sports

5:28 -- Wild ponies of Assateague take annual swim

9News at 6 p.m.

6:00 -- Weather update

6:00 -- Lakeside Amusement Park roller coaster shut itself down; some concerned about lack of state oversight of rides

6:03 -- Aurora employee accused of assault was hired without being subject to background check

6:04 -- Abused horses confiscated from Sterling family for a second time

6:05 -- Man's golf clubs get hit by lightning

6:09 -- Consumer Minute:

• Flight costs have decreased due to Southwest's arrival at DIA
• Increase in high-speed Internet subscriptions
• Teen People magazine to stop publication

6:11 -- Douglas Elbert task force help out needy elders with food

6:15 -- Weather

6:19 -- Sports

6:27 -- Christmas in July in Finland: Santa Claus conference

9News at 10 p.m.

10:00 - Assault investigation in Highlands neighborhood

10:02 - Jury finds Andrea Yates not guilty by reason of insanity in deaths of her children

10:05 - Clear Creek County DA files request for a grand jury investigation into 1983 disappearance of Idaho Springs teen

10:06 - Aurora employee accused of sexual assault arrested, charged

10:06 - Special Olympics athlete dies while working out at a Denver rec. center (update on 9News at 5 p.m. story on rec. center death)

10:07 -- Federal investigators looking into Longmont construction accident

10:07 -- Lakeside Amusement Park roller-coaster malfunction

10:08 -- “America Today” segment:

• Israel-Hezbollah conflict
• Iraqi prime minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki addresses joint session of Congress; interrupted by protester
• Border Patrol: National Guard presence leading to fewer illegal immigrants crossing border

10:09 -- Denver Post story tomorrow: state service provider rushing to comply with immigration law

10:10 -- Dispute over potential Congress Park homeless shelter

10:15 -- Profile of efficient Smart cars

10:19 -- Weather

10:22 -- Fruit facts: Cooler watermelons are less nutritious

10:26 -- Sports

10:28 -- Man's golf clubs hit by lightning