Study hits war views held by Fox fans (moronic study alert)

Baltimore Sun ^ | 10.4.03 | David Folkenflik

[mhking]

Heavy viewers of the Fox News Channel are nearly four times as likely to hold demonstrably untrue positions about the war in Iraq as media consumers who rely on National Public Radio or the Public Broadcasting System, according to a study released this week by a research center affiliated with the University of Maryland's School of Public Affairs.

"When evidence surfaces that a significant portion of the public has just got a hole in the picture ... this is a potential problem in the way democracy functions," says Clay Ramsay, research director for the Washington-based Program on International Policy Attitudes, which studies foreign-policy issues.

Fox News officials did not return repeated requests yesterday for comment on the study.

Funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Ford Foundation, the study was conducted from June through September. It surveyed 3,334 Americans who receive their news from a single media source. Each was questioned about whether he held any of the following three beliefs, characterized by the center as "egregious misperceptions":

[mhking]

Just damn.

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[TonyRo76]

Funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Ford Foundation...

Oh geez! Say no more. Bleeding-heart pinkos with trust funds, all of 'em!

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[Publius6961]

"Egregious misconceptions", huh?
This should be good.
I better go read that study.

[GoGophers]

Oh geez! Say no more. Bleeding-heart pinkos with trust funds, all of 'em!

Did you bother to read the article?

[snooker]

Hate only gets you so far. You have to fall the rest of the way by yourself.

[sauropod]

Well there you have it. The Ford Foundation funding the study that is reported in the Blight For All.

Unbiased? Suuuuuuuuuuuuure...

[BSunday]

demonstrably untrue

According to what source?
The article cites government studies (probably the mischaracterized prelim WMD report) and public opinion polls.

[coloradan]

The three false beliefs:

# Saddam Hussein has been directly linked with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

# Weapons of mass destruction have already been found in Iraq.

# World opinion favored the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

[...]

Twenty-three percent of those who get their news from NPR or PBS believed in at least one of the mistaken claims. In contrast, 80 percent of Fox News viewers held at least one of the three incorrect beliefs.

Among broadcast network viewers there also were differences. Seventy-one percent of those who relied on CBS for news held a false impression, as did 61 percent of ABC's audience and 55 percent of NBC viewers. Fifty-five percent of CNN viewers and 47 percent of Americans who rely on the print media as their primary source of information also held at least one misperception.

______________

A reasonable response from FOX would be a similar survey, with different misperceptions:

There is conclusive proof that gun control makes people safer.

For a majority of years the program has been in effect, welfare has reduced the absolute number of people living in poverty in this country.

There is a loophole that allows criminals to buy guns at gun shows.

Bush's tax cut takes money from the poor and middle class, and gives it to the wealthy.

Columbine killers Harris and Klebold bought their guns at a gun show.

How do you suppose people who only listened to NPR would fare on this test?

[SONbrad]

Saddam Hussein has been directly linked with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

There are many people that believe this whether they
watch Fox News or not. And it hasn't been proven
NOT to be true.

Weapons of mass destruction have already been found in Iraq.

H*ll, Saddam USED chemical and nerve agents on his own
people. He also used missiles that he was not author-
ized to possess. He had them, he used them. Where
they are now is yet to be determined.

World opinion favored the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Who gives a rat's behind what the world's opinion is?

[Pete]

When evidence surfaces that a significant portion of the public has just got a hole in the picture ... this is a potential problem in the way democracy functions," says Clay Ramsay, research director for the Washington-based Program on International Policy Attitudes, which studies foreign-policy issues.

This piece is nothing more than the latest shot by liberals at trying to silence conservatives (along with recent attacks on Limbaugh and the revisiting of the Fairness Doctrine.)

For those who didn't read the article, they have three statements they claim are false. The second is that WMDs have been found in Iraq. Didn't Kay say they had found some already - e.g. a vile of botulism toxin? I am sure there are other Freepers who have paid closer attention that could answer that.

The bottom line is that this "study" was conducted by a couple of far left organizations with the intent to discredit what they view to be conservative media and to boost the far left NPR.

Note one more thing. They say that 80% of Fox viewers hold one of the three opinions they claim is false. However, 71% of CBS viewers and 61% of ABC viewers also fall into that category according to their study. Of course, that doesn't make it into the headline. The question arises. Given those percentages, could it be that NPR is incorrect?

[Steely Glint]

Yet another transparent bogus assault on the Right by the anti-American Left.

Hey, Leftists! Move to Cuba where you belong!

[Howlin]

The PIPA study suggests a strong link between people's understanding of the news and its source. That link held true throughout different demographic segments, such as those based on education level, viewing habits, and partisan leanings, Ramsay said. "It proves that what we're doing is great journalism," says NPR spokeswoman Laura Gross. "We're telling the truth and we let our audience decide."

Absolutely, positively RUBBISH.

In fact, it might be an out and out lie.

