We distort, you decide?
March 15, 2007 11:19 AM Subscribe
If you love to hate Fox News, this blogger has thoughtfully collected a number of Fox's more outrageous on-screen captions and website nonsense from the past few years. (Nice to see John Gibson admit he's a weakling.) [via]
Ha. Like "Upside to a civil war". How foolish of the other networks to ignore it; plays straight to the terrorists.
posted by rhymer at 11:24 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by rhymer at 11:24 AM on March 15, 2007
All TV news sucks, Fox just sucks worse. What is it about being on TV that makes journalists turn into morons?
posted by DU at 11:32 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by DU at 11:32 AM on March 15, 2007
the last pic is the best.
posted by quarter waters and a bag of chips at 11:34 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by quarter waters and a bag of chips at 11:34 AM on March 15, 2007
No, no no -- we distort; you deride.
posted by pax digita at 11:34 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by pax digita at 11:34 AM on March 15, 2007
So, let me get this straight: if I love to hate Fox News that this blogger will have thoughtfully collected a number of Fox's more outrageous on-screen captions and website nonsense from the past few years? But if I don't, then he won't have?
I never realized I had so much power over the blogosphere.
posted by googly at 11:36 AM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
I never realized I had so much power over the blogosphere.
posted by googly at 11:36 AM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
What is it about being on TV that makes journalists turn into morons?
If we actually still had a manufacturing sector, these people would all be pushing brooms along the shop floor. Media exists to give jobs to people that otherwise cannot create or manage anything. Television news generally attracts the worst, but most egotistical of that bunch.
posted by psmealey at 11:41 AM on March 15, 2007
If we actually still had a manufacturing sector, these people would all be pushing brooms along the shop floor. Media exists to give jobs to people that otherwise cannot create or manage anything. Television news generally attracts the worst, but most egotistical of that bunch.
posted by psmealey at 11:41 AM on March 15, 2007
Or alternatively try Newshounds: "We watch Fox so you don't have to." I've found it a much more efficient way to get myself all wound up.
posted by meech at 11:42 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by meech at 11:42 AM on March 15, 2007
Those who cannot do....... report?
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:43 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:43 AM on March 15, 2007
He *was* found not guilty on one of the five counts
He was charged with two counts of lying to FBI investigators and convicted on one.
The statement "SCOOTER LIBBY FOUND NOT GUILTY OF LYING TO FBI INVESTIGATORS" is technically true in the same sense that the statement "DICK CHENEY DID NOT SHOOT HUNTING BUDDY IN THE FACE" is true, because for the set of all people who are hunting buddies of Dick Cheney, there exists at least one person who was not shot in the face.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 11:43 AM on March 15, 2007 [14 favorites]
He was charged with two counts of lying to FBI investigators and convicted on one.
The statement "SCOOTER LIBBY FOUND NOT GUILTY OF LYING TO FBI INVESTIGATORS" is technically true in the same sense that the statement "DICK CHENEY DID NOT SHOOT HUNTING BUDDY IN THE FACE" is true, because for the set of all people who are hunting buddies of Dick Cheney, there exists at least one person who was not shot in the face.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 11:43 AM on March 15, 2007 [14 favorites]
Actually, I'm a bit split on fox news. I realize it's biased and pushing an agenda I disagree with, but some of these gaffs strike me as being more a product of sloppiness than malice.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:47 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:47 AM on March 15, 2007
"All TV news sucks, Fox just sucks worse. What is it about being on TV that makes journalists turn into morons?"
I think the point is that Fox ISN'T moronic. Rather they engage in a systematic and thorough agenda designed to make the right (and this administration) look good and the left to look like communists.
This is being done ON PURPOSE. Look at all those 'mistake' screen shots.
Sad thing is that it worked for so long.
posted by UseyurBrain at 11:47 AM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
I think the point is that Fox ISN'T moronic. Rather they engage in a systematic and thorough agenda designed to make the right (and this administration) look good and the left to look like communists.
This is being done ON PURPOSE. Look at all those 'mistake' screen shots.
Sad thing is that it worked for so long.
posted by UseyurBrain at 11:47 AM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
The statement "SCOOTER LIBBY FOUND NOT GUILTY OF LYING TO FBI INVESTIGATORS" is technically true in the same sense that the statement "DICK CHENEY DID NOT SHOOT HUNTING BUDDY IN THE FACE" is true, because for the set of all people who are hunting buddies of Dick Cheney, there exists at least one person who was not shot in the face.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 11:43 AM PST on March 15 [+]
You're being deliberately disingenuous. The man was found guilty on 4 out of 5 counts. He was found not guilty on one of them. What I'm saying is, without seeing the video, I have no way of knowing if they didn't report the guilty verdicts and selectively reported the not guilty.
posted by proj at 11:54 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by Armitage Shanks at 11:43 AM PST on March 15 [+]
You're being deliberately disingenuous. The man was found guilty on 4 out of 5 counts. He was found not guilty on one of them. What I'm saying is, without seeing the video, I have no way of knowing if they didn't report the guilty verdicts and selectively reported the not guilty.
posted by proj at 11:54 AM on March 15, 2007
proj, then explain this one. It seems fairly obvious what their agenda was on this story.
posted by chundo at 11:58 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by chundo at 11:58 AM on March 15, 2007
That last picture, of the reporter standing on a tech crate, is really priceless. TV people would let producers have their mothers and their wives to be on the air. The fact this guy risks public humiliation is just the icing on the cake.
posted by parmanparman at 11:58 AM on March 15, 2007
posted by parmanparman at 11:58 AM on March 15, 2007
I'm not defending Fox in any way, really, even if some of these are due to sloppiness, it shows that Fox is unworthy of its mission to be a news source. It may be that Fox is so concerned with its politics it ignores the day to day work of editing its screen graphics.
