Pew: Fox News mostly opinion

[Quantum Windbag]

I thought I would practice the leftwing take on the annual Pew Report on the state of the media. Strangely enough, my guess is that MSNBC is going to be the ones making a big deal about this, even though they are in a class by themselves.

 

[tjvh]

Liberals don't care about factual reporting, they despise Fox because Fox won't coddle their ideological vision like the other Networks do. Factual reporting only matters when it furthers their utopian dream.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

 

[Mr. H.]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

I'm a rightie, and you're full of shit lumping me in with such a self-contrived group.
I listen to NPR and watch Pubic TV more than anything. They are still tools of the Left, but much improved over the decades.

 

[MarcATL]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

It's the not-so-clever trick that hard rightwing radicals love to use.

It's nonsense from the get-go.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

 

[MarcATL]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

How?

Cite some examples.

Based on the rhetoric you're spewing, you should be OVERFLOWING with examples.

Present them.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

I'm a rightie, and you're full of shit lumping me in with such a self-contrived group.
I listen to NPR and watch Pubic TV more than anything. They are still tools of the Left, but much improved over the decades.

Then I wish more members of the Republican party shared your attitude. I listen to conservative radio in the car to pass the time and have been checking Drudge for years. The callers and commenters from those places remind me of who the most ardent supporters of conservatism are and I'm not a fan.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

Fox did get rid of Beck, but that doesn't necessarily make them "fair and balanced." And I've laughed at my fair share of people posting Huff Post or Mother Jones on here. Never ever see anyone bring up Maddow or Sharpton. Saw Schultz for the first time on here the other day and it was because of an interview not because he's a source of news.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

How?

Cite some examples.

Based on the rhetoric you're spewing, you should be OVERFLOWING with examples.

Present them.

15% news reporting is the only example I need.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

Fox did get rid of Beck, but that doesn't necessarily make them "fair and balanced." And I've laughed at my fair share of people posting Huff Post or Mother Jones on here. Never ever see anyone bring up Maddow or Sharpton. Saw Schultz for the first time on here the other day and it was because of an interview not because he's a source of news.

Compared to MSNBC they are both.

 

[MarcATL]

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

How?

Cite some examples.

Based on the rhetoric you're spewing, you should be OVERFLOWING with examples.

Present them.

155 news reporting is the only example I need.

Yep, that's what I thought....you got nuthin....as usual.


Good show.

 

[Mr. H.]

I've never seen a liberal on this board defend msnbc as news. Yet Rush is quoted all time time by the righties. There is a double standard amongst conservatives about what is categorized as news and opinion. They claim all other news is opinion and that Fox is the only credible source.
Yet Fox shamelessly hires and promotes the likes of Rove, Palin, O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, etc. and somehow claim they are not biased. And what liberals do they manage to dig up? Kucinich and other conservative punching bags.

I'm a rightie, and you're full of shit lumping me in with such a self-contrived group.
I listen to NPR and watch Pubic TV more than anything. They are still tools of the Left, but much improved over the decades.

Then I wish more members of the Republican party shared your attitude. I listen to conservative radio in the car to pass the time and have been checking Drudge for years. The callers and commenters from those places remind me of who the most ardent supporters of conservatism are and I'm not a fan.

I think we all need to be cognizant of a spectrum of news sources. I never listen to Rush L. and Fox on rare occasion. If an internet news feed catches my eye, then I'll search for yet more sources on the same topic. Maybe I'm not such a "rightie" after all LOL.

 

[TheOldSchool]

My guess is that is because you close your eyes every time you come across it happening. MSNBC makes Fox News look like a paragon of virtue.

Fox did get rid of Beck, but that doesn't necessarily make them "fair and balanced." And I've laughed at my fair share of people posting Huff Post or Mother Jones on here. Never ever see anyone bring up Maddow or Sharpton. Saw Schultz for the first time on here the other day and it was because of an interview not because he's a source of news.

Compared to MSNBC they are both.

Yea but look at MSNBC's ratings. I don't know why you're so concerned.

 

[TheOldSchool]

I'm a rightie, and you're full of shit lumping me in with such a self-contrived group.
I listen to NPR and watch Pubic TV more than anything. They are still tools of the Left, but much improved over the decades.

Then I wish more members of the Republican party shared your attitude. I listen to conservative radio in the car to pass the time and have been checking Drudge for years. The callers and commenters from those places remind me of who the most ardent supporters of conservatism are and I'm not a fan.

I think we all need to be cognizant of a spectrum of news sources. I never listen to Rush L. and Fox on rare occasion. If an internet news feed catches my eye, then I'll search for yet more sources on the same topic. Maybe I'm not such a "rightie" after all LOL.

Couldn't agree more. And maybe I'm not as "leftie" as you may think.

HOLY SHIT MOMENT OF MUTUAL AGREEMENT ON THIS FORUM!!! MUST GO INSULT PEOPLE ON ANOTHER THREAD IMMEDIATELY!!!

 

[Billo_Really]

Fox did get rid of Beck, but that doesn't necessarily make them "fair and balanced." And I've laughed at my fair share of people posting Huff Post or Mother Jones on here. Never ever see anyone bring up Maddow or Sharpton. Saw Schultz for the first time on here the other day and it was because of an interview not because he's a source of news.

