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Aravosis: Fox is "a political operation and not a news network"

October 18, 2009 11:15 am ET

From the October 18 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources:

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Previously:

Axelrod: Fox News "really not news, it's pushing a point of view" and other outlets shouldn't treat them as news

Weisberg: "Respectable journalists ... should stop appearing" on Fox News

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    • Author by Bad News (October 18, 2009 11:25 am ET)
      10 1
      Hmmm, Is there a Pattern Staring Here?
      Fox News is finally starting to earn their true Reputation as the Network of Smear.
      Perhaps Fox News could win that coveted MMFA Mis-informer of the Year?
      News Corp. "A Racist Enterprise" Known for blowing Smoke out their Rear.

      Speak truth to power.


      Mr. News
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Bad News (October 18, 2009 1:38 pm ET)
        7 1
        Fox News is not actually News, it's more like the WWE in Stature.
        Fox Entertainment would be the proper Nomenclature.
        Didn't Fox have a Professional Wrestler as a Stock Analyst?
        How about a Fox News show called "Hell in the Cell" Hmm, Could we have Hulk Hogan as one of the Panellist?

        Speak truth to power.


        Mr. News
        Report Abuse
        • Author by Bad News (October 18, 2009 7:14 pm ET)
          7 1
          The Huffington Post "The online Paper of Record" Said that Fox News Fired Political Analyst Lamont Hill.
          If Mr. Hill knew how to Bow Down like Juan Williams he would still be able to pay his Bills.
          Watching Jaun Williams Crawl before "O'Reilly the Tiller Killer" is hurtful to all Black Men.
          Watching any Analyst on Fox News is Tantamount to a Herd of mindless cows being driven into a Stock Pen.

          Speak truth to power.


          Mr. News
          Report Abuse
      • Author by Cheney2012 (October 18, 2009 8:55 pm ET)
        2 25
        "Hmmm, Is there a Pattern Staring Here?"

        Yes, supposedly independent reporters, media organizations and interest groups are walking in lockstep with a coordinated White House effort to smear another independent media organization. When media take marching orders from the White House -- rather than be skeptical of that White House -- we live in scary times
        Report Abuse
        • Author by CohibaMan (October 18, 2009 9:26 pm ET)
          11  
          Oh no...

          It's a VAST LEFT WING CONSPIRACY!!!
          Report Abuse
        • Author by hurricaneyankee52983 (October 18, 2009 9:32 pm ET)
          12 1
          CHENEY,The real scary times were the last 8 years under your heros,BOY GEORGE AND DEAD EYE DICK.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by baba19 (October 18, 2009 10:57 pm ET)
          9  
          Yeah, we should go back to the good ol' days when media figures didn't dare say anything that opposed the administration for fear of losing their jobs (which some did). Unless you're too young to remember, which would make you somewhere between 5 and 10.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by latichever (October 19, 2009 8:21 am ET)
            8  
            The NY Times takes Obama to task everyday, for those who would bother to read it.
            Report Abuse
        • Author by DellDolly (October 18, 2009 11:54 pm ET)
          12 1
          It's not a smear when it's the truth.

          FoxNews has done it to themselves with their behavior.

          But, once again, we see that someone on the right is trying to claim victim status because they're being held to account for their own behavior.

          A guilty man is not a victim of the criminal justice system when he's sentenced for his crime. FoxNews is not being smeared by being called sleazy and unprofessional when that's how they're behaving!
          Report Abuse
        • Author by oneleft (October 19, 2009 8:00 am ET)
          8  
          enough of this. fox has a long history of lies and deceit. there is no question here, no gray area. we can fill these pages... actually we do... with fox lies and deception.

