Reprint:
Jon Stewart is right about Fox News
By Adam Serwer
Yesterday Daily Show host Jon Stewart appeared on Fox News Sunday, where he accused the network of taking ideological “marching orders.”
Fox Anchor Chris Wallace took exception to Stewart’s remarks:
STEWART: You can’t understand because of the world you live in that there is not a designed ideological agenda on my part to affect partisan change because that’s the soup you swim in. I appreciate that. I understand that. It reminds me of, you know — you know, ideological regimes. They can’t understand that there is free media other places. Because they receive marching orders.
WALLACE: How do you explain me? Do you think I get my marching orders?
STEWART: I think that you are here in some respects to bring a credibility and an integrity to an organization that might not otherwise have it, without your presence. So, you are here as a counterweight to Hannity, let’s say, or a counterweight to Glenn Beck, because otherwise, it’s just pure talk radio and it doesn’t establish the type of political player it wants to be.
Wallace in particular aside, there’s plenty of evidence that Fox News does deliberately slant its news coverage. For the past few months, Media Matters has released a series of internal emails from Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon that show Sammon pushing the network to take conservative and/or anti-Obama positions. During the 2008 election, Sammon spearheaded the notion on the air that Obama is a “socialist,” even though he privately admittedthat the accusation was “far-fetched.” Sammon told Fox employees to refer to the “public option” as the “government option” during the debate over the Affordable Care Act, echoing the adviceof Republican pollster Frank Luntz.
Following Obama’s 2009 speech in Cairo, Sammon suggested the network focus on the factthat the president hadn’t used the word “terrorism,” even though he had discussed the issue. Sammon urged Fox News employees to present climate change data as controversial. The network’s coverage of the issue is incredibly slanted: 81 percent of Fox News guests oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases.
One can discern Fox News’ conservative slant merely by watching the network itself, of course. But the leaks offer concrete evidence of how that slant is developed. Stewart pointed out that the end result of all this is that Fox News viewers are consistently the most misinformed — an assertion Wallace didn’t challenge. As Steve Benen points out, that’s because it’s an assertion that happens to be true. When Stewart says the network follows “ideological marching orders,” he’s on pretty solid ground.
The interview, filmed and aired on Sunday, has received much publicity. Jon Stewart has even used the interview with Chris Wallace for his own skits. Click to see Jon Stewart run over the short list of Faux News inaccuracies taken from Politifact.com. You decide. Did Jon Stewart hit the nail on the head or not? Is Adam Serwer right?
Article discussing the liberal slant of MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC will be appearing in 3….2…..1….
OF COURSE its got a conservative slant, otherwise it would just be another average liberal show.
During the 2008 election, Sammon spearheaded the notion on the air that Obama is a “socialist,” even though he privately admittedthat the accusation was “far-fetched.” Sammon told Fox employees to refer to the “public option” as the “government option”
Obama is a progressive. Progressivism is a socialist philosophy.
A “public option” IS a “government option. If its a “public option” then it HAS to be run by the governement.
Following Obama’s 2009 speech in Cairo, Sammon suggested the network focus on the fact that the president hadn’t used the word “terrorism,” even though he had discussed the issue. Sammon urged Fox News employees to present climate change data as controversial. The network’s coverage of the issue is incredibly slanted: 81 percent of Fox News guests oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases.
Obama skirted the issue of terrorism and to this day refuses to treat our war against jihadist as such. No where do you find the word “muslim” in the associated attacks, etc when the government discusses or questions “why” someone attacks America.
Climate change/AGW IS CONTROVERSIAL. The theory is horribly flawed, and its advancement as a political agenda has been very corrupt. The EPA has no call to regulate “greenhouse gases” as those are not pollutants nor is it confirmed that CO2 is a forcing agent for “global warming.” The EPA should, if CO2 is a pollutant, try and control water vapor. THAT has a greater effect on the climate.
Btw, that Politifact link is bad. It links to this: http://www.http.com//www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/
That link talks about the various promises made by Obama/Dems and the GOP.
Oh, and using Media Matters as a credible source for anything…much less valid criticism of Fox, etc…..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA….whew…funny.
Perhaps you want to explain your beef with media matters? If they use someone’s own words to illustrate someone’s bias or stupidity….well…just saying.
Link fixed. I even looked up the good one and still entered the wrong one. Doh.
I think the real question and at the crux of the matter is: does Fox News invent things? Is it a talk show or a news show? They don’t seem to understand that Jon Stewart is a comedian first and foremost.
Cargo, actually, neither you or I know what Obama did regarding terrorism because it has been so reguritated by so many different talking heads.
Why do you want to insist on talking about muslims? Why do you want Obama to talk about them?
