Why watch Fox News?

[watermock]

I will give you a couple.

In the past few days, they have had Rice, Ridge, Tommy Franks and Mrs. Bush. BTW, Franks says that the BioWMD are still hidden.

[TexanBob]

That just makes them look like GOP suckups, Mock, which is what the left believes they are. Just out of curiousity, though,...

Did the left think Chris Wallace was a right-winger when he worked at ABC News?
Did they think Geraldo Rivera was a right-winger when he worked at ABC News and MSNBC?
Did they think Greta Van Sustren was a right-winger when she worked at CNN?

Fox (Murdoch, Ailes, etc) essentially exploited a niche that was available to themselves - a tv channel that gave the news from another prespective than the middle-left or the far left. As they have grown, they've become less right-wing than when they began. And since their numbers now exceed that of CNN and MSNBC *combined*, there was obviously a market for what they offered. That alone should tell any objective observer that the notion of a leftward biased media had legitimacy.

While their primetime lineup draws their best ratings, what they do for those three hours doesn't really qualify as news for the most part. Bill O'Reilly does his Howard Beale schtick (see "Network", 1977), Hannity and Colmes is basically screaming heads ala the old CNN Crossfire and Greta's show is always the same pack of lawyers yammering about the sensational police case/trial du jour. It's entertainment more than news and that, in its own way, is a disappointing look at what cable news has become. We interrupt this yellfest to give you a few headlines at the top of the hour and now back to our screaming heads.

And in an eerie similarity to Howard Beale's show, Paula Zahn even had interviews with psychics during the Chandra Levy disappearance. I still can't believe a credible news network would do something like that but ALL the networks have done something as foolish at one time or another. CNN painted happy faces on Iraqis in order to curry favor with Saddam. NBC rigged trucks to blow up in order to do a story about side collisions. ABC staged fake sanitation violations in order to put a non-union chain of supermarkets in a suspicious light. The list goes on and on.

The problem is that tv news is in the entertainment business. Their "worth" is ultimately based on ratings: how many eyeballs they can glue to the set in any half hour. So the integrity of news divisions are always selling their souls for another ratings point just like "CSI" or "Malcolm In The Middle" does.

There was a time when news was expected to be a loss leader but was needed to lend authenticity and respectability to a network. But that's no longer true and is most pointedly so when CBS opts to show a re-run of "Survivor" instead of a presidential news conference or all the nets agree to give you just abbreviated highlights of the two major political conventions.

There's a lot wrong with tv news that is no more the fault of Fox News than any of the others. Fox has just figured out a formula that draws more viewers for the moment. In time, somebody will find an even better formula that will probably involve even less real news.

[watermock]

Robert Kennedy Jr. was stammering around tonight. This guy has a serious speech impediment, claims he has too much mercury in his system that he can't give birth. Of course, it's Bush's fault for 100 years of mercury contamination. I think he wants to dredge it all back up, which would be even worse. Now where does he plan to put up this dredged sludge?

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by watermock

Robert Kennedy Jr. was stammering around tonight. This guy has a serious speech impediment, claims he has too much mercury in his system that he can't give birth. Of course, it's Bush's fault for 100 years of mercury contamination. I think he wants to dredge it all back up, which would be even worse. Now where does he plan to put up this dredged sludge?

Yucca Mountain? Do I win anything?

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by watermock

Robert Kennedy Jr. was stammering around tonight. This guy has a serious speech impediment, claims he has too much mercury in his system that he can't give birth. Of course, it's Bush's fault for 100 years of mercury contamination. I think he wants to dredge it all back up, which would be even worse. Now where does he plan to put up this dredged sludge?

Originally Posted by Exile_In_SJ

I s-s-s-saw thuthuthuthat intervuhvuhview it was too long and boring. Gee a Kennedy blaming Bush for everything wrong in the world. how original.

Delicious irony... watching Bush supporters' criticism of another politician's speaking ability....

[Denver Crush]

Originally Posted by Blueflame

Delicious irony... watching Bush supporters' criticism of another politician's speaking ability....