Really, does anyone now think that Foley is a democrat? No it's just a dumb mistake. Other headlines like "Iraq less violent than DC?" show an actual attempt to propagandize. I think it's important to distinguish Fox being sloppy and Fox trying to push its right-wing agenda. While the two are related, it seems to dilute the point to mix (possible) mistakes with clearly intentional distortions.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:59 AM on March 15, 2007
Really, does anyone now think that Foley is a democrat? No it's just a dumb mistake. Other headlines like "Iraq less violent than DC?" show an actual attempt to propagandize. I think it's important to distinguish Fox being sloppy and Fox trying to push its right-wing agenda. While the two are related, it seems to dilute the point to mix (possible) mistakes with clearly intentional distortions.
posted by elwoodwiles at 11:59 AM on March 15, 2007
This is being done ON PURPOSE. Look at all those 'mistake' screen shots.
Sad thing is that it worked for so long.
Worked? Has it stopped working, and no one told me? From what I can tell, Fox News is still going very, very strong. I visited my relatives in the South recently and got a bigger dose of Fox News than I would have thought imaginable.
posted by gurple at 11:59 AM on March 15, 2007
Sad thing is that it worked for so long.
Worked? Has it stopped working, and no one told me? From what I can tell, Fox News is still going very, very strong. I visited my relatives in the South recently and got a bigger dose of Fox News than I would have thought imaginable.
posted by gurple at 11:59 AM on March 15, 2007
Chundo: I am finding myself in the unfortunate position of defending Fox News here (which is not my goal at all). I explain that one by saying that it's Hannity & Colmes and is deliberately misleading.
I never said Fox News doesn't lie, distort, and deliberately misrepresent! I'm just saying that if you want to chide someone for being dishonest or distorting, you need to be careful that you don't engage in misrepresentation yourself.
posted by proj at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2007
I never said Fox News doesn't lie, distort, and deliberately misrepresent! I'm just saying that if you want to chide someone for being dishonest or distorting, you need to be careful that you don't engage in misrepresentation yourself.
posted by proj at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2007
This is being done ON PURPOSE. Look at all those 'mistake' screen shots.
This is the only conspiracy theory in the world I kinda take seriously. I think this may be what conservatives call humor. Its like a big FU to traditional reporting, aiming for accuracy, non-bias, etc. Its a texas cowboy saying "Yeah, we fucked with the caption sometimes because we arent pansy liberals." I think the audience just loves that. Could be just a joker in the control room who is reminded what he is doing is wrong but with a wink.
posted by damn dirty ape at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2007
This is the only conspiracy theory in the world I kinda take seriously. I think this may be what conservatives call humor. Its like a big FU to traditional reporting, aiming for accuracy, non-bias, etc. Its a texas cowboy saying "Yeah, we fucked with the caption sometimes because we arent pansy liberals." I think the audience just loves that. Could be just a joker in the control room who is reminded what he is doing is wrong but with a wink.
posted by damn dirty ape at 12:01 PM on March 15, 2007
Elwood wiles-- I'm not sure that you and I actually disagree-- some of the stupid stuff they put onscreen is part of working at a fast-paced place-- but the fix is in at Fox News, on purpose.
Here's a bit about the memos that go out every day from Fox higher-ups dictating how to spin the day's news. The network, run by a former GOP executive who sometimes advises the party despite his supposed role as a journalist, promotes ignorance and misperceptions [pdf study on Fox viewers' false beliefs, ie that Saddam was behind 9/11] that GOP advisors find useful.
posted by ibmcginty at 12:03 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
Here's a bit about the memos that go out every day from Fox higher-ups dictating how to spin the day's news. The network, run by a former GOP executive who sometimes advises the party despite his supposed role as a journalist, promotes ignorance and misperceptions [pdf study on Fox viewers' false beliefs, ie that Saddam was behind 9/11] that GOP advisors find useful.
posted by ibmcginty at 12:03 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
My favorite: "Scientists discover shopping is good for the brain" which reads like those disembodied conversations Homer Simpson has with himself when trying to justify something.
posted by geoff. at 12:15 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by geoff. at 12:15 PM on March 15, 2007
Stupid. You can do the same thing with CNN, MSNBC, etc. showing bias against conservatives. Just another lefty whiner.
posted by tadellin at 12:16 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by tadellin at 12:16 PM on March 15, 2007
You can do the same thing with CNN, MSNBC, etc. showing bias against conservatives. Just another lefty whiner.
I don't know from MSNBC, but CNN appears to be mainly biased towards the brain-dead.
posted by COBRA! at 12:25 PM on March 15, 2007
I don't know from MSNBC, but CNN appears to be mainly biased towards the brain-dead.
posted by COBRA! at 12:25 PM on March 15, 2007
Stupid. You can do the same thing with CNN, MSNBC, etc. showing bias against conservatives. Just another lefty whiner.
posted by tadellin
yeah, stupid.
ain't ya' never heard of the damn liberal media?
huh!
go cry to mama why don'tcha'?
megadittoes Rush!!!
posted by nofundy at 12:28 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by tadellin
yeah, stupid.
ain't ya' never heard of the damn liberal media?
huh!
go cry to mama why don'tcha'?
megadittoes Rush!!!
posted by nofundy at 12:28 PM on March 15, 2007
You're being deliberately disingenuous. The man was found guilty on 4 out of 5 counts. He was found not guilty on one of them.