Climate change theory– that is just one of those topics that makes me want to scream bloody murder. It really shouldn’t be a political issue. Let’s put it another way…do you really think exhaust fumes are good for the air around us? Let’s simplify it because that really is pretty much what we are talking about.
I read the transcript of his Cairo speech. http://unitedconservatives.blogspot.com/2009/06/fisking-obamas-speech-so-you-dont-have.html
I watch what the government puts out after every terrorist is captured. I watch what HE says. The traitor at Ft. Hood shouted “Allhu Ackbar!” when he shot his fellow soldiers. The Marine reservist recently captured in Arlington is muslim. The Times Square failed bomber was muslim. But his motivation was a “mystery.” We are at war with muslim jihadists. Yet, Obama instructed his branch of the government to stop using the word jihadist, war on terror, etc.
As for the climate…again, you are equating pollution with CO2. Soot, sulfur dioxode, etc are pollutants. CO2 is not. The AGW crowd is not claiming that pollution like that is causing global warming.
Media Matters is an attack site paid for by Soros to counteract supposed conservative influence in the media, ie Fox and Beck. They are notorious for taking things out of context and making things up.
So…of course, its very popular on the left.
MH, to your question about a news show or a commentary (talk) show I think the answer is – it depends.
I see Fox the same way that I see MSNBC or CNN. They have news programs and I expect those programs to be fairly impartial.
They also have commentary or editorial programs built around a personality. Beck, Maddow, O’Reilly, etc. I do NOT expect to get “news” from those programs. I’m expecting a distilled version (opinion) on that show that happens to be riding on a network that does news. I don’t know anyone that’s a friend or collegue that watches Beck and doesn’t think it’s an opinion show. But I have a few that watch Maddow and think it’s the 11pm news.
Because I have more than a few brain cells I can tell the difference. Some people can not.
When Stewart says Fox follows an idealogical marching order I say. Yes, and……???
I don’t know of any news network that doesn’t with the exception of CSPAN. NPR is in the tank for the left as much as Fox is in the tank for the right.
The press as a whole has FAILED. So, the blame or fault shouldn’t be isolated to Fox but to every person that calls themselves a journalist but has forgotten what it is to be a journalist.
Marin, Fox News just needs to man up and admit that they are more a talk show than a news show. There are very few news segments on that channel.
In the evening, MSNBC is pretty much the same, except opposite.
@marinm
Some people think Stewart is a news show….
If they think he is a news show, they have missed the boat. He is a comedian. Correction, a master comedian.
@Cargosquid
I know… That speaks to the sad state of affairs with our public education system AND with our out to lunch press.
My head hurts.
Found the annotated Politifact link for Stewart’s show:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2011/jun/22/jon-stewarts-politifact-segment-annotated-edition/
This one is wrong. If you force me to buy insurance, mandate that insurance companies insure all people, etc….that’s a takeover.
PolitiFact’s Lie of the Year: ‘A government takeover of health care’ (December 16, 2010)
This one too. Glenn Beck: The Muslim Brotherhood has “openly stated they want to declare war on Israel.” — False (February 15, 2011) The representative of the Muslim Brotherhood did say “prepare for war.” His words were reported everywhere. Beck was right. NOW the Brotherhood is backtracking.
PolitiFact’s Lie of the Year: ‘Death panels’ (December 18, 2009) This one is not a lie. “Death panels, while hyperbole, describes the power of the government to decide what they will pay for or provide for treatment. The thing is, its already there, in Medicare and Medicaid. And insurance companies. But you have a chance to sue an insurance company and win.
A lot of the statements were incorrect in the details. Politifact hits on the exact statement, not the context.
Death panels is a made up political word. Where anywhere in the thousands of health care pages is the word ‘death panel?’
I agree with Marin. They are almost all sinners committing the same sin. The only answer, in my opinion, is for each of us to become our own personal “Media Matters” in a way. Look it up yourself. Confirm or disprove to your own satisfaction.
Death panels is a hyperbolic short hand for government panels that determine the level of treatment based upon cost analysis, usually coinciding with age.
Remember, it was Obama that said, “If they’re not being made under Medicare and Medicaid, they’re being made by private insurers. At least we can let doctors know — and your mom know — that you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. Maybe you’re better off, uhh, not having the surgery, but, uhh, taking the painkiller.”
This is was in response to a woman talking about her 105 year old mother that got a pacemaker at 100.
So, yes, death panels. Except when the government uses them, you have no recourse.
Then stop calling them death panels. This isn’t Star Wars. Do you think your insurance companies don’t do that?
If they are the same, except oppisite why not call on MSNBC to man up as well?
I think anyone with an 8th grade education and a heartbeat should know that Ms. Maddow or Mr. Beck ain’t news. If they can’t figure that out no ‘statement’ from the parent news network will ‘fix’ that. We need smarter humans watching tv. What we have is the begining of Idocracy.
