NEW YORK—Fox News responded to sexual harassment charges levied against the network by former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros Monday by arguing in a court filing that the broadcaster is “not a victim” but rather “an opportunist.”
Tantaros last week filed her lawsuit against the network, former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes and other Fox executives.
The charges came in the wake of an earlier suit filed in July by former Fox News broadcaster Gretchen Carlson, who alleged that the 76-year old Ailes decided not to renew her contract after she refused to have sex with him. Carlson also claimed that Ailes ignored her reports of “disparaging treatment in the newsroom.”
Ailes who has denied the charges, stepped down July 22 and left the conservative-leaning network with a $40 million severance package.
In her own suit, Tantaros said that “Fox News masquerades as defender of traditional family values, but behind the scenes, it operates like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency, and misogyny.”
Fox News had its worst ratings since 2001 in January, according to the latest figures.
The network had a 12-year low in the coveted 25-54 demographic in primetime and fell to its lowest total day ratings since 2008, a press release from rival cable channel MSNBC stated on Tuesday.
And January marked the worst month ever for Fox’s “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” among the 25-54 demo, as well as the channel’s lowest total viewership in the 10 p.m. hour since July 2008.
At MSNBC, the cable network saw its ratings go up 11 percent in the 25-54 demo compared to January 2012. And “The Rachel Maddow Show” topped CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” this month, and also ranked number one among the 18-34 demo.
Fox News, meanwhile, had nine of the 10 top programs in January — Maddow’s show was the only non-Fox News program to enter the top 10, in the last slot, as the Huffington Post pointed out.
The fight for the Republican nomination is no longer just candidate versus candidate. It’s candidate versus Fox News.
Newt Gingrich became the latest Republican candidate to lash out at the cable news network, accusing it on Wednesday of dooming his flagging campaign by slanting its political coverage to Mitt Romney‘s benefit.
Mr. Gingrich quickly found that Fox News’s tenacity is a match for his own. The network shot back on Thursday, calling the former House speaker bitter.
The sniping started when Mr. Gingrich, a former Fox News commentator, told a gathering of Tea Party supporters in Delaware that Fox News had distorted its coverage of him. And he accused Rupert Murdoch, chairman of the network’s parent company, News Corporation, of pulling the strings behind the scenes. His comments were reported on Thursday morning by Real Clear Politics, which gained access to the Delaware event.
“I assume it’s because Murdoch at some point said, ‘I want Romney,’ and so ‘fair and balanced’ became ‘Romney,’ ” Gingrich was quoted as saying. “And there’s no question that Fox had a lot to do with stopping my campaign because such a high percentage of our base watches Fox.”
He went on to add: “In our experience, Callista and I both believe CNN is less biased than Fox this year. We are more likely to get neutral coverage out of CNN than we are of Fox, and we’re more likely to get distortion out of Fox. That’s just a fact.”
I never thought I would agree with Newt Gingrich, but he is right on this one. I have never known a news station to distort, twist and lie like Faux News. Fox and Friends is probably the worst. Kelly’s news isn’t much better. I don’t mind conservative news. I mind lies and spin. I am going to have to start checking out CNN more. It’s biggest problem is it just is dull. Faux News has good graphics and better lies. Maybe that’s the sell off. You have to go boring to get unbiased news.
The Foxie News Team and Sarah Palin are enjoying their mock indignation over the White House Christmas card this year. When will Sarah Palin’s opinion stop tickling our funny bone? Sit back and share the hypocrisy….
Nothing says hypocrisy like the Foxies….
Fox News has been droning on for weeks about the secular war on Christmas. It seems that they are part of the war.
And strangely enough, for a network known for reporting on the “War on Christmas,” all the Biblical references have been stripped out of the song “Joy to the World,” and instead replaced with Fox-friendly lyrics. Here’s a taste of the song: “Joy to the world for Fox News Channel, consistently number one, we are the network that viewers choose, fair and balanced news, see our ratings we don’t lose, beating the rest in TV news,” reads the first stanza. Later ones give kudos to Fox News personalities Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Shepard Smith, Megyn Kelly, Neil Cavuto, Bret Baier and the folks on “The Five.”
So, is this a lot of reindeer crap or what? How does Fox News get ahead with their mock war on Christmas. Their card is funny. I have no problem with it. Good healthy competition is always fun. But…why act like the President and his family are held to a higher standard regarding Christianity, of all things?
Shame of the Fox News Channel for this one.
