I have to admit, I get major jollies when the on-air talent at Fox News says that they are “fair and balanced.” About two weeks ago, Sean Hannity had the audacity to say “60 Minutes” was biased for airing a “hit piece” on troops against the Iraq War. He actually said “They (60 minutes) have a bias, we don’t.” Mr. Hannity’s on-air defense of Ms. Coulter’s “faggot” comment to John Edwards should be read back to him whenever he plays the “who said this” game on his radio program, aired locally on KABC.
Fox News was planning to host a Democratic Debate in Nevada. Some problems with that though. John Edwards wouldn’t appear. Barrack Obama won’t. Even Air America declined to have a panelist.
I got this email a sort while ago:
ÂÂ
 Dear activists, colleagues and friends,
We have a terrific victory to enjoy today. The Fox News sponsored Democratic presidential debate in Nevada has been cancelled. Activists all over the country came together — from the netroots to grassroots to MoveOn to bloggers to the film we at Brave New Films created — in a stunning and powerful rejection of the myth that Fox is a news station.
For those of you who have helped spread the word by spreading our Fox Atacks: Obama video far and wide. Thanks for amazing work. If you missed it, check it out here:
We want to continue the work of calling attention to the distortions, lies and propaganda that is Fox News. Please help support our continuing efforts:
1. Donate to Fox Attacks.
2. Watch Fox News and identify local advertisers.
3. Subscribe to the News Hounds weekly newsletter. They watch Fox so you don’t have to! (www.newshounds.us)
Enjoy this important step in making very clear we will not accept propaganda as news any more.
Robert Greenwald
and the Brave New Films team
ÂÂ
I think Greenwald’s onto something here. But so are Edwards and Obama. Fox News isn’t going to give any Democrat a fair shake. The best way to marginalize Fox News is to ignore questions from their reporters, avoid appearances on their programs, and invest more time with legitimate news organizations. Might I suggest viewing Greenwald’s “Outfoxed” documentary which is simply one of the best when it comes to dealing with media bias.
Nothing shows Fox bias more than their recent headline that scrolled, ‘Libby found not guilty..on one charge….
Sorry, this is flat-out dumb.
I’m no fan of the Fox News, but this just amps up the rhetorical arms race for both sides. Democrats had the chance to look big with this – instead it imploded, and they look a little like they’re ducking an opponent.
I mean, a few posts ago you approved of a “new and improved” Air America that wanted to reach out. The press release specifically mentioned this debate approvingly, stating that Air America was thinking of extending the same offer to the GOP in New Hamshpire.
Instead everyone is once again stamping their feet and doing boycotts and signing feel-good internet pledges.
Ignore Fox News? Fine. They’ll just further go into the echo chamber. And you can further nod your head to Greenwald ever more vigorously.
And again both sides are talking past each other.
DU
Fox News is unfair and unbalanced. But it’s a reality the Democrats ignore at their own peril. Republicans were not stupid enough to boycott NBC and CBS, even though they made the same complaints about those networks that many Democrats make against Fox.
I know liberal bloggers are thumping their chests about getting Edwards and then Obama to decline the invite and then having the Nevada gang folded the tent. But we should be moreconcerned with connecting with Fox viewers and using the air time to attack Fox and its fellow travelers in conservative circles. Otherwise it looks like Dems don’t have the mettle to stand up to Brit Hume & Co.
Faux News/Fox Noise/Fascist Nonsense Channel is unfair and unbalanced… PERIOD. So why bother scheduling a debate to be moderated and aired on a network that is so openly hostile toward everything Democratic, and everything progressive? I can understand the concerns of the above two commenters, but I just don’t see how ANY practical good could have come out of this.
Connecting with Fox viewers? Doubt it. They’re much more right-leaning than the typical cable news watcher, and I doubt that Fox would really allow the Dems to use this as an opportunity to make them look good to viewers. After all, to them, we will always be the “terrorist-loving, tax-raising, family-destroying DEMONRAT” Party… So why bother trying to make nice with them?
