Posted on 07/14/2004 11:36:10 AM PDT by FlyLow
(CNSNews.com) - A liberal advocacy group that's made a name for itself by bashing President Bush is now paying for an effort to bash Fox News.
"Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, Fox News Channel turns Republican talking points into news headlines," MoveOn.org says on its website -- as part of a promotion for a new film called "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism."
"Outfoxed" was funded in part by MoveOn and another liberal group.
The Fox News Channel markets itself as "fair and balanced," but "Outfoxed" director Robert Greenwald "exposes Fox for what it it: partisan spin, not news," MoveOn.org says.
In fact, MoveOn members helped Greenwald monitor the Fox News Channel for examples of "partisan spin."
MoveOn.org says "Outfoxed" will be screened this Sunday evening, July 18, at more than 2,500 house parties across the nation, which are being hosted by MoveOn and Common Cause members. The film "premiered" last week in New York City.
"Find a house party in your neighborhood.Watch 'Outfoxed' together," MoveOn.org says on its website. "Join an interactive online conference call with comedian Al Franken and director Robert Greenwald. Plan to take on Fox and take back our media."
According to MoveOn.org, "Outfoxed" features interviews with seven ex-Fox News employees "who describe how, every day, highly partisan talking points are drawn up to influence newscasts."
But Fox News says the film has "misrepresented" the employment histories of four of the "ex-employees," some of whom worked for Fox affiliates, not for the Fox News Channel.
"The former low-level Fox employees are hardly worth addressing," Fox News said in a July 13 statement. "Some of the 'sources' for this documentary never worked for Fox News Channel. Some left because of incompetence, and none expressed concern about editorial policy while employees. They represent fewer than 10 employees out of 2,000 over 8 years."
The MoveOn.org website says, "We'll use this movie to launch a campaign to 'out' Fox News -- making sure everyone in the country knows the network is stumping for the Republican agenda.
"This is our opportunity to defend the principles of fair journalism that are so essential to our democracy. Help us take back our media!"
The idea that liberals need help "taking back" the media is comical to many conservatives, who believe liberals already control the nation's major TV networks and newspapers.
In its July 13 statement, Fox News said "Any news organization that thinks this story is legitimate is opening itself to having its copyrighted material taken out of context for partisan reasons."
Fox accused MoveOn.org of "illegal copyright infringement" and it accuses the New York Times of "cutting a deal" with MoveOn.org that gave Fox News no "adequate time to react" to the film.
"The New York Times corrupts the journalistic process by taking orders from a George Soros-funded web site -- Soros is a left-wing billionaire currency speculator who funds many liberal efforts," the Fox statement said.
"This is the real story. If any news organizations decide to make this an anti-Fox News story, then all of their material becomes fodder immediately for possible out of context and biased documentaries."
Fox News said if any big media outlet agrees to publish "100 percent of their editorial directions and internal memos," Fox News Channel will do the same -- "and let the public decide who is fair."
The cable network said its challenge applies to "any legitimate cable news network, broadcast network, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post."
Hey buster, watch the use of the F word, would ya? You don't want Patrick Leahy to start crying.
98% control just isn't good enough for some people.
-PJ
FOX is the only news channel we watch. When we moved and got DirectTV, we didn't even bother to find the alphabet channels.
To my knowledge, Fox's critics NEVER give specific on-air examples of Fox distorting the news, presenting deliberate falsehoods, or aping Republican "spin."
It's just amazing how much the left hate the difference of opinion, isn't it?. The USSR did a good job in their days, they've trained our left really well...
This statement is preposterous on its face.
Hint: His initials were J. G.
Funny how Fox News is "the media." Even if it were a Republican noise machine, which it isn't (I work here), what about the thousands of other news sources... CNN, NY Times, LA Times....
Maybe MoveOn.org and FAIR should analyze those sources as well.
Fact: Fox is owned by Murdoch/News Corp.
Fact: In home market of Australia, Murdoch's rags are the most liberal.
Fact: Murdoch is a businessman.
When entering the US market, where was the opportunity ?
More liberal pap ala CBS NBC ABC CNN ?
NOT
What pisses off the libs is Fox's success (a conservative message)
Rhymes with "Gerbils".
Note to Moveon.org: what Cheney said to Leahy.
Puh-leeze!!!
Move-On.org is concerned about fairness????
I just hope there are enough lies in this "movie" to allow Fox to sue the tits off of MoveOn.org!
Its funny how the same guys who defend Michael Moore's lies as free speech want to silence Fox News for presenting both sides. LOL!
Get real! 90% of the slop that is served up by news is biased to the left. These idiots are just mad because we don't have to get their version of the news. They are also being exposed for what they really are and they don't like it!
Richard Gere is a fascist?
Are they trying to prove collusion with the RNC? Do they then take it to the FEC or ask for an injunction from the 9th Circuit. None of that sounds likely to me.
In the end, they end up preaching to the converted like Mike Moore.
They really are frightened. They have a hollow message that has mesmerized a generation. Of course it scares them that someone else may actually have a voice. They believe in free speech as long as it is theirs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.