          stop painting these broad strokes and give us examples or mind your manners.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by n'est-ce pas (October 19, 2009 10:03 am ET)
          6  
          When media take marching orders from the White House -- rather than be skeptical of that White House -- we live in scary times
          Oh, geez man. You have got to be kidding.
          Not only can we find numerous instances of the media overblowing President Obama's negatives, we don't really have to stretch too far to say that the Bush White House garnered more favorable coverage than any Administration, ever.
          But you knew that, didn't you.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by puppienrainbows (October 19, 2009 11:36 am ET)
            7
          The 'pattern' started here is the continual demonization of Fox news. Rahm has his mmfa mouthpieces trying to prop up a failing Obama presidency(stimulus didn't work, Obamacare losing support, troops dying in Afghanistan at an alarming rate, Iran NOW saying it won't negotiate it's nuclear ambitions) and he can't do it by stating his case, he must do it by destroying his critics. This is EXACTLY how Hugo Chavez is running Venezuela.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by puppienrainbows (October 19, 2009 12:10 pm ET)
              4
            see below!
            Report Abuse
          • Author by hurricaneyankee52983 (October 19, 2009 12:17 pm ET)
            4  
            PUPPY, are you and CHENEY 2012 one and the same? you two sure spit the same old, tired, and false RIGHT WING talking points.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by Indy (October 19, 2009 12:45 pm ET)
            3  
            The "pattern" is only in your head like the guy in "A Beautiful Mind". I think it's fine for FOX to play their audience but don't expect for everyone to buy it. Ownership deregulation pushed in the early 90's opened the flood gates for right leaning corporate media moguls like Ruppert to dominate the air waves. But the the internet came along as a force to be reckoned with and now they are losing expensive propaganda ground due to the strength of sites like this in the market place of ideas. They can't get around true democratic forces and it's starting to show.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by puppienrainbows (October 19, 2009 12:59 pm ET)
                5
              I'm glad you brought up the internet. My ISP home page had some interesting text messages this weekend. Discussing Obama, I counted 94% of the posts were extremely negative towards Obama, and my home page ISN'T Fox. Try again. There is overwhelming apathy towards Obama and it is growing. Mmfa is a tiny island of blind, undying support for Obama, supported by a racist notion that Obama 'needs' the support due to his ethnicity. The conservative movement isn't about Obama's race, it's about common sense. Obama's 'plan' for America isn't working and is only compounding the problems that already exist worldwide.
              Report Abuse
        • Author by bintx (October 19, 2009 11:46 am ET)
          3  
          Wow, your ignorance is glaring.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by wzwriter (October 19, 2009 2:02 pm ET)
          3  
          When media take marching orders from the White House -- rather than be skeptical of that White House -- we live in scary times

          No, we LIVED through the scary times when the drunk cowboy and your hero Dick Cheney - Evil Personified - were calling the shots.
          Report Abuse
      • Author by aBeck in 10-O-C (October 18, 2009 9:59 pm ET)
        5  
        The AP story about this controversy is on my Yahoo home page right. I think that this is now a legitimate news story. And as such I see reason for all the news outlets to do their own investigative research (as MMfA has been doing for years) and present their findings on the air. With all of the back and forth recently about certain networks being slow to pick up on certain stories, this is legitimate cover for them to get to work on it. Fox brought this on themselves by doubling down on pushing a partisan agenda. CNN and all the rest can present the evidence and let the viewers decide.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by 4termlimits (October 19, 2009 6:39 pm ET)
           
        It's funny, all I read here seems to be negative "smear" towards Fox. Can't beat em, join em?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by usp (October 18, 2009 11:37 am ET)
      4  
      "...and that includes reporters?"

      reporters? they have reporters at fox?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by jjamele2880 (October 18, 2009 11:44 am ET)
      7 1
      "And in other news we've just discovered, the Earth travels around the Sun, and Sean Hannity is a bold-faced liar!"

      Congratulations to some with access to tv cameras for finally beginning to state the obvious. What took you so long?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by garygnu (October 18, 2009 4:08 pm ET)
        2 15
        Any specific examples of bold faced lies?

        All I ever see from the left is accusations of Fox lying, yet nothing to back it up.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by DellDolly (October 18, 2009 11:57 pm ET)
          9 1
          Well, if you haven't seen any examples, then you haven't been looking.

          They are presented on a regular basis here, and other places too.

          People like you, who say that they haven't seen the offensive behavior that FoxNews has clearly exhibited, just don't want to see it.

          If you want to see that evidence, open up your eyes.