He was charged with two counts of lying to the FBI. He was acquitted on one. He was convicted on one.
If that headline appeared only at the moment the 'not guilty' verdict was read, and was replaced with the oppostite headline when the corresponding 'guilty' verdict was read, it could make sense. At any other time, it's at the very least ambiguous.
But you're right, I can't be sure it didn't play out that way without seeing the tape.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 12:29 PM on March 15, 2007
He was charged with two counts of lying to the FBI. He was acquitted on one. He was convicted on one.
If that headline appeared only at the moment the 'not guilty' verdict was read, and was replaced with the oppostite headline when the corresponding 'guilty' verdict was read, it could make sense. At any other time, it's at the very least ambiguous.
But you're right, I can't be sure it didn't play out that way without seeing the tape.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 12:29 PM on March 15, 2007
Brain dead news is funny! LOL.
posted by miss lynnster at 12:30 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by miss lynnster at 12:30 PM on March 15, 2007
CNN reports that the space shuttle travels at 18 times the speed of light.
We get it. News editors suck, and the ones at Fox News not only suck, but they're also partisan hacks.
This is not news.
posted by PEAK OIL at 12:36 PM on March 15, 2007
We get it. News editors suck, and the ones at Fox News not only suck, but they're also partisan hacks.
This is not news.
posted by PEAK OIL at 12:36 PM on March 15, 2007
Mefi's own (and former roomate of mine) fidgets has a similar but much less depressing project going on with CNN's often outrageous headlines.
posted by nathancaswell at 12:38 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by nathancaswell at 12:38 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
Some of these shots could be incompetence. However, when you've proven to be deliberately disingenuous at times you lose the benefit of the doubt IMHO. It's not saying much when you can't tell the difference between incompetent and agenda driven material on a network.
posted by dig_duggler at 12:41 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by dig_duggler at 12:41 PM on March 15, 2007
You can do the same thing with CNN, MSNBC, etc. showing bias against conservatives.
OK, go ahead and do it then.
posted by drezdn at 12:45 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
OK, go ahead and do it then.
posted by drezdn at 12:45 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
Stupid. You can do the same thing with CNN, MSNBC, etc. showing bias against conservatives. Just another lefty whiner.
Show me two examples of completely false information in CNN's headlines.
posted by inigo2 at 12:52 PM on March 15, 2007
Show me two examples of completely false information in CNN's headlines.
posted by inigo2 at 12:52 PM on March 15, 2007
I hope you enjoy the sound of crickets in the afternoon.
posted by trondant at 12:53 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by trondant at 12:53 PM on March 15, 2007
I'd like to see someone do the same for the other news networks in order to gain an understanding of how often these sorts of gaffes happen in general. As it stands now I feel that the information presented is a little out of context and therefore misleading.
I'm not trying to decry this blogger's collected findings, I just don't have enough knowledge of the TV news industry as a whole to draw any conclusions from them.
posted by smackwich at 1:00 PM on March 15, 2007
I'm not trying to decry this blogger's collected findings, I just don't have enough knowledge of the TV news industry as a whole to draw any conclusions from them.
posted by smackwich at 1:00 PM on March 15, 2007
"Scientists discover shopping is good for the brain" which reads like those disembodied conversations Homer Simpson has with himself when trying to justify something.
Actually it reminds me of the kind of "news features" you might find in an 80s-era sci-fi dystopia movie like Robocop or The Running Man.
posted by deanc at 1:06 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
Actually it reminds me of the kind of "news features" you might find in an 80s-era sci-fi dystopia movie like Robocop or The Running Man.
posted by deanc at 1:06 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
I'm not trying to decry this blogger's collected findings, I just don't have enough knowledge of the TV news industry as a whole to draw any conclusions from them.
I think there's a mix of things in there. Obvious errors, and then just some examples of partisan insanity, like the claims that civil war might be a good thing.
I just don't see the point of the post though. At this point either you've figured out that Fox news is propaganda, or you are so far gone that there's no point in trying to communicate with you.
Either way, the post does not good.
posted by PEAK OIL at 1:07 PM on March 15, 2007
I'd like to see someone do the same for the other news networks in order to gain an understanding of how often these sorts of gaffes happen in general.
Gaffes? Fox News is not gaffeing smackwich. They are completely serious.
posted by three blind mice at 1:09 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
Gaffes? Fox News is not gaffeing smackwich. They are completely serious.
posted by three blind mice at 1:09 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
Look, I hate FOX News as much as anybody who wants to keep his Metafilter cred, but I used to produce, direct, and edit live news. Guess what, it's fast, shit changes at the last minute, and there is some poor guy sitting at the CGI machine all day going crazy trying to keep up with changing the graphics to match the story. Between all the vetting that a story script gets and all the various copies passed around, there will ALWAYS be fuck ups every day, especially in the live or 24 hour news categories. Particularly when it's usually really young interns who are in charge of distributing or typing a lot of this stuff.
Yeah, some of it is clearly egregious and maliciously done, but THE VAST MAJORITY is due to the nature of the biz.
posted by spicynuts at 1:12 PM on March 15, 2007
Yeah, some of it is clearly egregious and maliciously done, but THE VAST MAJORITY is due to the nature of the biz.
posted by spicynuts at 1:12 PM on March 15, 2007
I'd like to see someone do the same for the other news networks in order to gain an understanding of how often these sorts of gaffes happen in general.
The gaffes do happen - but given Fox's particular ideological bias, they take on a more meaningful significance.
