MSNBC Vs. Fox News: Two Networks, Two Different Realities

New York Times:

It was a lousy day to be Senator John McCain, Keith Olbermann informed his viewers on MSNBC on Thursday.

Senator Barack Obama's surge in the polls was so strong he was competitive in Mr. McCain's home state, Arizona. The everyman hero of Mr. McCain's campaign, "Joe the Plumber," failed to make an expected appearance at a morning rally in Defiance, Ohio, and the senator's efforts to highlight Mr. Obama's association with a professor tied to the P.L.O. were amounting to nothing.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[dholl69]

We are all pawns for ratings while some at Fox News think that they are actually a part of sometihng. It is odd that in the last days I actually hear Fox News defending Obama! And to the people who keep screaming socialism and John McCain just said that Obama wasn't a socialist, keep buying into the BS propoganda that got us here in the first place. I think I recall something like "vote for Bush, he is someone you would want to have a beer with?" We see how that turned out.

[Exit]

FOX News is a disgrace to the world.

[larry278]

Objectivity, like perfection, is a worthy goal for humankind but we're fated to never acheive perfection or never be completely objective in anything we experience or observe. It's like, "No matter how you struggle & strive-you'll never get out of this world alive.". The 'reality' FAUX NOISE, MSNBC, NYT, HP, et al see is their idea of reality. It's an ancient literary device to present the same event as it's seen by others [i.e. victim, perpitraor(sp?), observors of an assault]. Like many lazy, dishonest, imperfect people-I choose the media which reflects my zeitgeist, prejudices, etc. as being trustworthy & objective [fair & balanced] when I have a choice of media. That means, in essence, that if a report doesn't agree with HP &/or WSWS, it isn't true to &/or for me. I invite you, fellow bigots, to choose & appreciate your version of reality well. We progressives who use HP always get an alternate reality inflicted upon us by rabidly, reactionary trolls & their abundantly wealthy [from their ill gotten gains] rabidly, reactionary paymasters.
We progressive users of HP are able to see at once how obdurate stupidity distorts reality [as we see reality]; thanks a whole hell of a lot, you hoplessly ignorant trolls.

[motley2]

Larry,
I'm obviously in need of an intervention. I'm watching MSNBC while responding to your bizarrely punctuated, but ever so tasty, stream of consciousness rant. Maybe I'll wait until the buzz wears off before checking into The Meadows.

[Geranium]

At least FOX makes an attempt. They have Gerald on regularly, Alan Colmes on daily, and Obama spokespeople on ALL the time. MSNBC is a biased Obama love fest. FOX (tries) to hold him accountable.

[blueskybigstar]

Like that O'Really interview with Obama. How strange was that? Alan Colmes is inept. Gerald somehow always comes out looking a little foolish. These are the people who are supposed to make Fox Fair and Balanced. They should bring suit against Fox for false advertising and breaking the law of pro paga nda. Rachel Maddow by herself can take down anybody at Fox in an argument. It is just easier to argue the truth. You don't have to con spire and have meetings with the white house just before delivering their talking points.

[Geranium]

What was strange about the O'Reilly interview, the fact that he was asked some tougher than usual questions that he could not answer truthfully? What a fool you are to think anyone conspires with the WH for their talking points. Is MAD magazine the ONLY thing you read???

[LAcarlito]

You are drunk. The Obama/Dem "reps" that Fox has on 75-80% of the time are lame and not truly spokespersons. They are also given little time to talk. MSNBC also gives Joe Scab-boro lots of air-time. Both stations have bias in reporting. I think MSNBC is more clear about theirs. Fox tries to pretend none exists.

[Geranium]

.........D­runk on the truth, and accountability. Something you apparently know nothing about.

[levibatgirl]

Faux has a long standing reputation of being biased propagandists.

And its been well earned.

People who watch The Daily Show are more informed than faux watchers.

You are a perfect example of the misinformation streaming from faux.

[mgray34]

You're forgeting Morning Joe, Race for the White House. Gregory and Scarborough aren't exactly left wing liberals. Throw in Tom Brokaw for good effect.