          Because your implication that there's no substance to the accusations is ludicrous.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by bintx (October 19, 2009 11:47 am ET)
          3  
          I'm not "from the left" and I see them every time I tune to Fox. If your only source of "news" is Fox, then you are WOEFULLY uninformed.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by thundavolt (October 18, 2009 12:04 pm ET)
      7 1
      I'm just wondering how long the people at Fox thought they could dismiss the charge of being a right wing arm. Did they really thing they were pulling off some genius subliminal operation that no one would ever catch on to? They have tried to play victim by mis-representing the White House's comments but the tactic has been systematically broken down and we have return to the issue.

      Fox's new defense for everything is accusing the other side of that which they are doing at that very moment. Top of the list is saying Democrats avoid the issue and attack their opponents. This is not going to work if you are defending a group that has no plan. They obviously do it when there's no one around to debate the issues with.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by DellDolly (October 18, 2009 12:37 pm ET)
        10 1
        Yes, they did this on today's morning shows. They consistently brought up MSNBC as though FoxNews and MSNBC are comparable. They aren't. First off, FoxNews news segments are slanted - not as much as their opinion shows in primetime, but still slanted. MSNBC and other cable newss networks and ALL the non-Fox broadcast networks don't have the same problem with slanted coverage from their news programming. Secondly, FoxNews claims to be fair and balanced, and fails to admit their slant. Lastly, FoxNews spews out disinformation all the time. They either don't tell the whole story, leave off pertinent contradictory info, or lie and distort - and they do this so much of the time that it's clear it is not accidental.

        MSNBC does not do this. They don't present just one side of the story, like FoxNews recently did with the recent discussion on global climate change. They don't leave off relevant data like FoxNews did with the recent Jennings/16 yr old student story. They don't fail to vet those who come on their shows like FoxNews did with the recent ACORN videographers. They don't lie about important details, like Glenn Beck did with regard to Van Jones only thinking about being a communist for a few years, and that he is no longer a communist.

        I could go on and on.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by ReasonAndResolve (October 18, 2009 3:01 pm ET)
          12 1
          Actually, one could argue that MSNBC never really claims to even be a news network. They certainly do not indilge in the 24 hour news cycle like CNN and Fox.

          When we look at the tag lines for Fox (Fair and balanced) and MSNBC (The Place for Politics), two very different claims are being made.

          I have no problem with Fox having an extreme right slant - only with the notion that they are a news network. I assiduously avoid using the word "news" in the title. They are simply "Fox". They have a right to their extreme position, but they have no right to the title "Fox News".
          Report Abuse
          • Author by teabaggers ♥ [wing]NUTS (October 18, 2009 5:25 pm ET)
            6 1
            When we look at the tag lines for Fox (Fair and balanced) and MSNBC (The Place for Politics), two very different claims are being made.


            my thoughts exactly. when you have a slogan that claims it is something that it isnt, you end up having to honor that claim, and when you dont, you look foolish, which is the case with fox.

            msnbc is simply "the place for politics", and thats it. it is straight to the point and true... they are "the place for politics". you dont see msnbc talking about tabloid news or running with stories that are missing pertinent facts.

            needless to say, fox news does.
            Report Abuse
          • Author by baba19 (October 18, 2009 11:01 pm ET)
            6 1
            And how does MSNBC get the left slant? Isn't Morning Joe on MSNBC? I'm always bewildered by the "left slant" claim. Seems Fox just needs a target.
            Report Abuse
        • Author by edrossinoelwein9669 (October 19, 2009 12:37 pm ET)
            3
          So you don't understand the difference between 'opinion' (Glenn Beck) and news? Don't forget your map home from school, sonny.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by Boxer1979 (October 18, 2009 12:26 pm ET)
      13  
      Aravosis: Fox is "a political operation and not a news network"

      No they are:

