9 Reasons Why Fox News Is In For A Rough 2008

MediaMatters:

My guess is that Fox News guru Roger Ailes has been reaching for the Tums more often than usual early in the New Year, and there are lots of reasons for the hovering angst.

Let's take an extended multiple choice quiz. Right now, which of the following topics is likely causing the discomfort inside Ailes' Fox News empire?

A) CNN's resurgence as the go-to cable destination for election coverage.
B) The incredible shrinking candidacy of Fox News' favored son, Rudy Giuliani.
C) The still-standing candidacy of Fox News nemesis and well-funded, anti-war GOP candidate Rep. Ron Paul.
D) The Democratic candidates' blanket refusal to debate on Fox News during the primary season.
E) Host Bill O'Reilly being so desperate for an interview from a Democratic contender that he had to schlep all the way to New Hampshire, where he got in a shoving match with an aide to Sen. Barack Obama and then had to be calmed down by Secret Service agents.
F) Former Fox News architect and Ailes confidante Dan Cooper posting chapters from his a wildly unflattering tell-all book about his old boss. ("The best thing that ever happened to Roger Ailes was 9/11.")
G) The fledgling Fox Business Network, whose anemic ratings are in danger of being surpassed by some large city public access channels.
H) Host John Gibson's recent heartless attacks on actor Heath Ledger, just hours after the young actor was found dead.
I) Fox News reporter Major Garrett botching his "exclusive" that Paul Begala and James Carville were going to join Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, and then refusing to correct the record.

I'd say it's A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. (I doubt Gibson's grave-dancing or Garrett's whopper caused Ailes a moment's concern.)

Read the whole story: MediaMatters

Comments

[rh654]

After seeing the latest viewer ship results here on the Huffington Post, I would say that Foxnews is still winning huge in the ratings compared to CNN and MSNBC.

While I prefer MSNBC's coverage of news events over the other two - if I was an advertiser I would bet that Foxnews' viewers are not likely to stop watching Foxnews over the issues you bring up no matter how valid or wrong about stuff they may be.

[mamacat]

I don't care what happens to the Propaganda channel, as long as there are still alternatives. If the billionaire in charge of it chooses to spend his money on it, that's his choice. I happen to think that he would get more viewers if he tried some fair and balanced reporting, instead of the tripe he serves up now. Propaganda is not news, and no amount of repetition of their lies will make it so.

[Tator]

Fox news demise has been predicted since the first day they reported "the other side of an issue". CNN,ABC,CBS, PBS, and NPR all report the same thing omitting much (things bad for Liberals) and embellishing all things Liberal.
This time next year, here on HP their will be another story just like this like there has been ever year since Fox news started.
It is amusing to watch.

[mpgarr]

It will be so good to see FAUX News disappear into the "dustbin" of history to where it so richly deserves to wind up.
If I were someone whose job it was in a an organization to grant press credentials to members of the media--I would put an embargo on granting of such credentials to anyone from FOX---they are not a legitimate news organization--they are merely a glorified mouthpiece for the Republican National Committee and the Bush White House among others--they have no credibility to speak of---I want them to all choke on their bile when either Hillary or Obama take the White House and the Dems dramtically extend their numbers in both the House and Senate----I hate to wish away time--but I am looking forward to this November and then next January when either Barak or Hillary are sworn in as the 44th President of the United States!! Hell, to piss off the talking heads of the Repug party and Conservative right---it would almost be worth it for McCain, Huckibaby or Ron Paul take that oath----it might make O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and old fat man Rush all have strokes if any or these guys win!!!

[rwe]

oh ok, but yet most prograssives can name at least 9 or 10 of the Fox hosts , anchors or contributors . And Fox consistently creams the rest in ratings... maybe three or four of msnbc, cnn, ranters are recognizable to mainstream­....Ahh but look , this came from that epitome of journalistic excellence Media Matters.

[wijg]

2008 won't compare with the nosedive fox will take in 2009.

Damn, I can't wait! :-))))

[johnnyjust]

I thought the 9 reasons might be the 9 liberals they asked.
And since we're all moving to the left, what about the stiff competition from Air America? Oh, right, they crapped out. Tooooooooo bad.

[VOTER]

The BELT WAY "BOYS" - will soon be wearing shawls

and bibs.

[armadillious2002]

My mother - God rest her soul - always told me that the great political pendellum constantly swings back and forth. It swung all the way to the right, the fraud of modern day conservatism was exposed, and Americans saw that absolute republican control of everything sucked - bigtime.

Now it's swinging back to the left and with a younger generation heavily involved. Fox and it's influence will slowly dwindle just as the repug party will over the next political cycle. It's inevitable and cannot be stopped. God bless Americans!

[mrcontinental]

How about the demise of the rightwing? They are backing a losing horse in the GOP period.

Fox will be relegated to the bench for the next eight years of DEMs in charge.

[totalliberal]

The best known method of detecting large Fox news viewership in any given area is by measuring high drool-bib sales and combining them with illiteracy rates.

[CarlyCorday]

Or J. - The blatant half-wits of Fox and Friends. There's a killer.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

No talent. Aging demographic. Dying message, country is moving left. Bush burned the conservative message out. Ideologically to overt. Poor reporting. Constant on air mistakes. Roger Ailes, to old, to fat, to dated. People are just getting sick of the vitriol.

[CarlyCorday]

H. But why does that albino still have a job?

[bija]

If Fox "News" is losing its audience, it is only karma. They are often wrong in their facts and have deliberately pushed propaganda. Most corporate news media is fairly lousy, but Fox is the bottom of the barrel.