Can Fox News be trusted?

[Question Everything]

Asked what most viewers and observers of Fox News would be surprised to learn about the controversial cable channel, a former insider from the world of Rupert Murdoch was quick with a response: “I don’t think people would believe it’s as concocted as it is; that stuff is just made up.�

http://www.readersupportednews.org/off- ... t-made-upq

[cnorman18]

Take a look at this 4-minute hatchet job on President Obama aired by Fox News as a NEWS story. It was as blatantly biased and propagandistic as any campaign ad ever produced by the GOP, with ominous music and carefully selected images to enhance the attack. As a campaign ad, this would have been perfectly acceptable; but this piece was produced as a news story by Fox News itself, and was aired on a news program as an objective look at the record of the Obama administration. It wasn't.

David Zurawik of the Baltimore Sun had this to say:

As the guy who challenged the Obama administration two years when it tried to deny Fox News access to interviews and other opportunities offered to the media on the grounds that Fox was not a legitimate news operation, I have to tell you even I am shocked by how blatantly Fox is throwing off any pretense of being a journalistic entity with videos like this. Don't be fooled by Bret Baier's Boy Scout smile or all the talk about how some shows are news and some are opinion on the channel. Any news organization that puts up this kind of video is rotten to the core.

Even conservative critics were outraged by the story. Ed Morrissey of Hot Air put it this way:

If anyone wanted to look for evidence that the overall Fox News organization intends to campaign against Obama rather than cover the campaign, this video would be difficult to refute as evidence for that claim....It makes a pretty powerful argument against another four years of Barack Obama, but that shouldn’t be the job of news-reporting organizations, even when we like the message.

At one time I respected Fox News as actually providing a "fair and balanced" perspective. Those days are long gone. Fox News is now a de facto PAC supporting the far right wing of the Republican Party, and is about as reliable a news organization as the Glenn Beck channel.

[His Name Is John]

I am a Brit so am more than aware of Murdoch's attitudes and agenda. You might be aware of the situation in the UK where, at long last, we seem to be prepared to take him on.

The short answer is no. You cannot trust anything which comes out of a Murdoch controlled company, but especially Fox. It panders to every type of right wing prejudice and just reinforces some of the more stupid and regressive political views which seem to be held by so many naive Americans.

If you want your hatred massaged watch Fox. If you want news, watch the BBC.

BBC is biased as well. Just not nearly as much.

[cnorman18]

I am a Brit so am more than aware of Murdoch's attitudes and agenda. You might be aware of the situation in the UK where, at long last, we seem to be prepared to take him on.

The short answer is no. You cannot trust anything which comes out of a Murdoch controlled company, but especially Fox. It panders to every type of right wing prejudice and just reinforces some of the more stupid and regressive political views which seem to be held by so many naive Americans.

If you want your hatred massaged watch Fox. If you want news, watch the BBC.

BBC is biased as well. Just not nearly as much.

Well, EVERYBODY is biased to a certain extent; everybody has a opinion, and news organizations are made up of human beings.

But there is a difference between that sort of involuntary and unconscious bias, which responsible reporters and news directors try to be aware of and avoid -- and the kind of deliberate, conscious and blatantly partisan propagandizing that Fox News does and presents as "fair and balanced NEWS." Fox is NOT a legitimate news organization; not any more.

[SailingCyclops]

Asked what most viewers and observers of Fox News would be surprised to learn about the controversial cable channel, a former insider from the world of Rupert Murdoch was quick with a response: “I don’t think people would believe it’s as concocted as it is; that stuff is just made up.�

[center][/center]


Fox News' Lies Keep Them Out of Canada
By Robert F. Kennedy Jr

Fox Shut Out of Canada Because of a Law Against Lying During Newscasts

Liars can't be trusted!

Bob

[His Name Is John]

I am a Brit so am more than aware of Murdoch's attitudes and agenda. You might be aware of the situation in the UK where, at long last, we seem to be prepared to take him on.

The short answer is no. You cannot trust anything which comes out of a Murdoch controlled company, but especially Fox. It panders to every type of right wing prejudice and just reinforces some of the more stupid and regressive political views which seem to be held by so many naive Americans.

If you want your hatred massaged watch Fox. If you want news, watch the BBC.

BBC is biased as well. Just not nearly as much.

Well, EVERYBODY is biased to a certain extent; everybody has a opinion, and news organizations are made up of human beings.