Rachel Maddow rocks!

 

[Politico]

All media now is mostly opinion. There is no news. What's your point?

 

[MarcATL]

All media now is mostly opinion. There is no news. What's your point?

It's just another excuse for a far right wing radical to attack and bash msnbc.

That's all.

 

[blastoff]

I'd say an acceptable balance at both Fox and CNN, and MSNBC's ratio is as skewed as expected.

It's all there in black and white - ok, blue & grey. MSNBCs ratings are and have been in the tank for a long time, but this strident lefty deluge of opinion from them is nothing new. It's been an integral part of their programming plan, one that has failed miserably at growing audience share, yet they keep at it with their never ending lineup of screaming loonies. Fox and CNN kill off another of their time slot losers, they drag that carcass off set and plop the next victim into the chair, a la Fat Eddie and the Hayes kid this week, Larry O'Donnell before, Olbermann once, Phil Donahue...it's really an impressive boneyard of failed predecessors when you stop to think about it.

Time for a shareholders revolt IMO.

 

[Pogo]

It's starkly interesting that the OP wants us to dissect a Pew study to which it offers no link, allowing only a cherrypicked graphic and plugging in its own narrative, so first off, the actual study is here. You're welcome.

As a side note it's revealing that the one graphic the OP did post was sourced not from Pew but from Breitbart, which indicates how deeply he dug, facetiousness intended.

Usually when a link is withheld it's a sign that such a link might reveal too much that might undermine the poster's agenda. Indeed, reading the narrative shows it's a study that reveals a story about the money side of TV news and the global (d)evolvution of cable "news" networks:

>> Traditionally known for its attention to breaking news, daytime cable&#8217;s cuts in live event coverage and its growing reliance on interviews suggest it may be moving more toward the talk-oriented evening shows. This transition may cut the costs of having a crew and correspondent provide live event coverage. <<

This describes a general contemporary trend among all sources, and more interestingly describes the historical approach Fox News took when it came online in 1996; at that time it was CNN, the pioneer in the all-news cable format, that defined it. But news is an expensive venture, maintaining bureaus in different parts of the world, flying talent and camera crews around, post production and editing all that, etc. Roger Ailes brought a new and cheaper approach: instead of dealing with all that, have talking heads in a studio talk about the news rather than take the trouble to report it -- giving birth to the O'Reillys and Hannitys et al that dominated the "prime" time slots and still does.

While that approach didn't help Fox as a news source, it did (and still does) help it as a business (read: profits and ratings), and the CNN model was now relatively, disadvantaged (from, again, a business standpoint, not a journalism one), as CNN was still doing straight news while Fox's news theater was sucking their viewers away. At this point it was decision time: did CNN and the fledgling MSNBC want to go after news, or profit? (the two are mutually antagonistic). As we know by now, they chose the latter, and the Pew study tells us that trend is showing no sign of abatement:

>> The format of daytime cable news has been transformed from 2007 to 2012. While MSNBC did see some uptick in live coverage during the day, the big decreases in that format at CNN and Fox leave daytime cable, once distinguished by its breaking news and non-ideological coverage, at least in structure, more like its opinion-driven evening counterpart.

The decrease in coverage of live breaking events has been accompanied by a big increase in interviews, which are now as prevalent in the day as in prime time. This shift means that a good deal of on-scene reporting has been replaced with interviews, which, although they may be live, are far less expensive to produce and do not require a correspondent or crew. <<

The study goes on to note Fox's daytime shift in the same direction:

-- in other words, the Fox model is getting even more Fox-model.

Not included in the scope of this study was the subtler ways an otherwise factual news story can be swayed into opinion, such as Fox running a fair and balanced segment on a presidential campaign while a screen crawl reads "WILL OBAMA DESTROY AMERICA?"; such as story selection tailored to meet certain audience-Pavlovian criteria ("new black panthers", ACORN, Van Jones, Jeremiah Wright, etc); such as doctored graphics to make subliminal points; such as actual changing of facts by graphically changing the party affiliation of a politician in scandal or running misleading, staged or partisanly-edited video and even supplemented with outright fabrication-- none of which can be quantified in such a study since they're behind the scenes, not officially part of the program, and can be dismissed if caught as a "mistake".

Not to mention, yet again, that the entire time the admittedly opinionated commentators are running, Fox is displaying the ID graphic "Fox News" in the corner of the screen. That can't be quantified in a study either.

The Pew narrative strongly suggests that cable TV, facing (as newspapers do) increasing competition from what it terms "digital sources outside of television that provide that kind of information on demand" sees this Ailes approach as inevitable, if the goal is ratings (profit) rather than news reporting:

>> The failure of CNN to solve its nagging prime-time issues has led some observers to assert that in the current cable climate, a channel that chooses not to be overtly liberal or conservative is doomed in the ratings battle. <<

And there lies the actual thrust of the Pew study; the increasing commercial basis of what used to be news. We might call it a philosophy of "Ailes for what goods ya".

Funny how much forest there is to see when you stop glaring at a single tree. Especially one that a used news salesman like Breitbart just led you to at the outer fringe of the parking lot.