Fox News vs America

[Bravus]

Just the first couple of paragraphs of this Glenn Greenwald article are interesting: http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/10/08/fox_news/

Look, I know it's Salon, and I know it's Greenwald. I'm not saying his take is unbiased or anything else. My whole point is that most of the polls in America gave the debate to Obama in about a 60%-40% ratio to McCain, whereas the Fox News poll (of its audience) gave it to McCain 86%-12% over Obama.

I'm not even into arguing about who is objectively right about such a subjective thing as who won a debate. But its clear that Fox News has a particular audience, and it's also clear that that audience sees things quite differently to a majority of their fellow Americans.

Still not placing a value judgement on that, just remarking on it as interesting.

[olger]

[lazarus]

Clearly Fox news has found a corner of the market that was not being served. There are millions of right wingers who like to have their news from a right wing perspective. That's OK. Its making money for News Corp.

I would question whether it is a news organization in the same way that CNN is.

[BobRyan]

I'm not even into arguing about who is objectively right about such a subjective thing as who won a debate. But its clear that Fox News has a particular audience, and it's also clear that that audience sees things quite differently to a majority of their fellow Americans.

I beg to differ. The CNN (Clinton News Network) and CBS (Clinton broadcasting system) and others were simply all democrat all the time for years -- finally there is a balancing voice in the media -- though Fox does have democrat contributors like Allen Colmes Gretta Vansustren and Clinton's former political advisor etc.

On the "majority of Americans" issue - one can not ignore the fact that the popular vote has gone with with the Rebublicans for the last 8 years EVEN though the demo media outlets declared the democrat candidate to have won the lead 3 weeks prior to the election each time.

The votes speak for themselves.

Hence we have Fox News crushing all the other media outlets in terms of percentage of the market.

[Neil D]

Look, I know it's Salon, and I know it's Greenwald. I'm not saying his take is unbiased or anything else. My whole point is that most of the polls in America gave the debate to Obama in about a 60%-40% ratio to McCain, whereas the Fox News poll (of its audience) gave it to McCain 86%-12% over Obama.

I'm not even into arguing about who is objectively right about such a subjective thing as who won a debate. But its clear that Fox News has a particular audience, and it's also clear that that audience sees things quite differently to a majority of their fellow Americans.

What is interesting to me is that on one of Shanes sources, it listed FoxNews as a polling people [not sure what demographic it was, independant/undecided voters?], and they listed McCain at 39% to Obamas 45%.

It is, to me and my way of thinking, definately a sensational rag attempting to stir up opinion with scurious sources. The National Inquirer could not do better.

[Woody]

Originally Posted By: Bravus

I'm not even into arguing about who is objectively right about such a subjective thing as who won a debate. But its clear that Fox News has a particular audience, and it's also clear that that audience sees things quite differently to a majority of their fellow Americans.

I beg to differ. The CNN (Clinton News Network) and CBS (Clinton broadcasting system) and others were simply all democrat all the time for years -- finally there is a balancing voice in the media -- though Fox does have democrat contributors like Allen Colmes Gretta Vansustren and Clinton's former political advisor etc.

On the "majority of Americans" issue - one can not ignore the fact that the popular vote has gone with with the Rebublicans for the last 8 years EVEN though the demo media outlets declared the democrat candidate to have won the lead 3 weeks prior to the election each time.

The votes speak for themselves.

Hence we have Fox News crushing all the other media outlets in terms of percentage of the market.

Good Points. The fact that FOX has Gretta ... is amazing. She was one of the most sickening supporters of Clinton when she worked for CNN. They are clearly 'fair and balanced'.

[phkrause]

I agree that there is plenty of balance at fox. I would say more than other stations.

pk

[Dr. Shane]

I'm not even into arguing about who is objectively right about such a subjective thing as who won a debate. But its clear that Fox News has a particular audience, and it's also clear that that audience sees things quite differently to a majority of their fellow Americans.

I think most Republicans do watch FOXNews but that is not in itself evidence that it is bias to them. It could mean, as I believe it does, that Republicans feel (for whatever reason) that other news outlets have a liberal bias.

In their hard news reports, when they show a clip of a Republican politician speaking they show a clip of the same size of a Democrat giving an opposing position. In the reporters in their news rooms (not the actual news anchors) are from all political stripes.

Their prime-time shows are O'Reilly, Hannity & Combs and Vanstrusten. O'Reilly is a moderate conservative. Hannity is a far-right conservative. Combs is a far-left liberal. Vanstrustren is a moderate liberal. Each of these programs have guests on a regular basis from all political stripes.

I think FOXNews does a good job of trying to be fair and balanced. Of course that is an ideal that no news organization is going to be able to achieve 100%. Any conservative slant the network may have would be driven by ratings rather than ideology.

[Bravus]

Yeah, I know Shane, I wasn't arguing necessarily that Fox is biased, just that its audience slants very strongly one way. But savvy media professionals are going to cater to their audience.

[Bravus]

And olger, that cartoon makes a point but is completely off topic in this thread.