And Fox going further into the echo chamber? I doubt they can fall any further than they already have! That’s why we shouldn’t be legitimizing them as credible “news”. The difference in the GOP not boycotting NBC and CBS is that those two networks are still supposed to be credible news networks. Fox, OTOH, is NOT. They constantly attack everything associated with our party, and we should feel obligated to reward them by hosting one of our debates? Why?
Andrew—Like it or not a significant number of Americans listen to Fox News and they consider Fox a legitimate news organization. Liberals and progressives can’t simply hide their head in the sand and wish it to go away or think that if they don’t talk to Fox people won’t tune in. It makes it look like we can’t handle tough questions.
The “difference” between CBS & NBC and Fox you believe is that the former two are “supposed to be credible news networks.” Conservative bloggers might suggest that Fox is a credible news network and that the other two are part of the liberal biased media. Its a mirror image of your argument but they’ve figured out you still have to get face time to make your points. And they do make their points.
Don’t tie one hand behind Democratic candidates backs.
Guys — Fox News doens’t have the numbers you think they do and neither does MSNBC or CNBC. Nor does AirAmerica, as much as I like it. It’s about being a responsible news organization and Fox isn’t….
You must be kidding.
No matter how conservative FOX news may be, we are surely in the minority, for now, as we compete with CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and MSNBC
with regard to their news coverage.
Perhaps we should only have a Democratic friendly crowd in the room sot hat all we will be fielding are softballs.
Larry Gilbert
Mullah Cimoc say this just showing ameriki people learning now so not free us a media. this fox news part of mighty wurlitzer.
if ameriki google: mighty wurlitzer +cia
then learning why people not knowing truth of bad things and cruel and torturing of the people.
Larry —
Softballs are only served up on Larry King or when Sean Hannity interviews Coulter.
Let’s play hardball instead. Fox News will through nothing but curveballs. This is a very biased network. When they want to stop focusing on Barrack Obama’s middle name, Hillary Clinton’s network, or John Edwards’ “sissy boy” look, then the game is on. Google Roger Ailes recent attacks at an awards dinner — all bad jokes at the expense of Democrats.
They need us more than we need them. I don’t think Fox viewers are voting blue anytime soon anyway.
Fox News isn’t a shill for the Dems like all the other major networks are so all the dems take their ball and go home. How pathetic. Suck it up guys. If we use your reasoning Dan, The Republicans would never have participated in any Presidential debates put on by the CBSs, NBCs, CNNs, and ABCs of the world. Our candidates always showed up.
Dems just don’t want to go anywhere that they don’t get softball questions. I have only seen Hillary on FOX 4 times since she has been in the senate. All those times have been with female reporters talking about 9/11 usually at the World trade Center site. All easy softball questions. Dems are afraid of the truth so they don’t want to go on FOX. FOX’s ratings are higher than CNN & MSNBC together. Go ahead an avoid FOX, you cowards!
Talk about fairness! You liberals have a lot of nerve. What has one of your liberal favorites CBS done for fairness? Flaming liberal Katie Couric after signing a contract for $15 million/yr for 5 years, has succeeded in locking in last place for the CBS Evening News after only 6 months. Her ratings are 2% lower than last year with anchor Bob Schieffer. So now CBS is replacing the Executive Producer. Did CBS learn from the abortive Dan Rather attempt to trump up National Guard records to make President Bush look bad? Apparently not. Instead of hiring a non-political unbiased new Executive Producer, they hired flaming liberal Rick Kaplan. Kaplan is a Clinton crony. He advised Clinton on how to handle the Monica affair and even stayed in the Lincoln Bedroom. So don’t expect the 2008 Republican nominee to get a fair shake from the Katie Couric CBS Evening News. Flaming liberal Katie Couric + flaming liberal Executive Producer = liberals idea of fairness. The day after the 2004 reelection of President Bush when Republicans picked up 5 Senate seats, I tuned in to see Katie Couric on the Today Show. She looked like her whole family had died that day! No smiles or perkiness.
