Looks like the mainstream outlets are beginning to acknowledge what’s been obvious for a long time — Fox News is not a legitimate news organization. When they went all in as a network on organizing, promoting, and endlessly covering the “tea party” movement, they jumped the shark. They’ve been biased in an obvious and embarrassing fashion for a long time, but that was the moment that (to me) they committed to manufacturing news rather than simply reporting it. I’m glad the Obama administration has seemingly cut them off.
October 19, 2009 at 9:03 am
I don’t see Fox as being any more partisan than other media outlets.
I had thought during the campaign that one thing Obama didn’t want to do if he became President was insulate himself with “yes men”. This is definitely a valid criticism of the way Bush did business in that anyone with a differing point of view was never allowed near Bush. I don’t know what it is with power or the White House but it seems like Obama is following in Bush’s footsteps (the beer summit being an exception).
The way he’s attacking his opponents is particularly troubling for a man who just 9 months ago had aspirations to work with both sides of the aisle.
At least that’s my view as a GDI.
October 19, 2009 at 10:46 am
I believe Fox is fundamentally different than the other cable networks, which, by the way, I also hold in contempt. My issue is not bias, per se, but rather whose interests the networks are serving. MSNBC has a lot of liberal commentators (and a fair number of conservative ones as well), but I believe that their goal is to inform viewers. For example, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann are clearly and admittedly very liberal. But both are completely willing to attack Obama or any Democrat for hypocrisy, for not keeping promises, or for any number of other reasons.
There is an independence there that Fox News lacks, for the most part.
And the worst thing is that, as the article says, the other networks are gradually sinking to the Fox News level. MSNBC and CNN were better 10 years ago than they are today, in terms of serving the truth rather than serving an agenda. MSNBC has this show called “The Ed Show” that’s as bad as anything on Fox. CNN puts Lou Dobbs on every night.
As far as Obama goes, I don’t think that the FNC has anything to do with surrounding yourself with “yes men”. None of the cable networks have anything of value to offer, and I’d be happier if he just ignored them all. I still hear about Obama having substantive meetings with people who agree with him and dissenters alike. And we have no idea what Obama is reading, really, but I’d be surprised if he only read things that agreed with what he is doing.
October 20, 2009 at 12:00 am
Rafe, sadly I think all news media today are bias. Some is more subtle than others, but it is there if you look for it. My saying is that I don’t have a friend in Washington. The right wants to save my freedoms, but not my job. The left wants to project my interests, but again, not my job. The media is kind of that way. They are always taking at us, but rarely talking to us. In my personal opinion, National Public Radio is the only news outlet that provides the kind of depth and comprehensive context in news articles that I enjoy and appreciate. They are often accused of being slanted to the left, but as a moderate conservative I’m convinced that they employ commentators and reporters on both sides. It’s that kind of attitude that makes it compelling to me. Sort of a one stop shop for a cross section of political and social opinion. That’s my two cents, anyway.