Posted on 03/06/2005 6:12:34 AM PST by SJackson
Fox News Network has become a favorite target of leftists who, in all their impotent rage, like to ascribe sinister motives to what they see as a staunchly conservative news channel. An entire documentary, "Outfoxed," has been devoted to the idea that Fox News is part of some right-wing cabal.
Liberals are particularly fond of mocking Fox`s claim to be "fair and balanced." Of course, if you`re part of a crowd that considers The New York Times to be conservative, your frame of reference is going to be just a tad bit skewed.
Actually, for those who once had hopes that Fox News would actually fulfill such paranoid fantasies, the network has been a major disappointment. Fox is certainly a cut above the competition, but as far as providing a real alternative to the liberal agenda of the mainstream media (MSM), many viewers are still waiting.
The problem with Fox is that it has become just a little too fair and balanced. Where else can you catch such luminaries of the Left as Katrina vanden Heuvel, David Corn, and Eric Alterman on a regular basis? You hardly see these people on television, yet Fox has apparently decided to give the entire staff of the far-left Nation magazine a platform to spew their anti-American invective. The more moderate Juan Williams, Mara Liasson, and the annoyingly plastic Flavia Colgan are also part of Fox`s liberal stable of commentators.
Indeed, every show has to have a liberal guest or two on the panel, lest Fox be accused (horror of horrors) of being conservative. But is Fox so busy trying to present both sides that it’s neglecting its conservative fan base? After all, liberals still dominate the MSM and already have more than enough outlets for their talking points. Rather than providing a true alternative, Fox seems to be following suit.
In its daily news coverage, Fox News essentially presents the same stories one sees elsewhere. While news is news, the media literally shape our view of reality by deciding which events to focus on and what slant to give the coverage. As such, Fox does little to differentiate itself from the crowd. Often, the network goes so far as to give voice to the canards making the rounds of the liberal media. For instance, in the wake of the tsunami disaster, when the UN and assorted Democrats were characterizing U.S. relief aid as "stingy," Fox, like its mainstream media counterparts, wasted an entire week on what was essentially a non-story.
Fox does this all the time when, instead of simply reacting to the left`s agenda, it should be putting forward an agenda of its own.
The Democratic Party is out of power and on the decline, yet Fox News, like the other media outlets, spends an inordinate amount of time discussing how the party might revive its dwindling fortunes. The blowhard blather of Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden, not to mention the perpetual petulance of Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi, are treated seriously. No one at Fox asks the hard questions when such guests are on the hot seat; instead they engage in the usual scripted interviews. Utter nonsense, such as criticism of President Bush`s inaugural address for being "too lofty," is treated as actual news rather than as simply the latest whining from Democrats.
Fox is also out to lunch when it comes to those issues on which neither party is rising to the occasion — the growing alarm over illegal immigration being one of them. Over at CNN, Lou Dobbs stands alone with consistent and unflinching coverage of this growing crisis. Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo, who`s become a popular figure among conservatives for his dedication to this issue, is a frequent guest on Dobbs`s show, but rarely appears on Fox.
Or how about the Minuteman Project in Arizona where Americans fed up with the seeming impotence of their government are volunteering to help protect its borders in April? Yet another cutting-edge story Fox News doesn`t seem to be aware of.
And as if we needed any more trash-obsessed "news" coverage in the media, Fox devotes an entire hour each day to the subject. “On the Record” host Greta Van Susteren delivers juicy tidbits from the trials of Michael Jackson, Robert Blake (and formerly Scott Peterson) in all seriousness. Although this stuff apparently has an audience, nothing makes me change the channel faster than the sight of Susan Estrich, Gloria Allred, and a succession of showbiz lawyers and commentators expounding — as if their lives depended on it — on the latest developments in the Kobe Bryant case.
The War on Terror is, unfortunately, another area where Fox News largely presents the same old spin. Faced with the multi-faceted conflict in which we’ve found ourselves embroiled since 9/11, Americans would benefit greatly from terrorism coverage that provided a coherent picture. But Fox for the most part provides the kind of unfocused coverage found elsewhere in the MSM. Fox also repeats many of the mainstream media’s misconceptions of the War on Terror or do little to disprove them, thereby giving fuel to the ravings of the "antiwar" crowd.
The current rehashing of the Middle East "peace process" pantomime is another example of a missed opportunity on the part of Fox News. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows by now that there is no serious peace partner on the Palestinian side of the fence. The Palestinians’ repeatedly stated goal is to wipe out the state of Israel and replace it with an Islamic state. Yet the media pretend otherwise, with Fox News simply promulgating the same charade.
Rather than intone the usual hollow phrase "cycle of violence," Fox could be standing out from the pack and telling it like it is.
