Conservative-Funded Study: Fox News Gives Most Balanced Coverage

A study released this month by the Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA) at George Mason University found that Fox News Channel's evening coverage was more "balanced" than that of the broadcast networks. However, the objectivity of the CMPA, which bills itself as a nonpartisan media watchdog group, is questionable, as the Center for Media and Democracy's SourceWatch found that "nearly all its funding comes from conservative foundations."

The conservative-funded study, which also claimed that TV election news has been most critical of Hillary Clinton and friendliest to Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama, found the following on the balance of Fox's coverage:

Who's Fair and Balanced?: Fox News Channel's coverage was more balanced toward both parties than the broadcast networks were. On FOX, evaluations of all Democratic candidates combined were split almost evenly - 51% positive vs. 49% negative, as were all evaluations of GOP candidates - 49% positive vs. 51% negative, producing a perfectly balanced 50-50 split for all candidates of both parties.

On the three broadcast networks, opinion on Democratic candidates split 47% positive vs. 53% negative, while evaluations of Republicans were more negative - 40% positive vs. 60% negative. For both parties combined, network evaluations were almost 3 to 2 negative in tone, i.e. 41% positive vs. 59% negative.

To download a PDF of the report, click here.

Comments

[akadjian]

The real danger is not whether FOX news is fair and balanced, but is accepting conservative framing on the issue.

Conservatives believe that a fair media should simply repeat what each side says and then provide equal positive/negative coverage to both sides.

Example: evolution vs. intelligent design

In a conservative view of fair and balanced media, the media would provide equal air time to both sides. One would not be favored over the other. This view is even reflected in how they frame the issue: fair and balanced.

What gets lost in this framing, however, is any sense of what is true or supported by fact. This is why we should not even debate "fair and balanced" because it accepts the conservative frame. This same frame is the basis for all of the CMPA's research: let's count how many times a network has liberal vs. conservative views.

What progressives really want in the media is truth that serves a public need. Instead of arguing with the CMPA and fighting the battle on their turf (a no win) we should be making a better case for what we want the media to be.

In this progressive view, an empirical count of how many times liberals or conservatives appear measures nothing. Truth is neither liberal or conservative.

To read my letter to the CMPA and their response, visit: www.thereckoner.com

[slappymagoo]

At the risk of sounding like a ninth-rate Olbermann, if Fox News were truly a news network, they would've collectively thrown up the nanosecond this Administration declared FNC to be their one-stop shop for news, their favorite news network. No source of news should ever make the Establishment happy, no matter who's in charge. A source of news should always make the Establishment slightly uneasy, forced to be better-than-good, more honest than honest, completely transparent, lest their lies and covert plans come back to haunt them by responsible journalists dedicated to truth.

Fox News does none of that. They ask fluff questions to this Administration, paint a rosy picture when things are bleak or ignore actual news altogether (how many soldiers died today, Fox, and why isn't that one of the top 3 stories on every newscast? Too depressing? Too factual? Too much like real news?), and then accuse their competitors of all the lies and distortions they themselves are guilty of committing.

[hootie1fan]

One doesn't right a perceived wrong by being even more wrong in the opposite direction and then get away with calling it fair & balance.

[IYIYI]

Left to feed on itself, the conservative brain is nourished by recycled junk food.

Fox news is junk food.
That's what you swallow when you eat at their trough.

Stay away from it.

[MSB]

I really don't understand why anyone here is wasting time attacking FOX News. Hasn't that ship sailed? If people want to defend that sad, biased info-porn 'network' let them. They should just be ignored. The truth is that while FOX is TERRIBLE, it is just marginally more awful than every other meaningless network news show.

We live in the era of "for profit" news, and profitable everything else. No element of your citizenship has not been commodified. Business has always been the fund-raising target of the right so they get favorable coverage. If you don't see that, you aren't looking. Like with politicians, news has become issue-based, and it is reporters/writers I follow and not a single media source or periodical. There is more information available than ever, but you have to wade through mountains of waste to get there.