      [http://authenticorganizations.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/fox-news-logo-lying.jpg]
      Report Abuse
      • Author by puppienrainbows (October 19, 2009 12:09 pm ET)
          4
        The 'pot' calling the 'kettle' black! Calling out Fox for a cut and paste with a cut and paste. Classic librul mush.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by eastcoast (October 18, 2009 2:03 pm ET)
      6 4
      When it comes to fox noise, the only one I like is Shepard Smith.
      I wish he would bail from fox.
      Shep should ask his agent to look into a trade. Smith from fox to CNN for Dobbs.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Frankeee (October 18, 2009 6:39 pm ET)
          4
        Lol, see the movie Outrage on HBO by Kirby Dick. It claims that Shephard is actually a homosexual man working at Fox. I don't know how he still has a job there unless everyone else was closeted, as the film also claims about all of D.C. staffers in politics. The CNN for Dobbs trade would be good, as I also haven't found much reason to look down on Smith through the years. He seems like a conservative guy but not a liar. He would be good for CNN or MSNBC. Better than Pat Buchannon, ugghgh....
        Report Abuse
    • Author by thundavolt (October 18, 2009 2:34 pm ET)
      4  
      All I'm saying is Fox could throw a good theme party, if the theme was "Republican love Democrat hate".
      Report Abuse
    • Author by teabaggers ♥ [wing]NUTS (October 18, 2009 5:16 pm ET)
      5 1
      i love this... we're finally starting a conversation about fox news' real agenda in the media. now they are forced to defend themselves and look stupid.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by vwcat (October 18, 2009 7:02 pm ET)
      6  
      Brody was the one who was more clear in what Fox is about. the opinion people put up bogus stories and issues and the daytime people then drive the message by repeating it thru the day.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by latichever (October 19, 2009 8:26 am ET)
        3  
        I give Broday loads of credit being from CBN. He always seems straight up, in contrast to Kurtz the tool and lackey.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by patachon (October 18, 2009 8:49 pm ET)
      6  
      OMG, prior to his own show where John appeared, Kurtz was on NPR's 'On The Media':
      http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2009/10/16/04

      Kurtz literally tries to deny what even a five year old would know, namely that Fox is a rightwing propaganda network. He tries to wiggle out of it by saying individuals on Fox may be rightwing but the network as a whole isn't.

      Huh? If ever there were a distinction without a difference! The denial here is overwhelming. Why does Kurtz think all the rightwingers watch Fox?

      Then even worse, he indulges in a bit of classic Villager Derangement Syndrome by implying that this whole dispute (whose legitimacy he doesn't have the honesty to acknowledge) is Good News for Fox!

      This is nothing but an example of how the Mighty Wurlitzer circles the wagons.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by latichever (October 19, 2009 8:19 am ET)
        5  
        Juan Williams and Mara Liasson should be fired by NPR. It is against any journalistic code of ethics to work for a political party, i.e., foxnews.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by edrossinoelwein9669 (October 19, 2009 12:42 pm ET)
          5
        "Why does Kurtz think all the rightwingers watch Fox?"
        Why does Fox outdraw all other cables? Must be a lot of rightwingers in the audience. I thought the left was the dominant, the largest voting bloc in America.
        The left is afraid of Fox, because Fox allows another perspective to be heard than the one "controlled by" the Obama administration (their words).
        Report Abuse
        • Author by big_O_Other7415 (October 19, 2009 3:03 pm ET)
          1  
          Also because, as I understand it, Fox comes with basic cable; MSNBC and CNN do not.
          Report Abuse
        • Author by patachon (October 19, 2009 7:38 pm ET)
          3  
          So Fox gets a couple millions viewers. So what? Most of us are far too optimistic about the United States to think the fans of Fox represent anything beyond a fringe minority.

          We're not afraid of Fox. We're just in love with the truth, and the truth is, Fox is a rightwing network. That's why you watch it all the time. And it's hardly a controversy for anyone in the Obama Administration to simply state what everyone knows.