Despite the welcome presence of Ann Coulter, Michele Malkin, and occasionally Rich Lowry, a plethora of conservative intellectuals languish in obscurity while loudmouths like Bill O`Reilly dominate the scene at Fox. O`Reilly seems to pride himself on being a contrarian, but his "independence" rubbed conservative viewers the wrong way when he jumped on the "let`s discredit the Swift Boat Veterans" bandwagon last year. The honeymoon has been over ever since. He also has a propensity for stories about scantily clad teenagers and the latest spring break sorority girl scandal, which are getting a bit tiresome for female viewers. Under the guise of disapproval, viewers are treated to endless footage of the objectionable behavior at issue.
Sean Hannity, while well meaning, spends way too much time trying to induce guilt in amoral liberal guests, and even he has to be "balanced" with his liberal partner, the tepid Alan Colmes.
Such hosts, when they`re not hawking their wares, are blowing it on interviews with easy targets such as Michael Moore. Instead of skewering them with facts, their egos only permit them to puff up their chests in indignation. Meanwhile, brilliant minds such as Thomas Sowell and Victor Davis Hanson are nowhere to be found.
Former Reagan speechwriter Peter Robinson`s “Uncommon Knowledge” is one of the few television shows where viewers can hear such intellectuals engage in stimulating political discussion, and it`s hosted by none other than the notoriously liberal PBS. When PBS is ahead of the political curve, it`s time for Fox News to take note.
While the house of cards known as the mainstream media has come crashing down in recent years, most notably in the fall of Dan Rather and CBS, many Americans still look to the media to help them navigate the world. Increasingly, they`re turning off their televisions and turning on their computers to get that guidance. Rejecting the narrative of the MSM, Americans are cutting through the obfuscation and getting to the truth via the Internet. Websites and blogs are the new founts of knowledge, while television news is becoming increasingly irrelevant.
Unless it wants to follow suit, Fox News will wise up and stop worrying about being "fair and balanced." While it’s still the best of the bunch, it can do much better.
Cinnamon Stillwell is a contributing editor at ChronWatch.com and lives in San Francisco. She can be contacted at cstillwell@chronwatch.com.
I'm hoping FoxNews is just trying to show Americans the liberal "disease" up close by putting these complete *sses on. But personally, I wish they'd get rid of them all.
Just tell the truth, I don't need to see the idiocy of the left.
"Fair and Balanced" -- how about true and sincere...... all the time?
Great post. I'm in 100% agreement that Fox is blowing it by not offering the same situation that the MSM does in reverse. They should put up a conservative and an ARCH conservative on commentary panels, and occasionally let in a moderate for 'balance.'
Instead they go overboard and put lots of moderates and leftists out. Fox still skews left like the MSM, it's just LESS left. Sort of like the GOP and the Rats.
You can't buy better laughs! I especially love the segments when Brit Hume slowly demolishes Juan Williams' latest liberal codswallop. This guy needs to lighten up -- they only have the leftist loons on so we can all have a few yuks at their expense.
Tancredo is more loved by the Robery KKK Byrd Klan than anyone in the conservative camp.
"perpetual petulance.." and my personal fave......"the annoyingly plastic Flavia Colgan..."
Cinnamon rocks!!!!!
This article should be required reading at Fox.
Did you forward this to them?
Yes their beliefs are sick. See this!
*****
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1356541/posts ----- Clintonista Admits Dems Rooting for Terrorists
He has to do it slowly, so Juan will understand, plus Brit is trying real hard not to make poor Juan cry.
LIke many people, I don't need to hear from liberals on Fox. They're propaganda is forced in my face in every facet of life. Every statement is narcissitic, and a lie. We need a channel with the conservative viewpoint only in a laughing at libs format while explaining the truth (ala Laura Ingraham). Have a casual roundtable format with Gingrich, Coulter, Malkin, Sowell, etc. Fox News political coverage would disapear in a week.
If Fox News is the worst thing this writer has to moan about she's not paying attention.
With all the cable channels....I wonder why a real balance to the Old York Times, LA Slime, and the rest of the hacks has yet to be birthed? I agree that a far right network would be welcomed......
With all the cable channels....I wonder why a real balance to the Old York Times, LA Slime, and the rest of the hacks has yet to be birthed? I agree that a far right network would be welcomed......
Actually, these particular people appear regularly on MSNBC.
Very sick. I saw the clip of her saying this. I believe there was a small degree of humor intended in it. But it is the larger degree of significant underlying meaning that is so indicative and disgusting. They all FEEL that sentiment, she just SAID it.
Great post, I’m in total agreement.
Fox has become the 24/7 celebrity justice channel.
There was a time when FOX News was the only thing I would watch on TV.
Then, I began watching it with the sound off (captioned).
Lately, I have stopped watching TV altogether, except for a rare History channel program here and there.
I know KvH is an adamant conservative-hating, lfty, socialist Marxist, but she looks like she would get excited over different matters. ;-)
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.