I mean, come on - the Foley thing, I can't believe someong "goofed" and placed the "D" there by accident. That's too big a goof, too prominent a story (particularly by that point, where he was already a "former" congressman). Some of these things, they smack of "fuck you" - like the one below the Foley thing, "Democrat scandals."
posted by kgasmart at 1:13 PM on March 15, 2007
The gaffes do happen - but given Fox's particular ideological bias, they take on a more meaningful significance.
I mean, come on - the Foley thing, I can't believe someong "goofed" and placed the "D" there by accident. That's too big a goof, too prominent a story (particularly by that point, where he was already a "former" congressman). Some of these things, they smack of "fuck you" - like the one below the Foley thing, "Democrat scandals."
posted by kgasmart at 1:13 PM on March 15, 2007
That's too big a goof, too prominent a story (particularly by that point, where he was already a "former" congressman)
Too big a goof? You could have had a 19 year old sorority girl intern creating the CGI for that story who doesn't give a shit about politics and has no idea whether Bill Clinton is a D or R let alone Mark Foley. It is absolutely possible.
posted by spicynuts at 1:24 PM on March 15, 2007
Too big a goof? You could have had a 19 year old sorority girl intern creating the CGI for that story who doesn't give a shit about politics and has no idea whether Bill Clinton is a D or R let alone Mark Foley. It is absolutely possible.
posted by spicynuts at 1:24 PM on March 15, 2007
Not possible. The whole reason Foley was a story was that the fact that he was a republican (R) and the election was imminent and this exeplified the corruption of the Republican (R) party.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:26 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 1:26 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
Anyway, these doofuses are amateurs. They need to take lessons from a real master like Matt Drudge. I swear that *every time* he has a global warming headline, it's always in a group of three like this:
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:32 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
SCIENTISTS CLAIM POLAR ICE CAP MELTINGIt's genius. The last headline is *always* some dumb local story about how it's snowing like hell or really really really cold somewhere in the world. Because he's, you know, fair and balanced.
FASTER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
UN STUDY GROUP WARNS OF
"UNPRECEDENTED CALAMITY"
IF GLOBAL WARMING NOT HALTED
FREAK SNOWSTORM HITS DENVER -- IN JULY!
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:32 PM on March 15, 2007 [2 favorites]
I can't believe someong "goofed" and placed the "D" there by accident
They could have been over-typing an older key for a democrat. And as spicynuts points out in can be chaos in a live news environment.
I used to work in news as well and have a story a little off topic: I met this guy at a party and he told me how he was doing his thesis on gender bias in the media, one of his angles was what stories were given to the male and female newsreaders to read on the station I worked for. He gave me all these examples of the female being given the soft stories and the male all the hard news. The thing is the readers were assigned male, female, male alternating. If the male started the news one day, then the female would start it the next. The stories would get re-ordered while we were on air so the nice alternating pattern would change but that was the plan. He didn't believe me an insisted there was a bias in the pattern he had observed.
Obviously Fox is bad but some of it is honest mistakes and some of it is the viewer looking for bias. We shouldn't let these cases distract from when Fox is genuinely biased.
posted by meech at 1:35 PM on March 15, 2007
They could have been over-typing an older key for a democrat. And as spicynuts points out in can be chaos in a live news environment.
I used to work in news as well and have a story a little off topic: I met this guy at a party and he told me how he was doing his thesis on gender bias in the media, one of his angles was what stories were given to the male and female newsreaders to read on the station I worked for. He gave me all these examples of the female being given the soft stories and the male all the hard news. The thing is the readers were assigned male, female, male alternating. If the male started the news one day, then the female would start it the next. The stories would get re-ordered while we were on air so the nice alternating pattern would change but that was the plan. He didn't believe me an insisted there was a bias in the pattern he had observed.
Obviously Fox is bad but some of it is honest mistakes and some of it is the viewer looking for bias. We shouldn't let these cases distract from when Fox is genuinely biased.
posted by meech at 1:35 PM on March 15, 2007
Man, I'm so sick of the head up their asses "don't claim maliciousness when incompetence will do" rhetoric.
Get real. Sure, a newsroom is a fast paced environment, but this is the highest rated national news channel in the wealthiest most powerful nation in the world.
These aren't local yokel tv channel people poking at a video toaster, for chrissakes.
If you've got a career in media, and you work at one of the biggies, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc., you're at the top of your field. Yes mistakes occasionally happen, but this stuff is vetted. There is oversight. There is quality control going on.
This shit at Fox, this isn't incompetence, this isn't laziness, this is directed, intentional spin from a glossy propaganda factory.
You're a fool or a liar if you claim otherwise.
posted by stenseng at 1:38 PM on March 15, 2007 [7 favorites]
Get real. Sure, a newsroom is a fast paced environment, but this is the highest rated national news channel in the wealthiest most powerful nation in the world.
These aren't local yokel tv channel people poking at a video toaster, for chrissakes.
If you've got a career in media, and you work at one of the biggies, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc., you're at the top of your field. Yes mistakes occasionally happen, but this stuff is vetted. There is oversight. There is quality control going on.
This shit at Fox, this isn't incompetence, this isn't laziness, this is directed, intentional spin from a glossy propaganda factory.
You're a fool or a liar if you claim otherwise.
posted by stenseng at 1:38 PM on March 15, 2007 [7 favorites]
Actually it reminds me of the kind of "news features" you might find in an 80s-era sci-fi dystopia movie like Robocop or The Running Man.
that's what i thought too,watching that video. 'this looks like TV in Robocop's world.'
or Starship Troopers.