          Jeez, that's all those officials are saying. Get over it.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by bluestate69 (October 19, 2009 2:28 am ET)
      2  
      is howard kurtz still a journalist?? it almost seems as he's jockeying for a job at fox. why would he immediately side with chris wallace? a similar situation happened in the late 90's. the national republican committee threatened cnn that republicans would not come on the network until cnn became more balanced in their favor. i'll remind everyone here about it because it's important. the media portrayed the story very favorably to the republicans, and the then president of cnn sat down with republican leadership and promised more favorable coverage!!!! but in this situation with fox news outright campaigning against obama is different?? how??
      Report Abuse
    • Author by bewildered (October 19, 2009 5:06 am ET)
      2  
      I think the main reason why Fox has high ratings is because Liberals and independants watch all the stations even the ones they disagree with. However, I believe conservatives only watch Fox. I've heard teabaggers time and again say they only watch Fox. I would be interested to see a Poll taken on this.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by SLRTX (October 19, 2009 9:39 am ET)
      3  
      The opposition of the press to a sitting WH administration goes back to the beginning of this country. This isn't new.

      The same can be said about "yellow journalism" (although it didn't get called that until the latter part of the 19th century). Fox applies this as the norm.

      http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/652632/yellow-journalism

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

      Let's call it as we see it - Fox uses distortions of the truth and lies to promote an agenda. Who's agenda? The Republican party, or at least the extreme right-wing elements.

      Example of a Fox lie can be seen here when Major Garrett and Fox edited a clip to claim Gibbs brought up a WH list first, when Garrett clearly did:
      http://mediamatters.org/research/200908150006
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Samurai Cowboy (October 19, 2009 10:08 am ET)
      3  
      In February 2003, a Florida Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with an assertion by FOX News that there is no rule against distorting or falsifying the news in the United States. You can read the entire story at http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/11-the-media-can-legally-lie/
      Report Abuse
    • Author by edrossinoelwein9669 (October 19, 2009 12:31 pm ET)
      1 4
      The fact of the matter is that Fox News is the only major TV news outlet in the United States that gives any hope of unbiased reporting. Obama knows that if they push hard enough, Fox will cave to the left to some extent.
      I refuse to watch CBS, NBC, ABC or Public TV. They are like Hillary - they lie when the truth would be better. An independent news institution is an important part of our freedom, but most of the MSM is so in the tank for socialism/Obama that the odds of them being of any service to the public is very remote. The MSM of today reminds me of that old USSR news outlet - Pravda.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by BravoKilo (October 19, 2009 5:18 pm ET)
           
        The "MSM" is only as liberal as the conservative corporations that own them.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by mescal (October 19, 2009 8:01 pm ET)
        1  
        And you know this because YOU REFUSE TO WATCH THEM?

        I see.

        You do know, don't you, that relying of Faux News to provide you with 'independent analysis' of the MSM is like relying on Pepsi to provide you with 'independent analysis' on coke?

        You're on a fool's errand, Ed.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by edrossinoelwein9669 (October 19, 2009 9:10 pm ET)
            1
          Mescal;
          I watched them for many years. They haven't changed. They haven't changed from the time they declared the U.S. victory during the Tet offensive a loss, they are the same.
          I get my news from the internet. I don't have a functional TV. Why bother? - the faces of the liars change, but the lies keep flowing. Katie Couric is prettier (probably a lot smarter,too) than Dan Rather, but she is the same parrot, different feathers.
          At least Fox apparently doesn't just read the White House Press releases and pretend to be an adversarial press. Even if Fox read GOP talking points (as the White House alleges), at least it would be different drivel.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by starkcr31 (October 19, 2009 12:54 pm ET)
      1 3
      They act like Fox is the only network that's politically motivated. All of them are. It's just bad, apparently, when you're conservative instead of liberal like the others.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by LisaT (October 19, 2009 7:06 pm ET)
         
      So when Fox and all the other national networks air the same story, then all of them are lying? I do not think it is fair that you blatently accuse Fox of lying as if they are the only ones that spin, slant and totally make up stories, facts or figures. We, as a nation have allowed this type of behavior, even encouraged it, now you want to complain. How many of you actually took this report as fact without finding out the sources of the information? Do you verify the news everytime you hear it? No, not if it caters to your own party line. Too many spout their party propaganda like it is scripture, often without thinking of the consequences. Change it, hold all journalists accountable, or drop it, this kind of finger pointing does nothing but fan the hate between the left and the right which are both right and both wrong in many ideologies.
      Report Abuse