I have to agree with this point...I watched the Bush conference regarding his answer to the 9/11 commission report and he was blubbering all over and couldnt seem to get anything coherent out of his mouth, not to mention the fact that he didnt answer one question that was asked by the press. He dance around everything making up answers to his own questions.

[Exile_In_SJ]

I s-s-s-saw thuthuthuthat intervuhvuhview it was too long and boring. Gee a Kennedy blaming Bush for everything wrong in the world. how original.

[TexanBob]

Originally Posted by Exile_In_SJ

I s-s-s-saw thuthuthuthat intervuhvuhview it was too long and boring. Gee a Kennedy blaming Bush for everything wrong in the world. how original.

I once heard a co-worker complaining about how rotten the economy was now that Bush was president. How it was all his fault and he couldn't manage anything, etc.

The interesting thing is that she said it in early January, 2001 - BEFORE BUSH HAD BEEN INAUGURATED. Seems the Democrat talking points were already in circulation.

BTW, I heard about a survey done of cable news viewers. The viewers of Fox News, by 67%, thought the war in Iraq was justified, that it was going well and that they planned to re-elect George W. Bush.

The viewers of CNN, by 73%, thought the war in Iraq was unjustified, that it was a failure, and that they planned to vote for somebody besides George W. Bush.

Sounds to me like both networks are preaching to their respective choirs.

What's reassuring, of course, is that Fox News now has double the audience of CNN even though CNN is more accessible nationally than Fox.

[Exile_In_SJ]

Iraq has nothing in common with Viet Nam. It will stand or fall on it's own, but it will never be another Viet Nam.

50,000 killed vs less than 1,000

limited rules of engagement vs free rein to perform military operations

2 countries vs 1

Military and logistical support from Russia and China vs none

Iraq is not Viet Nam, it may fail still especially if Heinz-Kerry gets into office, but it will stand alone on it's own merits.

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by Exile_In_SJ

Iraq is not Viet Nam, it may fail still especially if Heinz-Kerry gets into office, but it will stand alone on it's own merits.

Ooooooooo... it's the bogeyman! rofl

[Taco John]

Originally Posted by watermock

I will give you a couple.

In the past few days, they have had Rice, Ridge, Tommy Franks and Mrs. Bush. BTW, Franks says that the BioWMD are still hidden.

Excpet that they were all treated with kid gloves on O'reilley's show, which he always does with conservatives. But it's a good propoganda show. They position it as being fair and balanced, but O'Reilly's bias comes out in spades.

I much prefer Chris Matthews, who for my money, is much more fair in his attacks on both sides.

[Crushaholic]

Originally Posted by Taco John

I much prefer Chris Matthews, who for my money, is much more fair in his attacks on both sides.

I think Chris Matthews is great. He's a Democrat, but he can be fair to both sides.

[Northman]

Originally Posted by Taco John

Excpet that they were all treated with kid gloves on O'reilley's show, which he always does with conservatives. But it's a good propoganda show. They position it as being fair and balanced, but O'Reilly's bias comes out in spades.

I much prefer Chris Matthews, who for my money, is much more fair in his attacks on both sides.

exaclty. been saying it all along.

[Old Dude]

I'll be real honest about this.

I prefer CNN to Fox because Rudi Bakhtiar is a lot hotter than Greta Van Sustren.

Case closed.

[Hogan11]

Originally Posted by Old Dude

I'll be real honest about this.

I prefer CNN to Fox because Rudi Bakhtiar is a lot hotter than Greta Van Sustren.

Case closed.

Kyra Phillips.......I don't know what it is about this women that attracts me so...but I really can't get enough of her.

That's why I even bother at all with CNN.

Fox isn't an issue......I stay away from that channel as much as possible.

The Daily Show is the most important show on TV...Lewis Black alone is manditory viewing IMO.

[Spider]

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart ........ Beats them all ...........
Although his crack on Edwards Speech was a freaking Classic ............

[Taco John]

Whoever said Fox news is crazy people exchanging views nailed it on the head.