(Verhoeven directed both i think)
posted by Miles Long at 1:50 PM on March 15, 2007
If these are just mistakes as some claim, then Fox must make some errors to the left, right? Show us these errors. Make a video of them.
once is an exception. twice a fluke. but these pages are full of them.
posted by Miles Long at 1:53 PM on March 15, 2007
once is an exception. twice a fluke. but these pages are full of them.
posted by Miles Long at 1:53 PM on March 15, 2007
I want to know what happened to the sheep in the garbage can.
posted by ninjew at 1:57 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ninjew at 1:57 PM on March 15, 2007
See, much of this thread just confirms the basis for - and success of - Fox News Channel. Merely positing any theory that doesn't fall in line with the traditional MSM - like FNC does sometimes - means that it is out-and-out evil, wrong, stupid, blah blah blah.
posted by davidmsc at 2:00 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by davidmsc at 2:00 PM on March 15, 2007
Merely positing any theory that doesn't fall in line with the traditional MSM - like FNC does sometimes
So true. For instance, take "CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ: MADE UP BY THE MEDIA?" Or, "ALL OUT CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ: COULD IT BE A GOOD THING?" Or even "UPSIDE TO CIVIL WAR". Not only are they fascinating theories, but they show Fox's ability to evolve from denying there's a civil war at all to celebrating it! Fuck yeah!
posted by Armitage Shanks at 2:06 PM on March 15, 2007
So true. For instance, take "CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ: MADE UP BY THE MEDIA?" Or, "ALL OUT CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ: COULD IT BE A GOOD THING?" Or even "UPSIDE TO CIVIL WAR". Not only are they fascinating theories, but they show Fox's ability to evolve from denying there's a civil war at all to celebrating it! Fuck yeah!
posted by Armitage Shanks at 2:06 PM on March 15, 2007
See this link, for more about that questionable use of the question mark. Something FNC excels at. Although the other channels are most certainly guilty of it. Jon Stewart did a segment on it, but the clip got pulled from the tubes.
posted by ninjew at 2:13 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ninjew at 2:13 PM on March 15, 2007
You can do the same thing with CNN, MSNBC, etc. showing bias against conservatives. J
I think you have mistaken 'bias against' for actual reporting of prevarication and misdeeds. CNN et al have their faults, but 'liberal bias' is typical, made-up, right-wing propaganda bs. Like pretty much eveything on Fox. You don't even have to try to figure out their agenda, they walk up and slap you in the face with it saying "HERE IS MY AGENDA, BUT DON'T CALL IT AN AGENDA, YOU DAMN LIBRUL COMMIE FAG, OR I WILL SCREAM BIAS FROM EVERY DISTRIBUTION OUTLET MURDOCH POSSESSES."
Really, it's retarded. And people that buy into it are equally retarded. So there.
posted by Sparx at 2:17 PM on March 15, 2007
I think you have mistaken 'bias against' for actual reporting of prevarication and misdeeds. CNN et al have their faults, but 'liberal bias' is typical, made-up, right-wing propaganda bs. Like pretty much eveything on Fox. You don't even have to try to figure out their agenda, they walk up and slap you in the face with it saying "HERE IS MY AGENDA, BUT DON'T CALL IT AN AGENDA, YOU DAMN LIBRUL COMMIE FAG, OR I WILL SCREAM BIAS FROM EVERY DISTRIBUTION OUTLET MURDOCH POSSESSES."
Really, it's retarded. And people that buy into it are equally retarded. So there.
posted by Sparx at 2:17 PM on March 15, 2007
Note that the blogger is Larry Johnson, a former CIA agent and counter-terrorism expert.
Check out this story, from Ken Auletta's New Yorker profile of Roger Ailes:
posted by russilwvong at 2:19 PM on March 15, 2007
Check out this story, from Ken Auletta's New Yorker profile of Roger Ailes:
One morning not long ago, the co-hosts of "Fox & Friends," the Fox News network's raucous and right-leaning version of the "Today" show, were promoting Fox-branded merchandise such as baseball caps and soap-on-a-rope when Steve Doocy, a co-anchor, turned to his partner, E. D. Hill, and said, "You know who's really jealous about our merchandising?" Doocy, who doubles as the weatherman, answered his own question: "My dentist is so jealous. You've seen him on TV--Aaron Brown. You know, the guy on CNN--he does that show at night? He just works nights over there. But during the day he's our dentist. Do we have a picture?"Apparently White House televisions are always tuned to Fox News. No wonder Bush and Cheney are out of touch with reality. They're living in the echo chamber.
Up popped a grim photograph of CNN's principal nighttime anchor, Aaron Brown. "That man looks just like a dentist, doesn't he?" Doocy said, and soon he and Hill were chatting about whether Brown was a good dentist and what he charged for a cleaning. Brown's picture lingered on the screen for a full minute, over bold, block-lettered captions: "AARON BROWN DDS," followed by "MOLAR MAN," followed by "ARROGANT BROWN."
That bit of intramural japery, which aired on December 13, 2001, was choreographed by Roger Ailes, the chairman and C.E.O. of the sometimes raucous and right-leaning Fox News. Ailes was trying to strike back at Brown for publicly "putting us down," he says. "I don't ignore anything. Somebody gets in my face, I get in their face." Ailes requires enemies the way a tank requires fuel, and as he contemplated retaliation he kept thinking, I know someone who looks like Aaron Brown. Then it came to him. He telephoned Doocy, telling him, "Steve, just say that Aaron's your dentist. Then have your co-anchor say, 'He's not a dentist. He's on CNN!' " Ailes, a man of Falstaffian girth, roared with laughter, and continued, "I said, 'Doocy, no matter what happens, even if they torture you, say he's your dentist!' " For two days, Doocy followed this script, and for two days, Ailes recalled fondly, "I'm sitting here laughing my ass off."