[big gray tabby]

That's exactly the point. The Ford Foundation has singled out the Fox Network by funding a study that hits their viewers where their bias lies. One could just as easily fund a study such as the one you propose but the Ford Foundation appears not to have done so

Well done.

[Reeses]

"It proves that what we're doing is great journalism," says NPR spokeswoman Laura Gross. "We're telling the truth and we let our audience decide."

Laura Gross is totally delusional. The Iraq war was always about regime change, not about locating stockpiles of WMD. Most Iraqis are happy to be rid of Saddam. Who cares if Old Europe is unhappy with the change.

[Howlin]

A Read It To Believe It bump!!!

[Pete]

One more comment.

The good news from this 'study' is that it shows that the left has failed at getting out their Anti-American propaganda. In that we can take comfort.

[Publius6961]

Saddam has been linked directly to Al Qaeda.
Weapons of mass destructions have been found in Iraq.
The "whole" world was in agreement in attacking Iraq.

The focus on these three "beliefs" tells me all I want to know about this so-called study.
Only a propagandist or a peace activist would word "beliefs" that way. Some study.

First of all I don't believe any of those things. I still support the war in Iraq, and a couple more ASAP.
Adults make choices every day, made by inferences, experience, prior knowlege, a grasp of history and an mature grasp of human nature.

For example, if you own a dog and a rabbit, and the rabbit turns up dead, and you find fur stuck between the dog's teeth, you have no "direct" link of who the perp is; no one saw the deed and the dog isn't about to confess. But I know who killed the rabbit.

In a world of children, or academics, that might be a "serious" study.
Logic and reason are circumscribed by the limitations of the mind that addresses complex questions.

[GSWarrior]

Danger Will Robinson.

Theoretical groundwork for the inevitable upcoming assault on the internet, talk radio and the free exchange of ideas?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Exactly why I refuse to give any of my time to PBS or NPR. Truly a socialist outfit, the two of them.

[knuthom]

"Each was questioned about whether he held any of the following three beliefs, characterized by the center as "egregious misperceptions":

Saddam Hussein has been directly linked with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Depends on whether you believe the Salman Pak reports.

Weapons of mass destruction have already been found in Iraq.

Depends on whether you are a Kurd.

World opinion favored the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

To date, as measured by government reports and accepted public surveys, each of those propositions is false, according to the center.

They are using accepted public surveys to determine truth???

[LisaFab]

What a crock of cr*p! Thanks for the ping.

[syriacus]

When will they survey for these egregious misconceptions?

1. The Coalition of the Willing has been bogged down in a quagmire since Week One.
2. Chirac wants what is best for Iraqis.
3. Saddam wanted what was best for Iraqis.
4. The museum in Baghdad was looted of thousands of precious objects.
5. Peter Arnett was unbiased.
6. CNN was truthful in its pre-war reporting.
7.Saddam's scientists did not take steps to convert their missles to exceed the distance allowed.

[cardinal4]

Unbiased? Suuuuuuuuuuuuure...

This is unbelievable! Im watching an all out blitz by the right, and all I can do is laugh! All these articles and opinions are so transparent, my 4 and 2 year old can see right through them! They cant even manufacture good scandals anymore...

[fortaydoos]

Bush and Rice and Rumsfled confirmed two weeks ago that Saddam had nothing to do with 9-11 and were aghast that anyone would think they suggested otherwise.

[jpl]

In a related study, readers of the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Baltimore Sun are four times more likely than others to believe that Steven Hatfill sent anthrax in the mail to Mohammed Atta's landlord.

[slimer]

The study itself is biased. The so called misconceptions that were blamed on Fox News are skewed because most of the people who listen to NPR believed the opposite to begin with.

The Baltimore Sun is a propaganda machine.

[MontanaBeth]

I read it, "bleeding heart pinko's with trust funds" pretty much sums it up.

[Criminal Number 18F]

The three "egregious misperceptions" were (drum roll please):

1. Saddam was behind 9/11
2. Iraq had WMDs
3. World opinion was with us.

#1 almost certainly is false. An honest person could call it an egregious misperception. #2 almost certainly is not, and #3 can be credibly argued either way. We didn't have old europe with us, and we didn't have the tinhorn dictators and third world welfare cases who make up the bulk of the UN, but we had the young lions of eastern europe and many other countries.

Tentative conclusion: these lefties had their results in hand before they started gathering data.

For the record I don't get any of my news from Fox (and I can prove it: no TV) or from NPR (I seldom listen to radio, and those whiny, navel-gazing "typical NPR" voices actuate my "scan-seek button reflex"). Actually maybe it's something in the EQ they use but anyone can tell NPR and switch it off the instant they hear it. Must be why they depend on welfare.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[MeekOneGOP]

Man! What a crock ...

Among broadcast network viewers there also were differences. Seventy-one percent of those who relied on CBS for news held a false impression, as did 61 percent of ABC's audience and 55 percent of NBC viewers. Fifty-five percent of CNN viewers and 47 percent of Americans who rely on the print media as their primary source of information also held at least one misperception.