Yesterday Hank Williams Jr. appeared on The View, sporting a Mickey Mantle baseball shirt. He made an even bigger fool of himself and showed little class. He did explain that he didn’t think of Obama as Hitler, he was making an analogy. He has another analogy about ‘kicking cow turds.”
He now is blaming ESPN and Fox News for his troubles and feels he was set up. He is calling for a boycot of ESPN and Fox News in his new song that came out at 3 pm 10/10/11,” Keep The Change.”
You know, I never ever thought I would be in the position of defending Fox News. I guess this is just one of those times. Williams might as well be saying the Devil Made Me Do It.
I am also getting over the gross out of Williams wearing the shirt of St. Mickey Mantle. Some things are sacred! The Mick wouldn’t like this.
As the tale of the tabloid, the News of the World implodes over scandal, law-breaking, dead girls, hacking, and other disreputable acts not worthy of the name journalism, it will take a long time to sort it all out. NOTW will go to press for the last time on Sunday. Robert Murdoch, owner, has pulled the plug. Murdoch has even more influence in the UK than he does in the United States. He has refused to comment.
Should we be surprised? Faux News certainly has done things for years that are questionable in the ethnics department. They seem to make up their own rules, all while pointing fingers at everyone else. The buck has to stop with Robert Murdoch. Maybe his world will come crumbling down. Maybe he will decide there is more to journalism than making money. The American press has always seemed like a gentle, well-mannered giant compared to the irreverent junk-yard dog habits of the British press. Faux News continually pushes the envelope. This would be a good time for American journalists to re-evaluate what the word professionalism means and perhaps do a little house cleaning of their own. Meanwhile, Faux News needs to do a lot of damage control before I call them by their rightful name.
Despite his monster ratings, Fox News is bidding farewell to Glenn Beck as tensions between the incendiary host and the top-rated cable news channel have led to a near-total divorce.
I say near-total because the two sides announced a deal today in which Beck’s production company will produce occasional content for Fox. But insiders say this will amount to a handful of specials and that many senior Fox executives are relieved to be rid of Beck, whose ratings have dropped 40 percent.
Beck, too, has tired of the friction with Fox and is said by people close to him to be happy to end the partnership.
Whatever the genesis, for Beck to give up his daily 5 p.m. program, which at its peak drew more than 2.5 million viewers, is a case study in how even the most successful broadcast personalities can become too hot to handle.
In the end, the man who drew a huge crowd to the Lincoln Memorial, but also became a lightning rod after calling President Obama a racist, lasted less than three years as a daily Fox host. More than 300 advertisers fled the Beck show, but he still delivered a huge lead-in audience for Bret Baier and others who followed him on the Fox lineup.
This news was predictable. Glenn Beck has been under fire for some time now for his incendiary remarks. Since the last election, his shows have gotten boring. His outlandishness has become a drone. Did he quit trying or was mission accomplished? Now he sounds like he is just trying to advance Mormon ideas. I stopped listening several weeks ago. Read More
Fox News’ defense correspondent, Jennifer Griffin, reported on Monday that the British army had been due to fire seven missiles at Gaddafi’s compound. But the attack was held off, she said, because Libya had brought journalists from CNN, Reuters, the AP, the Times of London and other news outlets to the compound for what, in the government’s words, was a press tour. According to Griffin, the actual reason for bringing the journalists to the compound was to “effectively use them as human shields.”
Speaking to Fox News’ John Roberts, Griffin said that Fox News had kept its correspondent in the region, Steve Harrigan, away from the tour because the network was “concerned they could be used as human shields.”
In an interview with Wolf Blitzer later on Monday, CNN’s senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, who was one of the reporters on the tour, lashed out at Fox News. He called the report “outrageous and absolutely hypocritical,” and said that, when you come to somewhere like Libya, you expect lies and deceit from the dictatorship here. You don’t expect it from the other journalists.”
Robertson’s report certainly differs a great deal from Faux News’ report. Why would they lie?
Responding to Limbaugh’s criticism of Fox, Krauthammer retored, “As one of the three slobberers… I find it interesting that only the ruling class wants a president who is smart articulate and oratorical in delivering a funeral oration… It’s an odd and rather condescending view of what the rest of America is looking for in their president.
It looks like the Fox News Panel trots one out of the ball park for a change. Good for Krauthammer! Good self deprecating humor!
(Thanks to Juturna for bringing this gem to my attention.)
