Another FNC hit piece…
Alternet turns in what I can only consider to be a hit piece on FNC…
Fox presents itself as an organization devoted to professional journalism (”Fair and Balanced,” “the most powerful name in news,” etc.), and it enjoys the highest ratings share of the three major cable news networks. But how can a news network be taken seriously when it constantly airs footage of nearly naked women and then complains about TV becoming too raunchy? How can a news network be taken seriously when its female employees are treated in an unprofessional manner and objectified on the air?
This is patently absurd. Some people may not like the way they present the news and some people may not like it for ideological reasons or the opinions of some of their prime time hosts. But at the end of the day it’s still a news network. It presents the news in a professional manner.
OMG Spud!! In a professional manner…it delivers news? Come on!! You’re on FNC’s payroll aren’t ya? What FNC is does is talk radio on TV. They TALK about the news.
Comment by Anon — March 2, 2006 @ 11:45 pm
Shouldn’t we be talking about all the plastic surgery freaks Paula Zahn dedicates a whole hour to? And Larry King never ceases to amaze with his guests. Tonight on AC 360, the “police chase school” piece has been aired twice in two hours…
Comment by anonymous — March 3, 2006 @ 12:36 am
If it was called “FOX Talk” or “FOX Opinion” or “FOX Magazine” Network no one would have a problem with it–but NO WAY is it a “NEWS” network.
Comment by museglet — March 3, 2006 @ 1:59 am
Spud, I finally have to part with you on something again. “Professional” and “Fox News” don’t even belong together on the same page. In fact, “Fox” and “News” don’t belong together on the same page.
And the most UNprofessional thing about Fox is the way they go after their perceived enemies. Attacking them personally, implying they’re all sad, pathetic human beings nobody loves who are halfway to suicide, and then of course adding “We wish them well.” Yeah, that’s really professional. Oh, and don’t forget the way they always attack any other network or personality who dares to criticize them or makes them feel threatened: by trumpeting their superior ratings, ratings, ratings!!!!
Comment by tanne — March 3, 2006 @ 7:17 am
So carrying captions beneath stories that suggest civil war is in fact a good thing for Iraq or better yet–that civil war in Iraq is some sort of “liberal plot” is “professional” journalism? Sorry but that piece is dead-on. Fox has the most tarted up, trampy looking anchor women in existence, seems to have a fascination with having on half-naked women in stories and then decries the lack of “values” in Hollywood and the media at large, yet they themselves are as gulity. I mean, come on, Rupert Murdoch owns Fox–the raunchiest of the broadcast networks. Yet oddly–Fox is never included in any critique on the media on the airwaves of Fox News. Why would that be?
This isn’t a hit piece. This is the truth. Ah, but the truth is a rare commodity these days isn’t it?
Comment by JaneDoh — March 3, 2006 @ 9:52 am
Dear JaneDoh,
It’s obvious you are quite the jealous babe-o-phobe, aren’t you. FNC does do news better than everyone else. News items are just news items….it’s all in the presentation. The ultimate object is to provide the news to the MOST viewers. That’s how the success game is played in TV NEWS. Now as long as the news is reported to me I really don’t care to watch unstimulating TV. If that’s what I wanted I’d sit and WATCH my radio. If FNC wants to have goddesses give me the news half dressed then all the better. Sure beats Morley Safer (what a bore HE is). If he would only work in Speedos. On the other hand…maybe not.
Comment by Roger C. — March 3, 2006 @ 10:31 am
Spud actually defending Fox? Now thats a story !!!!
Comment by JR — March 3, 2006 @ 11:34 am
This story was written by somebody at Media Matters. Enough said.
Comment by Arthur — March 3, 2006 @ 12:39 pm
Have you ever worked in news Roger? Please don’t lecture me on what success is in television news because it’s very obvious you haven’t a clue nor have you worked within the industry.
Anyone who has can tell you one simple truth: What Fox does is not journalism. Oh sure, the rabid right-wing just loves them–not to mention dumb rednecks who have shoe sizes larger than their IQ and apparently get off seeing tarted up anchor women on their tv screens.
What Fox is expert at is propaganda, spinning, and baiting, not to mention creation of false news “stories”, like the “War on Christmas”. Dont get me wrong-they do what they do brilliantly–it’s just not news. It’s opinion disgused as fact and they count on the stupidity of the vast amount of their audience to confuse the two.
And re the appearance of their on-air “talent”? I’ve seen hookers with less makeup on. While no network is going to put an ugly anchor on air, the tarting and whoring up of the females on Fox tells you so much about how that network is run on every level. It’s not enough to actually spread the propaganda, you have to literally look like a whore while doing it too.
I would love to have seen any other network put a graphic up under a story that claimed Civil War in Iraq was a good thing. They would have been ripped apart in 1000 different directions–but somehow Fox does it and no one is brave enough to say a word about it.
It may be great theater, but it’s lousy news. Don’t confuse the two.
Comment by JaneDoh — March 3, 2006 @ 12:50 pm
Janedoh: Have YOU ever worked in news?
Comment by Ira — March 3, 2006 @ 1:05 pm
JaneDoh - You are obviously very unhappy, and I’m sorry you’ve got the life you have. I’m also sorry you work at a less watched network, and may be unattractive with minimal talent. But you can get help for your troubles, which is much more constructive than lashing out at others who are doing well and exceling in their lives and careers.
Comment by Anonymous — March 3, 2006 @ 1:44 pm
I work in news. AND what FNC does IS NOT NEWS! If you wanna get down to the nitty gritty NEWS can be neither FAIR OR BALANCED. News is the telling of facts to get the story out. FACTS is the key word. Now in the debates you quite frequently see and hear on FNC, they need to be fair and balanced BUT just about it. FNC is talk radio on tv. And the poor ignorant fools that believe the crap they tell. I wish them well.
Comment by Dude — March 3, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
I’ve seen FNC described as the New York Post on cable TV. I think that hit the nail on the head…
Comment by Al — March 3, 2006 @ 3:29 pm
It’s unfortunate that such an excellent blog is tarnished by people who become unhinged at the mention of Fox. There’s not a lot of difference between any of these networks. The formats are the same, and they cover the same stories. If one network is propaganda, then they are all propagandistic. It’s too bad that people can’t contain their emotions, and have to resort to stereotyping and insulting others to make an argument. Primetime Fox is opinion programming, and no network does a better job of including opposing viewpoints than Fox, which is just one reason for its success. Sheppard Smith is straight news. There’s no propaganda there. And Special report with Brit Hume is a high quality news show, one of the best on all television. Critics of Fox are going to have to do a better job of deconstructing it. Or at the very least start giving examples of its propaganda.
Comment by Peter — March 3, 2006 @ 3:50 pm