Aaron Brown, for his part, was not laughing his ass off. "I thought it was sort of juvenile," he said. "This is a little game they play. It's Roger's game. Roger seeks to define his political or journalistic opponents and destroy them."
posted by russilwvong at 2:19 PM on March 15, 2007
this isn't actually from Larry C Johnson @ NoQuarter.
it was originally from Welcome to Pottersville... which Larry credits in his posting.
posted by pruner at 2:19 PM on March 15, 2007
it was originally from Welcome to Pottersville... which Larry credits in his posting.
posted by pruner at 2:19 PM on March 15, 2007
Oops, thanks for the correction.
posted by russilwvong at 2:27 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by russilwvong at 2:27 PM on March 15, 2007
They need to take lessons from a real master like Matt Drudge.
Drudge never forgets to post when it's cold out.
posted by PEAK OIL at 2:27 PM on March 15, 2007
Drudge never forgets to post when it's cold out.
posted by PEAK OIL at 2:27 PM on March 15, 2007
Brown's picture lingered on the screen for a full minute, over bold, block-lettered captions: "AARON BROWN DDS," followed by "MOLAR MAN," followed by "ARROGANT BROWN."
That's actually pretty funny. Maybe those guys should do the wingnut Daily Show instead of the losers they hired.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 2:30 PM on March 15, 2007
That's actually pretty funny. Maybe those guys should do the wingnut Daily Show instead of the losers they hired.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 2:30 PM on March 15, 2007
Just so y'all know, "this blogger" is Larry C. Johnson. Ex-CIA, ex-State Department counter-terrorism expert. Johnson has actually appeared on FOX as an analyst.
I think this may be what conservatives call humor. Its like a big FU to traditional reporting, aiming for accuracy, non-bias, etc. Its a texas cowboy saying "Yeah, we fucked with the caption sometimes because we arent pansy liberals." I think the audience just loves that.
damn dirty ape nailed it. They're not dumb. They think their audience is either dumb, or in on the joke.
In fact, little digs like "Mark Foley (D-FL)" could actually be seen as parting shots at Foley. "Tee hee! We called him a Democrat! That's worse than calling someone a faggot! Aren't all faggots democrats anyway?"
The mindset there is so far up its ass it comes out the other side. Remember, when Coulter said her bit last month, there was a collective gasp ... but then everyone laughed and applauded.
To them, that's fun.
posted by dhartung at 2:44 PM on March 15, 2007
I think this may be what conservatives call humor. Its like a big FU to traditional reporting, aiming for accuracy, non-bias, etc. Its a texas cowboy saying "Yeah, we fucked with the caption sometimes because we arent pansy liberals." I think the audience just loves that.
damn dirty ape nailed it. They're not dumb. They think their audience is either dumb, or in on the joke.
In fact, little digs like "Mark Foley (D-FL)" could actually be seen as parting shots at Foley. "Tee hee! We called him a Democrat! That's worse than calling someone a faggot! Aren't all faggots democrats anyway?"
The mindset there is so far up its ass it comes out the other side. Remember, when Coulter said her bit last month, there was a collective gasp ... but then everyone laughed and applauded.
To them, that's fun.
posted by dhartung at 2:44 PM on March 15, 2007
Mod note: Rejiggered the link to the source blog; Larry's repost is in the [via] now.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:55 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:55 PM on March 15, 2007
positing any theory that doesn't fall in line with the traditional MSM - like FNC does sometimes - means that it is out-and-out evil, wrong, stupid, blah blah blah.
Yeah, really. Leave it to the MSM to just assert that Mark Foley is a Republican without addressing all the theories.Teach Report the controversy!
posted by aaronetc at 3:11 PM on March 15, 2007
Yeah, really. Leave it to the MSM to just assert that Mark Foley is a Republican without addressing all the theories.
posted by aaronetc at 3:11 PM on March 15, 2007
What's really ironic is that so-called conservatives get all up in arms about talk of bias at Fox (hi Dad!). That case for bias is up-front: it's obvious. Fox News is run by Republicans. Avowed Repulicans, professional Republicans. Their tilt to the right is impossible to deny; their bias to the right is very difficult to deny. The evidence for is not circumstantial, it's not secret, it's not vague and amorphous.
But the idea that it is biased is "absurd," so say the good, FNC watching Republicans out there (again, hi Dad!).
On the other hand, the MSM, which is run by a bunch that tries very hard to disavow any partisanship whatsoever, that is schooled from day one in J-school that they must present both sides, that they must remain neutral, that they must not openly champion either side, these people are part of an "obvious" pro-liberal, pro-Democratic agenda. Never mind that you're talking about accidental bias, and cabal, TimeCube-eqsue cliques of evil closeted Democrats (from birth!) in that case. The invisible conspiracy of evil commies in the news room is obvious.
"It's just fucking obvious that CNN is a liberal, commie faggot network. Because Shepard Smith a Hannity and Limbaugh told me so.
Now Fox News, run by a Republican big wig, slanted every day in every way, blatantly and obviously so; where the spin on the news is directed from on high every day*, why the hell would you think there is any bias there? Are you a liberal faggot Commie, aka, a Democrat?"
So the thinking goes.
Fox News is probably one of the most dangerous things to happen to American media culture in the last century. People that badly biased, with that much of an agenda, that have an audience of millions so brainwashed, well, they can do some scary shit with that. I hope they keep it confined to their current crop of stupid bullshit. As bad as that is, they can do much, much worse.