“Misinformation is dangerous when it metastasizes,” Rabin-Havt says. “Fox is going to lie with impunity. Rush Limbaugh is going to lie. The problem is when a story jumps from Fox News to CNN or the New York Times or The Washington Post. Our job is the head these things off at the pass.”
Rabin-Havt is the Vice President of Media Matters. The CEO, David Brock, was a conservative before he was a liberal.
Media Matters is the watch dog group that loves to hate Fox News. .
Fighting Fox is what Media Matters does, relentlessly and obsessively. In the six years since its founding, the watchdog group has evolved from an all-purpose scourge of the conservative media into Fox News Channel’s veritable shadow and constant irritant. From well before sunrise to long after it each day, teams of young researchers sift through video clips and transcripts of programs hosted by Fox stars such as Glenn Beckand Bill O’Reilly to find dubious facts, logical contradictions and poisonous – at least to Media Matters’ liberal sensibilities – rhetoric.
Brock further explains:
The dogged pursuit of Fox, says Media Matters’ founder David Brock, reflects not just the cable network’s popularity among conservatives but its power to set, and perhaps distort, the political agenda. Brock and his staff say they regard Fox as something more than just the televised equivalent of talk radio; they describe it as a de facto political operation, with a leading role in disseminating conservative messages, supporting conservative candidates and mobilizing voters.
The Feds have sued Fox News for allegedly retaliating against Catherine Herrity for complaining about unequal pay and unequal job conditions based on her age and gender. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)says Fox News Channel reporter Catherine Herridge filed an internal complaint about allegedly discriminatory practices in 2007. Fox News supposedly found no bias but later included language in Ms. Herrity’s contract that would prevent her from complaining. She refused to sign her contract.
The network agreed to remove the language after she complained to the EEOC.
The EEOC seeks unspecified monetary damages and a court order enjoining Fox from retaliating against other employees.
Should we be surprised? Is there any woman on the show who is not attractive? Men certainly aren’t held to the same standard of attractness. Other than Shep, there seems to be an absence of male counterparts. There seems to be a hook for the men…pretty women with cleavage and leg. Bring in the men and the women will follow? Is that how it works? Probably the good car chases don’t hurt either.
Does Catherine Herrity still work for Faux News or has she been turned out to pasture?
On Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy and guest Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County, Virginia, board of supervisors, falsely claimed that the county’s controversial immigration law reduced violent crime and has never been altered. In fact, Prince William County’s violent crime rates actually increased in 2009; the law was modified in 2008 to avoid legal challenges; and a University of Virginia study of the law shows that it has not led to a reduction in crime.
Doocy falsely claimed immigration law led to a “reduction in violent crimes” and an overall “huge drop in crime”
Doocy falsely claims immigration law led to “38 percent reduction in violent crimes.” On the June 21 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends, Doocy introduced Stewart by claiming, “Three years ago, Prince William County in Virginia passed major immigration reform, and they’ve since seen a huge drop in crime.” Doocy later said to Stewart, “Let’s take a look at some of the changes in Prince William County since this law went into place — 38 percent reduction in violent crimes.” The law in question requires police officers to inquire about the immigration status of those persons who have been placed under arrest.
In fact, Prince William County’s violent crime rate increased 10.9 percent in 2009. According to Prince William County Police Department crime statistics, in 2009, the county saw a 10.9 percent increase in violent crimes. The county’s “overall crime rate” decreased by 1.9 percent from the previous year. The law first went into effect in 2008, during which time the county saw an increase in its overall crime rate and a reduction in violent crimes versus the year prior.
Prince William County’s 2009 overall lowered crime rate is credited as being “part of a trend that started long before” the immigration bill. In a National Review Online post, John J. Miller wrote: “As it happens, crime rates have been going down for a long time in Prince William County. The latest numbers are part of a trend that started long before the county took a stand against illegal immigration.” Prince William County Police Chief Charlie T. Deane reportedly noted that crime rates have been decreasing nationwide and that Prince William County’s rates were consistent with that trend. According to The Washington Post, Deane said, ” ‘I also think, nationwide, crime rates are declining, and I’m pleased we’ve continued to see’ that in the county, too.”