The three evening network news shows command the largest audiences, together typically reaching between 25 million and 30 million viewers nightly. But Fox News, the top-rated cable-news outlet, has steadily increased its viewership by offering a blend of hard news and opinionated talk that often takes on a patriotic sheen. Its top show draws more than 2 million viewers nightly.

"Among those who primarily watch Fox, those who pay more attention are more likely to have misperceptions," the report concludes. "Only those who mostly get their news from print media have fewer misperceptions as they pay more attention."

[Howlin]

Don't they wish. Talk about self-serving!

[Howlin]

Did you all see this?

[syriacus]

missiles, not missles...sorry

[reasonseeker]

Add to that:

President Bush claimed there was an "imminent" threat from Iraq.

President Bush said Iraq was trying to obtain uranium from "NIGER."

See Andrew Sullivan for links to show how CNN, TIME, NEWSWEEK, the AP, etc. are spreading these blatant lies.

[lepton]

They also seem to be unaware of Samon Pak (I think that's the name of the facility).

[chmst]

Wait a minute. They surveyed 3,334 people right? Most single news source people get thier news from broadcast news. So... how many out of this group watched FOX? Where was it taken? Could it be that they polled say 5 FOX watchers and got 4 crappy answers?

[lepton]

The second is that WMDs have been found in Iraq. Didn't Kay say they had found some already - e.g. a vile of botulism toxin?

There have also been a few confirmed finds of mustard gas, and mustard-mixes. Not huge finds, but finds nonetheless.

[MizSterious]

Fer cryin' out loud. The liberals are really in a tizzy over Fox News, aren't they? CNN is tanking. They need to get over it.

Fox is not always as "fair and balanced" as I'd like, but at least on Fox I know I'll get something a little closer to that ideal than I would on the three "networks" and other cable news channels.

[Tacis]

"# Saddam Hussein has been directly linked with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. "

This has always been a strange one to me. There are neocummunists (a Columbia U. professor, for one) who rant and rave at the administration's idiocy for even suggesting this. Some media pimps go on at length about when Cheney, or Bush, or Rummy said what about the connection.

How do they know that there is NO connection between 9/11 and Saddam? I can see questions yet unanswered, but these lefties laugh at the suggestion that Saddam had a hand in 9/11; they KNOW there is no connection. How do they know this?

[Howlin]

GALLUP: Americans still think media too liberal

Heh.

[rightbanker]

The cynic in me -- which is a big broad streak of my personality -- responds to this by saying "Of course, it's true." People, left or right or center, mostly want confirmation of what they already believe. they don't want their beliefs challenged and dissected. The media, right wing media included, has figured this out. So they basically play to their targeted audiences. The targeted audiences watch those news programs targeted at them in order to be comforted and "confirmed" not to be discomforted and disconfirmed.

That's why people who stray to far from the party line on boards like this or RAT underground get banned. We don't want to bother debating the nasty bothersome other, who might occasional have a point, who might occassionally challenge an article of faith of ours in a persuasive way.

Like Nietzsche say, human beings are herd animals.

That's my cynical rant for today.

[dirtboy]

Saddam Hussein has been directly linked with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

That's a egregious misrepresentation of what was asked. The survey asked if folks believed that Saddam was linked with al Qaeda, not that Saddam was tied to 9-11. Two very different animals.

All that's missing from this drivel is imminence...

[dirtboy]

The three "egregious misperceptions" were (drum roll please): Saddam was behind 9/11

That's not what the survey asked, they asked if folks believed that Saddam had ties to al Qaeda, which has been documented, even though it is presented as a misperception. So they're lying about the lies that they're presenting as lies...

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

4.) The California recall is too close to call!

[VOA]

Funded by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Ford Foundation

...enemies...domestic...

[Aegedius]

Bush and Rice and Rumsfled confirmed two weeks ago that Saddam had nothing to do with 9-11

Wrong. They said that there was insufficient evidence to prove the connection.

Try again.

[finnman69]

GoGophers
Since Sep 20, 2003

Interesting group of negative posts you have regarding conservatives and positive regarding Democrats...

[.cnI redruM]

This is just a rough estimate, but the listeners and supporters of NPR are about 50 times more likely than Fox fans to cite propaganda studies to belittle and insult their opponents.

[DustyMoment]

The problem with this "study" begins with - University of Maryland's School of Public Affairs and just gets worse.

From what I saw in the study, the perceptions were pretty much all dumbed down leftist perceptions, to wit: Saddam Hussein has been directly linked with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The only segment of the population that believes this claptrap are those who get their news from the lamestreams. I don't believe that Fox News ever tried to spin an association between Saddam and al-Qaida into Saddam directly planning 9/11. This was an assessment from the liberal press who made a link where there wasn't one.

The problem with this "study" is that it set out to prove that Fox News viewers were stupid and spun the results to get what they set out to prove. In the final analysis, it doesn't make the "study" credible.