But there is a difference between that sort of involuntary and unconscious bias, which responsible reporters and news directors try to be aware of and avoid -- and the kind of deliberate, conscious and blatantly partisan propagandizing that Fox News does and presents as "fair and balanced NEWS." Fox is NOT a legitimate news organization; not any more.

Of course, but I remember watching a piece which looked like a propaganda video about our troops in Iraq. I also get my news from BBC, but to be honest, I take everything I read with a grain or two of salt.

[new friend]

I am a Brit so am more than aware of Murdoch's attitudes and agenda. You might be aware of the situation in the UK where, at long last, we seem to be prepared to take him on.

The short answer is no. You cannot trust anything which comes out of a Murdoch controlled company, but especially Fox. It panders to every type of right wing prejudice and just reinforces some of the more stupid and regressive political views which seem to be held by so many naive Americans.

If you want your hatred massaged watch Fox. If you want news, watch the BBC.

BBC is biased as well. Just not nearly as much.

No it isn't and it is really important to understand why. Individual BBC journalists and producers are, of course, going to have their opinions when making documentaries. There is not though any overall political leaning within the BBC, so no direction from the centre. It is not permitted by it's charter. I realise those from the right believe the BBC to be comprised of a bunch of left wing, liberal trendies who reject their view on life. The truth is they are just objective journalists. The left also complain about their treatment and whine about bias. If both sides are moaning it seems the BBC have got the balance about right.

Fox, and any other organisation, which is owned by someone like Murdoch who has a particular worldview and a determination to move it forward via his media outlets is a totally different animal. If you share that view you will enjoy what they say but it isn't news. Its propaganda.

[His Name Is John]

I am a Brit so am more than aware of Murdoch's attitudes and agenda. You might be aware of the situation in the UK where, at long last, we seem to be prepared to take him on.

The short answer is no. You cannot trust anything which comes out of a Murdoch controlled company, but especially Fox. It panders to every type of right wing prejudice and just reinforces some of the more stupid and regressive political views which seem to be held by so many naive Americans.

If you want your hatred massaged watch Fox. If you want news, watch the BBC.

BBC is biased as well. Just not nearly as much.

No it isn't and it is really important to understand why. Individual BBC journalists and producers are, of course, going to have their opinions when making documentaries. There is not though any overall political leaning within the BBC, so no direction from the centre. It is not permitted by it's charter.

I know this. But I still think it happens.

I realise those from the right believe the BBC to be comprised of a bunch of left wing, liberal trendies who reject their view on life.

I am not from the right, and in any case, I don't believe the BBC is left wing. I just think it is not objectively pro-west.

The truth is they are just objective journalists. The left also complain about their treatment and whine about bias. If both sides are moaning it seems the BBC have got the balance about right.

I disagree.

Fox, and any other organisation, which is owned by someone like Murdoch who has a particular worldview and a determination to move it forward via his media outlets is a totally different animal. If you share that view you will enjoy what they say but it isn't news. Its propaganda.

I don't watch Fox News, and I never would. But if there were really good alternatives to BBC, I wouldn't watch that either.

[new friend]

John

I am not from the right, and in any case, I don't believe the BBC is left wing. I just think it is not objectively pro-west.

Why does being objective have anything to do with being pro-west? Surely being objective requires that you pursue the truth without any predetermined agenda?

Any news organisation which operates as a mouthpiece for a government, or even a culture, cannot be said to be truly reliable and trustworthy. I expect them to be independent and enquiring at all times. Don't you?

[His Name Is John]

John

I am not from the right, and in any case, I don't believe the BBC is left wing. I just think it is not objectively pro-west.

Why does being objective have anything to do with being pro-west? Surely being objective requires that you pursue the truth without any predetermined agenda?

That is exactly what I mean. Unfortunatly the BBC is bias towards the west. That is what I was trying to say. The BBC is too pro-west.

Any news organisation which operates as a mouthpiece for a government, or even a culture, cannot be said to be truly reliable and trustworthy. I expect them to be independent and enquiring at all times. Don't you?

Yes, that is my problem with the BBC, I don't think they are doing that.

[new friend]

John

First you say that the BBC is not "objectively pro-west", then you complain that it is.

I live half my life in the UK and half abroad. I watch the BBC world news as my source of reliable information, as the local news channels are rubbish. I also watch CNN and ABC (Australian). All are fair and reasonable.

However the BBC employ lots of local reporters in the huge variety of countries they cover. Their coverage is very definitely not "pro-west" at all. It is also not controlled by the local government which is why they get muzzled from time to time. I think you can trust the BBC without any worry at all.