“Illegal aliens” only account for a small percentage of crimes and arrests, and the vast majority of those arrested were for “misdemeanor or traffic charges.” The reports show that those suspected of being “illegal aliens” account for only a small percentage of total crimes. In 2008, “[o]f all persons arrested or summonsed in Prince William County, 1.7% were determined to lack legal status,” while “86.9% of those suspected to be illegal aliens were arrested on misdemeanor or traffic charges.” In 2009, “[o]f all persons arrested or summonsed in Prince William County, 2.2% were determined to lack legal status,” while “87.5% of those suspected to be illegal aliens were arrested on misdemeanor or traffic charges.”
UVA study: “[T]he policy has not reduced most forms of crime in PWC.” The University of Virginia (UVA) studied the effects of the law on Prince William County crime rates and concluded, “Overall, our descriptive assessment of PWCPD data on crime reports and arrests suggests that the policy has not reduced most forms of crime in PWC and that its contribution to the County’s drop in serious violence has likely been modest.” A May 7 Washington Postarticle cited the UVA study and reported that “the study also said that it seems unlikely that the county’s drop in violent crime was because of the policy, because illegal immigrants make up a small percentage of those arrested for such crimes.”
Doocy lets guest falsely claim that the “law stands today as it was written in 2007”
Doocy allows Stewart to falsely claim that the“law stands today as it was written in 2007.” After Doocy asked Stewart about legal challenges to the law, Stewart falsely claimed that “the federal district court in Arlington, Virginia, threw [a court challenge to the bill] out on its face — threw the challenge out on its face — and the law stands today as it was written in 2007.”
In fact, the “ordinance was modified in 2008 amid charges that it was unconstitutional.” Contrary to Stewart’s claim that “the law stands today as it was written in 2007,” The Washington Postreported:
The Prince William ordinance was modified in 2008 amid charges that it was unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling. In the end, rather than questioning only people they suspected of being undocumented immigrants, officers were directed to question all criminal suspects about their immigration status once an arrest was made.
The press is all over Obama’s ass kicking statement. First, he was criticized for not showing emotion. Then he was chastised for not being angry enough. So now the president has spoken:
“I was down there a month ago, before most of these talking heads were even paying attention to the Gulf,” the president told Matt Lauer in a clip released this evening. “A month ago I was meeting with fishermen down there, standing in the rain talking about what a potential crisis this could be. And I don’t sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick.”
Predictably, The Fox and Friends crew took the President to task for saying ‘ass.’ In fact, the word was ‘bleeped’ out. Then they took him to task for trying to be tough, for not doing it sooner, for doing it at all and for doing it late. The the President caught it for faking anger, whatever that means. They went on and on this morning. It was totally amazing how much bashing went on.
Interesting. Why is it that people need to be told how and what to think? I want to hear things for myself. I can figure out what to think and if I can’t, there are places to go ask.
Once again, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Corey Stewart prevaricated and obfuscated.
A few examples:
1. He didn’t tell Alisyn how many times the Resolution changed from July 7, 2007 until May 1, 2008.
2. He led the viewers to believe that the police could ask for documents based on probable cause. Does Corey still not know that probably cause no longer exists in our Resolution?
3. He stated that violent crimes are down 38%. Not according to PWC crime statistics and he knows this.
4. He was hung (sic) in effigy? I must have missed that one.
5. He stated that 80% of the people of Prince William County support the law and that the UVA survey stated so. I would like to see that little known fact in writing. No such question existed on that survey.
6. He assumed that fewer babies were born to illegal immigrant mothers and stated that as a fact when he had no verifiable proof. Immigration status is not collected at either hospital in the county and therefore he can only assume.
7. We have fewer ESOL classes now? I don’t think so. The nuumber of students enrolled in ESOL dropped slightly at the height of the foreclosure crisis, but returned to an even greater number by FY2008-2009.
8. He failed to explain the evolution of what happened in PWC. He failed to explain that the Resolution that was passed on July 7, 2007 was not what passed around May 1, 2008. He led Alisyn to believe that whatever we did here fixed all immigration problems. That is simply not the case. He did not say that the status of all those arrested would be checked and he did not mention the 287(g) program. He failed to mention one of the worst housing crashes in the United States happened in PWC. He failed to mention he used trumped up issues to get himself re-elected. He failed to mention what he did to the Chief of Police. He failed to mention what he did to his supervisor colleagues.
How can he live with himself puffing up like that? He let everyone who was listening to Fox News at that hour believe he held the silver bullet.
I felt very ashamed of my county and my state as I listed to something that simply was not the truth. Corey told how he wanted things to be, not how they really were. He misled the people of Arizona.