*And what the fuck country do we live in, where it's cool for a news network to dictate the news' spin every day? Do we live in the fucking Soviet Union?
posted by teece at 3:15 PM on March 15, 2007 [4 favorites]
But the idea that it is biased is "absurd," so say the good, FNC watching Republicans out there (again, hi Dad!).
On the other hand, the MSM, which is run by a bunch that tries very hard to disavow any partisanship whatsoever, that is schooled from day one in J-school that they must present both sides, that they must remain neutral, that they must not openly champion either side, these people are part of an "obvious" pro-liberal, pro-Democratic agenda. Never mind that you're talking about accidental bias, and cabal, TimeCube-eqsue cliques of evil closeted Democrats (from birth!) in that case. The invisible conspiracy of evil commies in the news room is obvious.
"It's just fucking obvious that CNN is a liberal, commie faggot network. Because Shepard Smith a Hannity and Limbaugh told me so.
Now Fox News, run by a Republican big wig, slanted every day in every way, blatantly and obviously so; where the spin on the news is directed from on high every day*, why the hell would you think there is any bias there? Are you a liberal faggot Commie, aka, a Democrat?"
So the thinking goes.
Fox News is probably one of the most dangerous things to happen to American media culture in the last century. People that badly biased, with that much of an agenda, that have an audience of millions so brainwashed, well, they can do some scary shit with that. I hope they keep it confined to their current crop of stupid bullshit. As bad as that is, they can do much, much worse.
*And what the fuck country do we live in, where it's cool for a news network to dictate the news' spin every day? Do we live in the fucking Soviet Union?
posted by teece at 3:15 PM on March 15, 2007 [4 favorites]
Fox News: Asking too many stupid questions?
posted by inconsequentialist at 3:30 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by inconsequentialist at 3:30 PM on March 15, 2007
to everything, spinnnn, spinnnn, spinnn
there is a season, spinnnn, spinnnn, spinnn
posted by tehloki at 3:32 PM on March 15, 2007
there is a season, spinnnn, spinnnn, spinnn
posted by tehloki at 3:32 PM on March 15, 2007
BTW -- the labelling of Foley as "D" happened more than once on Fox News. Examples: clip #1 and clip #2.
posted by ericb at 3:35 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ericb at 3:35 PM on March 15, 2007
Karl Rove to Roger Ailes regarding labelling Foley as "D."
posted by ericb at 3:36 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ericb at 3:36 PM on March 15, 2007
"Incredibly, during a total of three different cutaways to video footage of Foley, he was labelled at the bottom of the screen each time as '(D-FL).'"*
posted by ericb at 3:38 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ericb at 3:38 PM on March 15, 2007
Well, I just did a little searching and no one seems to know what happened to the sheep in the garbage can.
That's really the most interesting part of this. Not to say I don't like this post, I'm just really fucking interested in what's up with that sheep.
posted by puke & cry at 3:44 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
That's really the most interesting part of this. Not to say I don't like this post, I'm just really fucking interested in what's up with that sheep.
posted by puke & cry at 3:44 PM on March 15, 2007 [1 favorite]
Also -- at the time (Ocotber 2006) -- Newsmax.com also labelled Foley as a Democrat.
posted by ericb at 3:46 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ericb at 3:46 PM on March 15, 2007
ericb - you do realize that the "Rove to Ailes" link is satire, don't you?
I ask only because you posted it in the middle of a bunch of obviously serious posts.
posted by Flunkie at 3:57 PM on March 15, 2007
I ask only because you posted it in the middle of a bunch of obviously serious posts.
posted by Flunkie at 3:57 PM on March 15, 2007
You're acting like this here doesn't take the fucking cake.
posted by phaedon at 3:59 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by phaedon at 3:59 PM on March 15, 2007
ericb - you do realize that the "Rove to Ailes" link is satire, don't you?
Really?
posted by ericb at 4:12 PM on March 15, 2007
Really?
posted by ericb at 4:12 PM on March 15, 2007
All telephone conversations in-and-out of the White House are recorded and transcribed for the public's consumption! A'int they?
posted by ericb at 4:13 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ericb at 4:13 PM on March 15, 2007
What is it about being on TV the internet that makes journalists turn into morons?
posted by evilcolonel at 4:14 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by evilcolonel at 4:14 PM on March 15, 2007
BTW -- I was the one who posted links to the video clips and to the satirical telephone transcript in the Foley thread back in October 2006. Recalling such, I felt reposting would be relevant here.
posted by ericb at 4:19 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by ericb at 4:19 PM on March 15, 2007
Not only are they fascinating theories, but they show Fox's ability to evolve from denying there's a civil war at all to celebrating it! Fuck yeah!Have you noticed that right-wingers are going through the same progression with global warming?
posted by deanc at 4:21 PM on March 15, 2007
State of the News Media Annual Report 2007
Fox News remains the cable leader, but for the first time since its launch, it saw losses in viewership year-to-year. What’s more, the drop was consistent across the course of the year and across the dayparts, as well as being sharper than its competitors.posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:41 PM on March 15, 2007
From January to December 2006, Fox News’s median prime-time viewership fell by 14%. That was in sharp contrast to the year before, when it was the only cable news channel to see an increase (9%). The story was repeated in daytime, when its median viewership dropped 12% in 2006. A year earlier it had grown 5%.
If we look at the mean, things don’t change for the better. Fox News saw almost equal declines in the two dayparts, 16% in prime time and 15% in daytime.
Indeed, comparing the number of viewers in 2006 to 2005, Fox News saw a decline in virtually every month, with the greatest gap in the latter half of the year (incidentally, when the big stories of 2006 took place).