[yoli647]

Please, Geraldo is a wanna be reporter he lost credability since he joined Fox, Alan Colmes is a wimp, never stands up to the bully Hannity, and there are no spokespersons for Obama at Fox. Fox News lies and exagerates and too many dumb blonds to add to the mix. OBAMA/BIDEN '08*

[liberaldawg]

All of a sudden, MSNBC's bias is an issue? First, with 3+ hours of Mornin' Joe, I
would argue with a so called liberal bias on MSNBC at all. Secondly, Fox has
been a wing of the Republican party since day one (or is it the other way around)
and only NOW its an issue? WHY?

[blueskybigstar]

Liberal equals truth and some empathy.

Conservative equals con men who never have enough.

[MrPragmatic]

I have said all along that Fox and MSNBC are the same: they are both propaganda machines for their political sides. There really is no place to get good accountable and fair reporting at this time.

[blueskybigstar]

Journalism has to be about the truth and being fair. Pro pa gan da is illegal and it should be punished. Look up the word. Fox is the most biased network of all time. Do not even put MSNBC in the same light. When people are issued talking points from the white house as they are done at Fox as McClellan first said before he took back, that is propa ga nda. I guarantee it does not get handed down like that at MSNBC. Everything is staged at Fox right from the top in long winding staircases of schemes and smears. No substance. When is the last time anybody has learned something about how government works by watching Fox? There is nothing educational about it. They just point fingers and talk about the news rather than getting in depth about Obama (because that would make him look good) or in depth about McCain (because that would make him look bad.)

[Seldomright]

MSM exists to make money. Came the Reagan revolution, most liberal bias in the media was eliminated because it didn’t sell. Corporate media didn’t challenge corporate America which, in large part, is why things are as they are today. Nevertheless, continuing the myth of liberal media bias served the purposes of the right quite well.

Over the years, rightists such as Murdoch found that they weren’t getting enough mileage out of simply railing against the mythical liberal bias of the MSM, so the concept of “fair and balanced” news as a counterweight to the networks had to be introduced. The results were farcical – MSM failed in its duty to honestly report stories critical of the government and Fox News served as the cheerleader of the neoconservative agenda.

Not only does Fox News look through a different lens than MSNBC to view the same world, but their futures will be determined by different rules as well. MSNBC, with the ultimate big business parent company, operates under a true free market system where its liberal commentary will have to generate sufficient revenues to continue to be aired. However, the content of Fox News reflects the bias of its billionaire owner and would likely continue to serve as a propaganda organ regardless of its profitability. Ironically, the mouthpiece of that portion of the political spectrum always touting free markets is probably more insulated from market vagaries than its political polar opposite.

[popartusa]

what fools these mortals be...thank you Mr Shakespear­e..... politics are trivial in the long run only art survives..­..fox or cnbc whatever who cares.....­only art is eternal...­only art servives,,­,,empirers come and go....the Smithsonian is the most significant edifice in Washington DC....alon­g with the National Gallery of course.

[blueskybigstar]

Bad politics brings w a r and that destroys art and puts artists in concentration camps.

[Mer Mer Mer]

State Polling Graphs (Presidential and Senate):
http://voteforamerica.net/polls.aspx

Norm Coleman on the Ropes
http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=137&ArticleName=Norm+Coleman+on+the+Ropes

[GrooveyHenrik]

Will we never be able to unite and choose a leader liked by everyone? Why can't we find a "Perfect Leader"?
I also found a video that brings up these questions, and gives an interesting answer to them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk1NjrSHrWE

[Sock]

Abortion. Taxes.

[lbCalifornia]

Censorship at it's best...The comments have to be approved..­...You will fit right in with Obamas censorship­...Have a great day...

[blueskybigstar]

They have a computer program sensitive to certain words. Don't take it personally. Figure out how to get around it.

[powmari]

Comcast in southern Vermont, recently made MSNBC a "premium" channel, not included in the basic cable package anymore.

Funny, not so with Fox News.

Guess you get what you pay for - Fox for nothing!

[blueskybigstar]

Hysterical.

[AllenD]

I might tune into Faux Tuesday night just to watch all the crying :-).

[clsmithj]

me too, although with all the early voting the tallies won't probably be counted up to by Wednesday morning.