[alkemical]

The daily show is the best news show. Because i can't stomache the trip that comes on any news tv show - i'd rather have it done with something that i can at least swallow it by. I read enough foreign press & american press i feel to get an idea of how something is (but of course often times the best and most revelant details are left out).

Fox news fills a niche - They cater to the red states people.

What's wrong with having mediums and such on? Our gov't has a remote viewing crew to find terrorists.

[Cito Pelon]

Watch Imus In the Morning if you really want to learn. It's not scripted.

[watermock]

We have several people calling a comedy show news. Run with it.

[Spider]

Originally Posted by watermock

We have several people calling a comedy show news. Run with it.

you get more truth from Comedy central then you do Fox news .........

[enjolras]

I think Chris Matthews is great. He's a Democrat, but he can be fair to both sides.

I didn't even know Matthews was a democrat.. I've seen him literally rip open and eat some of his left leaning 'guests'.

[TexanBob]

Originally Posted by enjolras

I didn't even know Matthews was a democrat.. I've seen him literally rip open and eat some of his left leaning 'guests'.

Matthews used to work for Tip O'Neill (D-MA) as did Tim Russert (D-NBC). In fact you'll see a lot of TV faces who used to work either for Democrat congressmen or Democrat administrations. It's noticeable during election night coverage where the sleepy commentators slip and refer to the Democrats as "we". Happened a lot during the 2000 all-nighter.

Three times during the DNC convention, Peter Jennings referred to John Edwards as "the Vice President", not the vice presidential nominee or the candidate for vice president. He called him literally "the Vice President".

FACT: In a poll of journalists at major news organizations (TV, radio, papers and magazines), 92% of journalists voted for Clinton in 1992 (43% of Americans did). In 2000, 86% of journalists voted for Gore (48% of Americans did).

So, all the bleating about how "unfair" and "right wing" Fox News is because they don't only present the worldview that 90% of journalists do - that of the Democrat Party. They give Republicans an even shake and, to the Democrat-dominated media, this is "unfair" and "right wing".

[Exile_In_SJ]

Originally Posted by TexanBob

Matthews used to work for Tip O'Neill (D-MA) as did Tim Russert (D-NBC). In fact you'll see a lot of TV faces who used to work either for Democrat congressmen or Democrat administrations. It's noticeable during election night coverage where the sleepy commentators slip and refer to the Democrats as "we". Happened a lot during the 2000 all-nighter.

Three times during the DNC convention, Peter Jennings referred to John Edwards as "the Vice President", not the vice presidential nominee or the candidate for vice president. He called him literally "the Vice President".

FACT: In a poll of journalists at major news organizations (TV, radio, papers and magazines), 92% of journalists voted for Clinton in 1992 (43% of Americans did). In 2000, 86% of journalists voted for Gore (48% of Americans did).

So, all the bleating about how "unfair" and "right wing" Fox News is because they don't only present the worldview that 90% of journalists do - that of the Democrat Party. They give Republicans an even shake and, to the Democrat-dominated media, this is "unfair" and "right wing".

good point and good post...

[Blueflame]

Originally Posted by TexanBob

Matthews used to work for Tip O'Neill (D-MA) as did Tim Russert (D-NBC). In fact you'll see a lot of TV faces who used to work either for Democrat congressmen or Democrat administrations. It's noticeable during election night coverage where the sleepy commentators slip and refer to the Democrats as "we". Happened a lot during the 2000 all-nighter.

Three times during the DNC convention, Peter Jennings referred to John Edwards as "the Vice President", not the vice presidential nominee or the candidate for vice president. He called him literally "the Vice President".

FACT: In a poll of journalists at major news organizations (TV, radio, papers and magazines), 92% of journalists voted for Clinton in 1992 (43% of Americans did). In 2000, 86% of journalists voted for Gore (48% of Americans did).

So, all the bleating about how "unfair" and "right wing" Fox News is because they don't only present the worldview that 90% of journalists do - that of the Democrat Party. They give Republicans an even shake and, to the Democrat-dominated media, this is "unfair" and "right wing".

I see assertations of "facts" posted... but no links to support said "facts"...