The truth is our country is dying. The ideals it was created to defend are viewed as quaint by the status quo. If you defend this presidency/administration you are a complete tool. How EXACTLY is the country better? How are you better personally? Is the world better? The answer lies right there. The people in power are using fear and marketing to keep you pliable. This goes the same for the lame democratic party, a party that can't muster enough outrage to limit the authority of an imbecile, anti-intellectual who knows nothing of the world or its history. This is a man who celebrates ignorance and it is a horrific indictment of the American people that we tolerate his presence in our government - the same can be said of the extensive list of criminals and rich, self-satisfied 'do-nothings' who populate ou government. They are stealing from us and our children.

If you want to make a difference, start opposing corporatism and religious dogma in our government and stop cheerleading for a team. Left vs. Right might as well be Crips and Bloods. It is sub-mental.

We are arguing musical selection on the deck of the Titanic.

[mgsorens]

You might need to try FoxNews if:

If you think the country is in a recession.

If you think Bush lied about Iraq's WMD.

If you think 911 might have been an inside job.

If you don't know we are on a U.N. authorized mission in Iraq.

If you think taxes should be higher.

If you don't think terrorist groups want to destroy America.

If you think terrorism is just a police problem that doesn't require all the instruments of national power to combat.

[Simonne]

Alot of people seem to call anybody that's conservative, neo's conservative which is false. Ultra right & left wingers don't make much sense to me but regular folks who are liberal or conservative do not fall in that catergory. I like the moderate point of view. I don't know why so many people are so nutty when it comes to Foxnews. The networks & cable networks are mostly to the left & Foxnews lean to the right & the last I knew this is a free country & we have the right to listen to both sides.

[hootie1fan]

Here's one major difference between progressives and conservatives. Progressives who watch people like Keith Olberman accept that he is giving us his view of the news, but that he's not actually a journalist. Conservatives tend to take what Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, etc. put out as gospel truth.

[Hubris1]

The issue of Fox's balance, isn't even up for discussion. period.

you'd have to be a blind, deaf fucking retard to think anything about fox was a legit and balanced.

it's nothing but entertainment for 2 types of people 1) sheep 2) those who can't turn away from a bad car wreck.. it'slike watching waiting for the crash every hour.. the big boom..

no sane, rational, intelligent, mature person would turn to fox for anything other than a laugh.. Fox fake-news has more entertainment value than fox channel where we get to watch 'Everybody Loves Ramond' and "That 70's Show' reruns..

[CrazyLiberal]

It's impossible to have civil discourse with right wing repugs.

Tator, for example, will attack libs instead of trying to have an honest open debate on the subject at hand.

I have found it's useless to even try to have a conversation with a repug. I have a friend that's an honest to goodness republican. We used to have discussions on the political climate of the time. Always civil and never heated. BOOSH took office and polarized the country. Now I can't have a dissenting view because my friend will get pissed. As a result, we never discuss politics anymore.

What kind of power does BOOSH hold on these 32 percenters? They will goose-step with him come hell or high water. The trolls actually believe that we're safer now from terrorists than before when quite the opposite is true. BOOSH has made the world much more dangerous and the US much despised.

There will always be weak minded people that need a leader, even if that leader is an complete and utter failure.

"To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical."
- Thomas Jefferson

[doinaheckofajob]

Tator

just because you live in a cess pool does not mean you have to share the feces.

[cdifrances]

The wind blew and the %$#I+% flew
And it hung around for an hour or two.

[mydogshakespeare]

Another application of the BushCo maxim: "You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." - George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., March 23, 2001.

Great Job, Fox!

[Tator]

Since this thread has morphed into how brilliant you Intellectual Elites are (according to yourselves), how is it just 90 days ago your brilliant minds concluded the surge would have no effect and the war is lost, yet the FACTS that show all deaths are down are just the opposite of what your great minds said would not happen. How can it be that what you said would not happen has happened, but you do know HP did not tell you on a daily basis of the successes. HP fed you DOMM&GLOOM and your great mind bought it hook , line and sinker. So please tell me ole great minds, if you are so smart how is it you got the surge so WRONG!!! HAHAHAHAHA naïve, ignorant and duped by your on MSM.

[Tator]

Don't worry Liberals. HP will always be a safe haven where you can be told what you want to hear and all other sources of information are to be ignored. That is what a Liberals calls an open tolerant mind.