Fox News Suffers Another Debate Snub; Bloggers Take A Bow

Fox News has been taken down several notches, and the demotions can be traced back to the blogger-led debate boycott from 2007 and the repercussions it set off.

I have no definitive proof that the blue-ribbon Commission on Presidential Debates, which organizes the televised forums, bypassed Fox News in terms of moderators because of the formal boycott that the netroots launched last year or the noisy questions it raised about Fox News' professionalism. But the last thing the commission would want this year is to spark a large, and raucous, debate over the nature of Fox News and whether it was appropriate to have one of Rupert Murdoch's personalities host a presidential debate.

And trust me, formal petitions and online protests would be flying around the Internet right now if the commission had tapped a Fox News anchor to pose the presidential hopeful questions in September or October.

Read the full Media Matters column here.

Comments

[DerekRC]

Democrats simply hate balance. Too bad. The results are a deteriorating perception from the electorate who finds overwhelming media bias (NBC, MSNBC) towards the left.

Fox News keeps on ticking because it's panels are made up of liberal and conservative members. Is NBC, MSNBC simple incapable of rational discussion.

It seems so.

Continue on with your tirades against Fox, and keep watching independents running towards McCain.

[Joseph A. Palermo - Huffpost Blogger]

No Democrat should agree to even appear on Fox News -- let alone hold a debate on that GOP propaganda channel.

[NotMcCain]

I agree 100%. But what does it say about CNN that, more and more, I've been turning them off and--when there's no other news program--turning to FOX, and finding it...(not good, of course) but...better?

FOX at its daily worst is still worse than CNN (even the bombastic right-winger, Lou Dobbs). But CNN is catching up in the right-wing propaganda department.

Scary.

[Janco54]

Fox "News" is nothing but an arm of the Republican party. Why anyone would even think to ask one of their "anchors" to participate in something as important as the debates is beyond me.

[drblack]

Fox "News" has argued in court that they have no obligation to tell the truth,present facts or refrain from propaganda.
Fox "News" itself has argued that they are liars so why should we disagree? They are.
Fox "News" has no business being involved in serious matters. Neither does anyone who watches it and takes it seriously.

[TrooAmerican]

Fox is NOT a news station. Regarding general news, they only sensationalize tabloid stuff, and trivialize important things, and add beautiful skimpy outfitted women to their staff to make people watch. Not to actually inform people of important true news.
As for political coverage or National issues, they are NOT conservative, they are Republican PARTY Puppets, biased to the end, and constantly repeat false, misleading, and agenda pursuing talking points directly from the GOP leadership. They even go so far as to repeatedly post on their video screens completely false text that always benefits the GOP and implies incorrect but nasty things about the Dems.

Its truly a horrible turn for the nature of journalism in this country.

[ThermoChemist]

"...they are...biased to the end, and constantly repeat false, misleading, and agenda pursuing talking points directly from the GOP leadership..."

[1] Examples of FOX News's biased reporting:

http://www.newshounds.us/
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1067

"...repeatedly post...completely false text that always benefits the GOP and implies incorrect but nasty things about the Dems."

[2] Examples of FOX News's consistent "False Text" chyrons:

07/2007 - FOX News chyron labels Arlen Specter a Democrat.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/24/fox-news-labels-arlen-specter-a-democrat/

11/2006 - FOX News chyron labels Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) as a DEMOCRAT.
http://www.newshounds.us/2006/11/14/fox_misidentifies_lamar_alexander_as_democrat.php

FOX News chyron identified disgraced Republican Rep. Mark Foley of Florida as "D" -- a "mistake" never acknowledged / corrected by Fox News.
http://www.newshounds.us/2006/10/03/fox_uses_subliminal_ploy_on_foley_head_shot.php

02/2008 - FOX News chyron labels John McCain a Democrat.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/07/fox-news-labels-john-mccain-a-democrat/

In REPUBLICAN Senator Larry Craig"s scandal, instead of assigning him to the bad, naughty, nasty Democratic party, FOX chose to completely leave out his political affiliation altogether.

I think their "info-tainment" style of reporting (flashy sets; spiffy graphics), and hot babes (umm, I mean news correspondents) appeals to the masses. The old "bread and circuses" and "dazzle 'em with bullsh*t" mentality (???).

[sammyscout]

Can't wait till someone higher (not God, not that high up) realixes that like WWF is actually WWE, Faux Noise is actually Foreign Owned Xenophobic Propoganda

[nowRnever]

As my uncle always said, "Aint PAYBACK a mutha?"

[eden4barack08]

Seems only appropriate not to lower Presidential debate standards to tabloid journalism, ie FoxNoise.

[Triangle1]

I say let FoxNews be involved. If liberals are really right about everything (pardon the pun), Fox will end up looking idiotic and liberal causes will prevail. You have to also keep in mind more people watch Fox than CNN or MSNBC. Is there a problem with having a bigger audience? You have to be able to take an argument outside of your own comfort zone. Nothing is worse than being surrounded by a bunch of Yes Men. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[AnnieinOR]

the whole point of a debate is to be objective moderators - not freaks with their own agendas like your buddies screed han ittie and ohreally.

[mairs]

It's not about finding someone who agrees with you, obviously it's about finding a debate host who can at least present questions that are not weighted toward showing one candidate in a more favorable light than the other. That is impossible with FOX. The configuration of questions can be skewed to make anyone look like a fool. It's better to bypass partisanship.

[mairs]

No network should be involved that has a proven close relationship with any particular party, and F O X is a mouthpiece for the Administration.

[yhgtup]

We already had a right winger conducting a debate during the primaries. His name is Charles Gibson from ABC. Look what happened there. His "partner in crime", also from ABC, was biased for one of the candidates (Hillary Clinton), look what happened there. We need journalist with no "conceived notions". We should not have a clue, what their political choices are.

[Awakenedcitizen]

Not yes men, but objective, unbiased facilitators.

[noamjunior]

Fox's right-wing propaganda network should never be called news unless the word "news " is in quotations.

[All57States]

I love the open-mindedness and love of free expression of the left. LOL!

[dbeden]

Fox News has a long history of lying and distorting news stories to serve a conservative agenda at the exclusion of real news-gathering and investigative journalism. Should I mention the countless stories of the Clinton death-list (like how those kids who were hit by a train were actually stabbed before-hand in some sort of conspiracy plot to get rid of them, just as a small example.)

This isn't about free-expression. Defamation (slander and libel) are not protected speech.

I'd more than welcome a conservative cable news station that didn't promote lies, fabrications, and distortions.

[mairs]

Debates are supposed to be moderated in a "fair and balanced" way. Do you want the DNC to moderate one of the debates? No? Then no FOX.

[BigRube]

It looks like Fox is getting a well deserved PAYBACK.

[cmdrgmh]

Georgia started it, let russia finish it.

[kellygrrrl]

couldn't happen to a more deserving Gang!

I'm demanding a Comedy Central debate moderated by Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Lewis Black

[robotfog]

I don't see why the debates aren't moderated by University people who understand the value of a good debate. There shouldn't be any journalists/personalities involved. Maybe the moderators could be Business people or something different. Anything but journalists. Even lawyers might be good.

[Awakenedcitizen]

yes, robotfog, exactly!