Its’ easier to de-construct Lee this way..My comments in ALL CAPS.
Dems just don’t want to go anywhere that they don’t get softball questions. DEMOCRATS ARE ON HANNITY & COLMES ALL THE TIME.I have only seen Hillary on FOX 4 times since she has been in the senate (DO A GOOGLE SEARCH OR A YOUTUBE SEARCH AND YOU WILL SEE SHE IS ON FOX NEWS ALL THE TIME). All those times have been with female reporters talking about 9/11 usually at the World trade Center site. All easy softball questions. Dems are afraid of the truth (THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT? HOW BADLY THE WAR IS GOING AND BUSH IS AT 32 PERCENT APPROVAL RATING?) so they don’t want to go on FOX. FOX’s ratings are higher than CNN & MSNBC together (ACTUALLY ARBITRON RATINGS FOR 3/8/2006 SHOW CNN & MSNBC TOGETHER POLLING OVER FOX IN THE 25-54 DEMOGRAPHIC, BUT FOX ON ITS OWN IS IN FIRST PLACE). Go ahead an avoid FOX, you cowards!
Talk about fairness! You liberals have a lot of nerve. What has one of your liberal favorites CBS done for fairness (QUITE A BIT; EVER WATCH 60MINUTES?)? Flaming liberal Katie Couric after signing a contract for $15 million/yr for 5 years, has succeeded in locking in last place for the CBS Evening News after only 6 months. Her ratings are 2% lower than last year with anchor Bob Schieffer. So now CBS is replacing the Executive Producer. Did CBS learn from the abortive Dan Rather attempt to trump up National Guard records to make President Bush look bad (WHILE THE DOCUMENTS WERE NOT ORIGINALS, THE WHITE HOUSE HAS NEVER DISPUTED THE CONTENT OF THE MEMOS AND BUSH’S COMMANDER’S SECRETARY IS ON RECORD AS SAYING THAT SHE TYPED DOCUMENTS JUST LIKE THAT)? Apparently not. Instead of hiring a non-political unbiased new Executive Producer (YOU MEAN LIKE ROGER AILES?), they hired flaming liberal Rick Kaplan. Kaplan is a Clinton crony. He advised Clinton on how to handle the Monica affair and even stayed in the Lincoln Bedroom (SO HAS RUSH LIMBAUGH). So don’t expect the 2008 Republican nominee to get a fair shake 9IN YOUR WORLD, DOES THAT MEAN UNFILTERED MESSAGING FROM THE GOP WITHOUT ANY SORT OF FOLLOW UP?) from the Katie Couric CBS Evening News. Flaming liberal Katie Couric + flaming liberal Executive Producer = liberals idea of fairness. The day after the 2004 reelection of President Bush when Republicans picked up 5 Senate seats, I tuned in to see Katie Couric on the Today Show. She looked like her whole family had died that day! No smiles or perkiness (LEE — JOURNALISTS ON ELECTION NIGHT GET LITTLE SLEEP; AND YOUR COMMENT IS A TAD INAPPROPRIATE AS HER HUSBAND DIED OF CANCER A FEW YEARS AGO).
i DON’T REMEMBER THE NETWORKS TAKING IT EASY ON BILL CLINTON OR ON AL GORE OR JOHN KERRY.
Couric’s husband died in 1998 years before the 2004 election. CBS’s 60 MINUTES is fairness? You have to be kidding me! They did a hit piece claiming Iraq War Vets were against the war. They gave 15 minutes to the anti people and 1 minute to the pro people. That of course is CBS’s idea of fairness.
Sure, Hillary is reported about on FOX but doesn’t agree to be interviewed except on softball subjects as I said above. I watch FOX a lot and would not have missed her interviews. Dan, you don’t remember Slick Willie, Gore or Kerry getting a soft ride on the major networks because you hear only what you want to hear.
Lee — 1,000 soliders have filed paperwork with their congressional representatives expressing a view that the war is wrong. That is the story.
Geez, from your commentary, I had no idea you watched a lot of Fox News. Explains a lot actually.