The Decline of Fox News

Media Monitor ^ | 8/31/2005 | Cliff Kincaid

[Mike Bates]

In response to my column on the decline of cable news because of their obsession with missing-person cases, one person wrote in, "Come-On. Get a Grip... What's wrong with a couple of hours 'break' from Real News.."

A couple hours break?

On the other hand, one said, "I am so sick of hearing all of the details of the Aruba fiasco that I just can't tolerate it any more. This Aruba show is sinking Fox News, and I am watching it less and less."

Here's what someone else wrote:

"I just read your article and have to agree completely that the Holloway reporting has gone completely off the deep end. I used to be a junky watching Hard Ball, O'Reilly, Hannity/Colmes and then Scarborough Country until about a month or two ago.

It was getting too much for me to waste that much time but these shows used to be compelling. Especially the first year or so of Scarborough Country. Joe used to be hard-hitting, very conservative and used to expose media bias and liberal hypocrisy. Not any more. Lately he has tried to go head to head and compete with Greta just because they are on at the same time.

[McGavin999]

Yep, Brit is the only one I watch now too. I tuned in the other day to see the counter protest, but they couldn't be bothered with it. Their coverage of the hurricane has been laughable.

I don't know what they do with the money they earn, but they sure don't spend it on news.

[pookie18]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1474026/posts

[MinuteGal]

What ticks me is that the perceived "right-of-center" stance of Fox was bait and switch.

The bait was heady and remained on a long time.....the switch has been more abrupt with liberal step at a time.

I don't like sleight-of-hand perpetrated on me.

Leni

[Tarantulas]

"Tragedy TV" is a term I first heard on Laura Ingraham's radio show, somewhere in between all her cutesy sound effects and her making fun of people's clothing and speech patterns (another good Conservative going into a slump). I agree with the majority here that Fox News isn't as good as it used to be. These days they will interrupt any interesting political discussion in favor of a view of anything, anywhere, that's on fire. They seem to be obsessed with live TV cameras on helicopters, showing a car accident or police standoff or warehouse fire that's always irrelevant to national news. Also, consider all of the local missing persons and murder victims who have become national news for no other reason than a desperate hope for lurid sexual details later:

Natalee Holloway - May, 2005
Jessica Lunsford - February, 2005
Lori Hacking - July, 2004
Dru Sjodin - November, 2003
Laci Petersen - December, 2002
Elizabeth Smart - June, 2002
Chandra Levy - What we were watching just prior to 9/11/2001
Matthew Shepard - October, 1998
JonBenét Ramsey - December, 1996
Polly Klaas - November, 1993

Take a look at the Court TV Message boards - this stuff is immensely popular, but IMHO it's not really news. Look at the bottom of the message board main page and you'll see this:

"There are currently 223 members and 273 guests on the boards. | Most users ever online was 3667 on 12-13-2004 at 10:12 PM."

Ridiculous! These are all local stories, unworthy of national news coverage.

But what is this NWI of which some of you are speaking? Is this a different TV news channel? The only thing I see that may be of interest is Newsworld International, but as far as I know that's not available on my cable system.

By the way, the link to the other FR thread about "Conservative Fox News Channel Up 32% (WOW) In August Ratings As Other Cable News Operations Crash" has been posted in #22, #48, #143, and #162. I think we've all seen it by now so it doesn't need to be posted any more.

[Cecily]

CNN also trounced them on the tsunami coverage. I have thought a million times, if CNN would take the "fair and balanced" approach themselves and hire some real (as opposed to faux) conservative pundits, they could probably beat Fox at its own game.

[TheForceOfOne]

All righty then, I guess FOX News should just pack it in huh.

They're DOOMED!!!


Good grief.

[TheForceOfOne]

CNN doing the weather as only they know how. LOL!

[StarFan]

Then he reported something the New York Times said about Bush - something like "Bush said that the supporter are giving aide to the Enemy." Brit said, "That's not what he said at all," and then said the correction. Love that man's style!

I caught that and doubt the NY Slimes ran a retraction.

[StarFan]

Are you still a big fan nutmeg?

[bethtopaz]

Me neither - they don't seem to care about the truth.

[BIRDS]

To all (not just Mike Bates, sorry, just responding to the thread issue here)...

I noticed that FOX News' website has now changed from a red background to a blue one.

Seriously, I think this reflects a noticable change. About the details, I can only speculate and as to what this means, but the site is certainly displaying other interesting changes.

The Aruba obsessive themes do appear to be a deflection, in my opinion, from other coverage. Otherwise, FOX has viewer opinions that are completely opposite from those written recently by most (other) viewers.

[wolfcreek]

Yet the Fox news numbers continue to rise. The ratings actually showed that more people WANTED to see the Aruba story. Someone please explain that one.



Because, the others suck sooooooooooo bad!

[BIRDS]

Yeah, I agree, Brit Hume's broadcast is great. I always watch. Also watch Neil Cavuto ALMOST daily (not always) and O'Reilly nearly always.

But, Hume's the show I rely on for great discussion and excellent coverage.

[hamboy]

Who is this Media Monitor anyway?  According to DrudgeReport.com...

 

CABLE NEWS RACE
TUES NITE AUG 30
VIEWERS

FOXNEWS GRETA 4,392,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY/COLMES 4,195,000
FOXNEWS O'REILLY 4,136,000
CNN LARRY KING 3,804,000
CNN PAULA ZAHN 3,795,000
CNN BROWN 3,708,000
MSNBC RITA 1,761,000

[Mike Bates]

Thanks very much. I didn't know what I was missing.

[DLfromthedesert]

Yup. Exactly my feeling. I change the channel every time I see Aruba or the missing groom from the cruise ship, etc.

Even Kasich's show was all about that nonsense.

[leprechaun9]

FOX has degenerated to a lelel where the Shopping Network and the Food Channel are more interesting.

Sheppard Smith is now competing with Julian Phillips as the BAFFOON of the TV networks!

[Mike Bates]

Shep must be aiming for Keith Olbermann's slot.

[solitas]

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