Media Outlets Slam Fox For Doctored NY Times Photos

From Media Matters:

On the July 2 edition of MSNBC's Verdict, during the nightly "Beat the Press" segment, which "look[s] back at media hypocrisy, agendas, and the amusing perils of live TV," host Dan Abrams asserted that Fox News "really outdid themselves this morning" -- a reference to the July 2 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, which, as Media Matters for America documented, featured photos of New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg and editor Steven Reddicliffe that appeared to have been digitally altered. Specifically, the journalists' teeth had been yellowed, their facial features exaggerated, and Reddicliffe's hairline receded. Fox News gave no indication that the photos had been altered at the time...

...The controversy was not mentioned on the July 3 edition of Fox & Friends, and as of this posting, Fox News had yet to comment on, or apologize for, the doctored photos.

Watch MSNBC's Dan Abrams discuss the story:

Comments

[prattvictory]

Altering photos seems small but remember during the war (before the war was altered so as not to exist)? Fox News was this administration's gold standard of the type of reporting they wanted to see. Painting schools handing out candy to children. Don Rumsfeld was so opposed to the coverage of Al Jazeera that he had them bombed. People died trying to report the truth.

We don't have news here anymore, we have the party organs like Pravda and Izvestia. That Fox has so denuded themselves from any duty to "fair and balanced" that they will do something as petty as altering photos. Altering these photos is painting the clown's face on the joke that is Fox News.

[rwe]

First the outraged "media outlets " are media matters ,Dan Abrams and Huff... Second , the first set of pictures are the ones that were doctored, and third doesn't Abrams look and act like Belky from Perfect Strangers

[prattvictory]

Belky? I've never watched "Perfect Strangers." What are you trying to accomplish, putting someone down because they look like an actor or demonstrating your ability to win at trivial pursuit?

[AbstractImp]

Step right up! Get your GOP Memorabilia!

First we have here the rubber Rush cigar, which you can smoke anywhere, even indoors because no one can see the smoke you blow!

And over here the Bill O'Reilly dartboard. Each dart is shaped like a nose. You throw the dart, where his nose ends up - who knows?

Over here is the Grover Norquist paint slime ball gun. Shoot your own mud at anyone!

And here's Cheney's favorite! Horseshit and handgrenades. Every democrat gets one or the other!

And don't forget to drink up a fine Bottle of Bush. Available anywhere principles are sold.

[landmine]

I don't know....
My irst thoughts were Fox was just being funny. Poking back at the other guys. The photos immediately looked fake to me.
But, maybe it's just me. The other posters here, seem to be taking it pretty serious.

[luckyoldson]

Yeah, it's always "funny" to put a huge nose on a Jewish writer.

Hilarious.

[LintLass]

"Just being funny?"

From the guys that creatively-mislabel people's party affiliations while quoting them, and run footage of London music fans out of control with the words 'Democratic Convention Chaos' in big letters right next to them?

I think not.

Apart from that they tried 'funny' and found themselves unable to be with their attemt to make a neocon Jon Stewart.

[LORISNJ]

As luck would have it, I actually saw the Fox show where they first showed the pictures. They were all indignant because they claim these 2 wrote hit pieces against Fox and them personally. They were upset and hurt....how could they be criticized by anyone - but they didn't quote the article or say what it was about they only referred to it as a hit piece. And the whole time they had these ridiculous pictures up. Where's the INTEGRITY? We all know that is what they do but they aren't even trying to hide it anymore.

[[e-mail]]

Why would anyone watch Faux News?

[OperationChaos]

Doctering Photos is old news... just ask Reuters or AP. What's really interesting is what you will never find on Dan Abrams 'Beat the Press' segment and that is the corrupt powers that be who are behind MSNBC transforming it from the DNC channel into the Barack Obama's our Savior Channel...

[Maury66]

Maybe try getting over it there, OpC. You might be pleasantly surprised. Suit yourself, but this post of yours is just a waste of electrons.

And, oh yeah.....Obama 08

[protagonia]

Operation Chaos is UN-AMERICAN!!!

YOU then, are equally un-American as well.

Somewhere in your past, the ability to be ashamed for doing something wrong was shut down. Home schooled or dog trained by Michael Vick?

[biwee]

I am surprised that some will actually admit that they watch Fox. Surely
Americans have come to learn that watching Fox is not very smart.

[BWonka]

"...watching Fox is not very smart."

Which is exactly the audience they go for - stupid and unwilling to serve their country. Oh - and scared of blacks!

[youknowwhat]

Fox is like this because they've been allowed to do this kind of reporting almost at will. Kinda like Bush breaking the laws of this country. As long as they let him get away with it, he's going to keep on doing it. They haven't come close to punishing him and they never will. It's going to get worse.

[Cherlesq]

No worries, there will be a new FEC with the regime change. FOX will cower.

[JBS]

Well, it's the FCC, and their terms are staggered in an attempt to shield them from "political" influences, so it might be a while before the necessary house cleaning takes place.

[OperationChaos]

Yes and should BO get into office, then you will really see the trampling of the Amendments... mark my word! But if not, I'll be around to remind you when the first scandal from BO's administration pops up!

[DASM]

Anyone who defends Fox on this is shameless, for Fox was flagrantly dishonest-- these were photos they changed as a means of childish revenge. Fox shouldn't even be on the air.

[Cynth]

This is a step away from blackening their teeth and drawing mustaches on the photos. Wonder if Fox is prank calling Steinberg and Reddicliffe, too?

Turn the TV off, boys, it's past your bedtime. Don't forget to give Daddy Murdoch a kiss goodnight....

[land]

Nobody mentions that while Reddicliffe's hairline was receded, Steinberg's was advanced, shrinking his forehead. And nobody mentions how awful their photoshop-happy secretary is! If you're just gonna use the smudge tool to push things around you're gonna make your alterations blurry, effectively highlighting and drawing attention to your bad craft! They couldn't even get a qualified retoucher. Can they do anything right? This is one of my favorite Fox gaffs.

[eXcommunicate]

They probably used the Liquify tool in the Filter menu..

[KMan1]

Two losers arguing over who is the biggest loser? Hope they both crash and burn.

[partyofone]

Fox News distorts everything. Why so much fuss about a couple of pictures, when Fox distorting facts, the news and the truth happens every hour of every day?

[LORISNJ]

For starters they did it to fellow journalists and their doctoring was malicious even for their standards. It is one thing to darken Obama [you could even claim processing distortions for that] but to yellow teeth, widen chin and nose, fan out ears, recede hairline; then you have proof of tampering...and the purpose was to denigrate members of the press. Not only what they did was unethical - it was stupid and easily detected.

[Hagrid]

What do you expect from George Bush's teevee network?

Of course they are one-sided and maybe even a bit wicked. whataryagonnadu?

[bazokbros]

A cheap publicity stunt by Fox. This isn't that big of a deal what they did because the thing is Fox is playing the public, mainly Democrats, like a violin to get people incensed or interested in watching their programming. The images didn't rerun on any other of the more watched shows because the "joke" would have to be exposed. The same stunts were used by Howard Stern to get to where he is, being accused being racist, sexist...and when people start watching to be either outraged or entertained, it boosts Fox's ratings.

[indypete]

Howard always gets the highest ratings from the people who hate him most. Not sure it works the same way at fox but it's a valid ploy.

[dartagnan]

This is just further proof of what we have known all along: Right-wingers function on the mental and emotional level of eight-year-olds.

[The 13 Colonies]

You give them too much credit, they are adults acting like 3yr. olds.......................................

[ljwaldron]

Don't insult 8 & 3 year olds like that!