I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet, but Larry C. Johnson was CIA classmate of Valerie Plame's.
posted by pruner at 5:11 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by pruner at 5:11 PM on March 15, 2007
"Fox News Channel" only contains the word "News" by dint of a blatant case of false advertising.
posted by clevershark at 7:27 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by clevershark at 7:27 PM on March 15, 2007
I saw Roger Ailes giving a speech on, I think, TDS.
The man is thoroughly grotesque. Judging by the faces in the audience, even those who feel obligated to attend his public displays find him abhorrent.
I can not fathom how he became a powerful man. It was certainly not by force of personality: he is absolutely and in all ways repugnant. He has no capability for public speech, his idea of humour is stunningly stupid and crass, his appearance is nauseating. I can not imagine how he managed to claw his way to the top: I can not imagine anyone giving him the time of day, let alone opportunity to advance.
I have no doubt these "gaffes" were wholly intentional, and I have no doubt that Fox has an accurate assessment of their target market.
Personally, I think I'd be okay with putting that part of the population that watches Fox onto a giant spaceship with its controls set for the heart of the sun.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:34 PM on March 15, 2007
The man is thoroughly grotesque. Judging by the faces in the audience, even those who feel obligated to attend his public displays find him abhorrent.
I can not fathom how he became a powerful man. It was certainly not by force of personality: he is absolutely and in all ways repugnant. He has no capability for public speech, his idea of humour is stunningly stupid and crass, his appearance is nauseating. I can not imagine how he managed to claw his way to the top: I can not imagine anyone giving him the time of day, let alone opportunity to advance.
I have no doubt these "gaffes" were wholly intentional, and I have no doubt that Fox has an accurate assessment of their target market.
Personally, I think I'd be okay with putting that part of the population that watches Fox onto a giant spaceship with its controls set for the heart of the sun.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:34 PM on March 15, 2007
All telephone conversations in-and-out of the White House are recorded and transcribed for the public's consumption!
Delicious!
posted by krinklyfig at 7:52 PM on March 15, 2007
Delicious!
posted by krinklyfig at 7:52 PM on March 15, 2007
News caption reads:
George W. Bush
Professional Fascist
Good ol' New Zealand - liberal to the very end.
posted by meech at 9:32 PM on March 15, 2007
George W. Bush
Professional Fascist
Good ol' New Zealand - liberal to the very end.
posted by meech at 9:32 PM on March 15, 2007
Merely positing any theory that doesn't fall in line with the traditional MSM - like FNC does sometimes - means that it is out-and-out evil, wrong, stupid, blah blah blah.
Canard.
posted by oaf at 9:34 PM on March 15, 2007
Canard.
posted by oaf at 9:34 PM on March 15, 2007
There's also a Part 2, if anyone thought the ones on the first page were mostly gaffes, and needed more confirmation of the agenda.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 9:45 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 9:45 PM on March 15, 2007
Don't be ridiculous, Joakim Zielger. Those are just typos easily explained by stupid women interns at the CGI machine. Particularly all that stuff about liberals contributing to terrorism and Valerie Plame getting what she deserved. All typos.
posted by puke & cry at 11:08 PM on March 15, 2007
posted by puke & cry at 11:08 PM on March 15, 2007
I think that the right hand often doesn't know what the left hand is up to. In particular, I remember when the Newdow ruling was made, striking the words "under God" from the pledge of allegiance. Fox News flashed the home address of the presiding judge on the screen. Former Fox producer Charlie Reina spoke about the incident with Salon:
posted by malocchio at 7:53 AM on March 16, 2007
...I was sitting there watching our anchor report the story. He was reading the teleprompter, and he was saying, "Because we want you to have as much information [as possible] about this important story, we want you to be able to go right to the source. We're giving you the address and phone number of the judge."It wouldn't surprise me a bit if this kind of crap is still going on.
Everybody knew that was a call to harass this guy. Even the poor anchor sees this. I mean, this is the way I saw it because I know the guy. But the point of it is, the guy running the newsroom, he had the control room type up this graphic with the guy's address and phone number on it. And I'm told ... that when the people on the second floor saw this they said, "Oh, jeez, we can't do that." And they had it taken off. It was this guy down here kind of freelancing, sucking up, thinking he knew what management wanted. And they stopped it.
posted by malocchio at 7:53 AM on March 16, 2007
Why there is a FAUX News:
"Because the facts have a well known liberal bias."
posted by nofundy at 12:06 PM on March 16, 2007
"Because the facts have a well known liberal bias."
posted by nofundy at 12:06 PM on March 16, 2007
Thanks for that article, malocchio.
posted by russilwvong at 12:46 PM on March 16, 2007
posted by russilwvong at 12:46 PM on March 16, 2007
For what it's worth, Larry Johnson is on Countdown tonight, talking about Valerie Plame.
posted by ninjew at 5:07 PM on March 16, 2007
posted by ninjew at 5:07 PM on March 16, 2007
Having viewed the screen caps, I think I've come up with another of those questions that can be used to tell whether someone passes or fails at this thing called "life":
Does Fox News spew propaganda and lies?
In my idealized world a "No" answer would revoke one's life license.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:16 PM on March 16, 2007
Does Fox News spew propaganda and lies?
In my idealized world a "No" answer would revoke one's life license.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:16 PM on March 16, 2007
Nitpicker needs to quit taking the bait. The loons do not deserve that level of personal attention. They warrant a brief cluestick, and then given the dunce cap and told to sit in the corner. The adults are trying to solve some problems, child: we do not need your interjection.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:27 PM on March 16, 2007
posted by five fresh fish at 11:27 PM on March 16, 2007
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posted by proj at 11:24 AM on March 15, 2007