[awcbuddy8]

Their ratings are going to be through the roof during an Obama presidency.

[blueskybigstar]

Just watch Fox for a little bit. You know the money that you make them by watching them they reinvest again against your best interests. Money is the only thing that makes them happy. Deny it to them.

[phoenix2000]

I'll watch msnbc, or at times, cnn. But i'll never watch Pravda News propaganda channel. sorry, Faux News!!

[smag]

I would agree that MSNBC tries to be a counter balance to FNC. However, according to mediabistro.com's rating reports MSNBC is barely a blimp on the competitive scale when compared to FNC. Maybe Liberals don't watch MSNBC. Maybe they just make up their own news that fits their particular fit at the moment. Olberman and Hannity are comparable in temperament but no one on MSNBC or cable news successfully competes with O'Rielley; again according to mediabistro.com. Even the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press reported that FNC was far less bias that other cable news channels (if you care about such stuff). I know Huffington has little regard for balance. Of course you are free to twist or distort any to these reports as Right Wing Talking points. It is easier than competing. Or you can simply sensor this post.

[DubiousAtBest]

WOW. comedy gold.

LOVE this bit...
"FNC was far less bias that other cable news channels"

Do you actually think that you'll convince anyone HERE of that?

[lbCalifornia]

Touche'

MSNBC CNN NBC CBS.....Bi­as? No??
The left wing media, along with this blog site fail to acknowledge their biasand facts. Obama's associatio­ns,videos, tapes, transcripts useless to them. They also fail to see that he is indeed a socialist, with communist tendencies, Obamas ineffective counter to this is sharing a sandwich..­.Boy that's some hard fact....Wh­at he failed to say is that the sandwich wasn't his to share he took it from another boy after taxes and then shared his wealth....­.

[mgray34]

What makes him a socialist? You guys throw that term around, but no one has come up with any concrete reasons why. We already have a progressive tax system, so that doesn't count. There's a lot of different meanings to the term "share the wealth", and just calling him a socialist doesn't make it so. So what are the policy positions, speeches, votes etc. that gives validity to this theory?

[Bruupo]

According to you, Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan are socialists.

Because you can thank those two presidents for: The Progressive tax Code, The Estate tax, and the Earned Income Credit. And in case you didn't know, and you almost certainly didn't, the Progressive Tax Code and the Earned Income Credit are what rethugs are using to paint Obama as a socialist.

And too, also, those two presidents are John McCain's biggest republican role models, by his own admission.

And too, also, Sarah Palin touted her success "taking on the oil companies" in Alaska by taxing them more and handing the checks out to residents, regardless of who had worked for what- state residency only. What is more socialist than that?

[Marilynleigh34]

WOW smag
I wish I had said that. Great Job!! Thanks!!

[Antifascist-08]

Yes smag, and when you graduate from Jr. High, let me know and we at FNC will have a job for you.

Clean up that grammar a bit, though.

[Bruupo]

Yeah, like you said anything worth censoring.­..this isn't free republic, pal.

MSNBC has been beating O'Reilly in the demos that matter and those are the only ones they bother counting, the geriatric crowd really doesn't mean much to advertisers- but let Bill be happy that he can still manipulate the largely computer illiterate crowd.

"Even the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press reported that FNC was far less bias that other cable news channels (if you care about such stuff)."

If you actually cared about such stuff you would understand that Pew never takes a position on what is factual or what is biased, they SURVEY people on what THEY think is credible or biased, they are not Media Matters or Fact Check- they do surveys.

That people who watch Fox say they believe it is credible proves absolutely nothing about its actual bias or credibility- it's the opinion of Fox viewers and Fox viewers are more likely than others to receive ALL of their news from ONE source- Fox.

Much like you, I imagine, because Fox typically reports their ratings or these kinds of surveys without any explanation. Of course, there is a chance that you are more like every personality who appears on Fox, outside of maybe Shep Smith, who know this stuff is BS and parrot it anyway.

[blueskybigstar]

Don't get me this crony organization shill and say, see, we are fair and balanced. Do you work for Fox? They work with the Bush spinners closely. You have just revealed yourself not to be credible.