I believe they have. When has Rachel Maddow ever denied she had a liberal agenda and that she is a talk show?
News during the day is pretty much news.
The real fair and balanced is the Morning Joe Show. Very good mix of discussion from liberal and conservative viewpoints. Joe is more a moderate.
What we have is the begining of Idocracy.
Duuuuude…….I know it was unintentional but….you misspelled beginning and Idiocracy…. 🙂
Priceless. But you are soooooooooo right.
How Obama was elected:
http://youtu.be/mm1KOBMg1Y8
Very Stupid Voters
http://youtu.be/mjtAgPMnUd4
We’re doomed. These people will be paying for our medicare, SS, …oh. wait. nevermind. Those won’t be there…..
http://youtu.be/gCXot2HQT00
We need to educate Americans again!
@Cargo
Too funny!!! I type way too fast for my own good.
re re stupid voters
Now, do you think that was a real poll? 🙄 Do you think tapping that crew of dimwits was any less fair than say going through the mall during one of the tea party rallys?
Some of those folks weren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer either.
There are all sorts of people out there who just don’t follow political policy. There are some area of politics that I would sound just as uninformed as some of them. Many people just vote for who appeals to them. Oh well. Your job is to find enough dumb asses on your side to balance it out. And trust me…you can do it!!!
An upcoming book by a UCLA professor asserts that Fox News and the Drudge Report are fairer and much less biased than any other news organization. In fact, the professor suggests that Fox News is slightly left of center, but does not appear that way because the mainstream media are so far to the left.
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/06/16/book-liberal-media-distorts-news-bias
@Moon-howler
Um, I mentioned that insurance companies do it. But you can sue an insurance company.
@Kelly3406
I’ve said it over and over…..right and left are conditional on political viewpoint.
To me, GWB was a centrist president. To those on the left, he was very right. The left is calling Obama a centrist. I call him a progressive socialist.
The political viewpoint, the narrative, is that the left of the nation is actually the center. Whereas, the reality is that we are a center/right nation that doesn’t pay attention to politics.
@Moon-howler
Actually, yes. I believe that the Tea Party members ARE more educated. At least they will be able to articulate at least ONE policy that a candidate endorses or a reason to dislike Obama. Also, I believe that they will, at least, recognize major politicians. I don’t believe that they will believe that they would applaud one of Obama’s policies if Palin’s name was on it. Though ti might be hard to see a difference between Romney, Huntsman, and Obama.
I’ll even say that a Tea Party member may get the details of a policy wrong, but they will at least know enough to mention it.
“Change” is no reason to vote for someone. Anyone. The candidate had better spell out the change they want to make before asking for my vote.
@Kelly3406
Faux News is left? ooookkkkaaaayyyyy. They might object to that classification.
I don’t know there, Cargo. I saw some real lame brains out there on the mall. Some were real storehouses of misinformation. However, someone had made them feel like they belonged and I actually think that is important.
The lamebrains we saw being interviewed will have years before they even want to belong. hell, they might never. I have a friend who hasn’t voted in like 35 years. She is one of my dinner brigade members. We often discuss foreign events. She often doesn’t know about major events. I think she has gotten better though. She isn’t allowed to voice an opinion though because she doesn’t vote.
@Moon-howler
She isn’t allowed to voice an opinion though because she doesn’t vote.
Why do you say that? I know I haven’t. In fact, I don’t have a problem with her not voting. That’s her choice. She’s willing to accept the outcome without input. But she can still voice an opinion. Just because she didn’t like the candidates, does not mean that she can’t “opinioniate.”
If I don’t want to vote “for” a candidate, I have to think long and hard if I’m going to vote “against” a candidate. A lesser of two evils…..is still evil.
@Cargo
Because she says stupid, uninformed things that piss me off, just to be blunt. If you haven’t voted in 35 years you have no right to offer an uninformed opinon to your 3 friends who don’t want to hear your crap. If she wants to run her mouth about things she knows nothing about she should find other dumb asses to dine with. We aren’t going to tolerate it.
Its our choice to tell her to shut up also. I believe this started over her Clinton bashing…..
Cargo, I left off that she doesn’t listen to the news or pick up a newspaper. She just mouths crap her sister says. Is filtered garbage. No one is forcing her to eat dinner with us either.
Ahhh….sooooo, she’s your typical American voter……ok.
I don’t know what is ‘typical.’ I try not to hang out with dumb asses. They bore me. @cargo
Apparently Jon Stewart misinforms his audience too:
http://reason.com/blog/2011/06/21/is-jon-stewart-correct-that-fo
Even Politifact twists to get the answers they want sometimes:
http://reason.com/blog/2010/11/15/when-being-absolutely-correct