We’ve been monitoring how the networks are covering the tea parties today (via TV Eyes). As of 6pmET, here’s how many times the tea parties have been mentioned by each network:

• FBN — 78
• FNC — 55
• CNN — 36
• MSNBC — 32
• HLN — 24
• CNBC — 17

During his report on The Situation Room, CNN media critic Howard Kurtz characterized the coverage this way: “Fox News sees today’s tea party tax day protests as a big story, CNN as a modest story and MSNBC as a great story…to make fun of.”

And unlike CNN’s reporter in Chicago, Susan Roesgen, Kurtz did not use the terms “conservative” or “right-wing” when describing Fox News, but did say, “MSNBC’s liberal hosts have openly mocked the tea parties.”