Fox News Is the Story

Fox News Channel is twisting American politics in an unprecedented way, and too many members of the press still aren't getting it.

The White House has exposed Fox News for what it is: not a news organization, but a partisan political entity that is waging a war aimed at destroying the Obama administration and its progressive agenda. Fox's Glenn Beck said so himself last Friday, predicting that he would soon "take the administration down."

Despite such unambiguous proclamations and the truths about Fox that they reveal, many mainstream reporters and commentators, and even some progressive ones, have spent their time effectively circling the wagons around Fox by focusing their attention not on the network, but on the Administration's comments about it. The entire matter has largely been treated as a political game -- should the White House have so bluntly criticized the press, or will the tactic backfire?

"The Obama administration’s war on Fox News is dumb on multiple levels," wrote Ruth Marcus of The Washington Post. "The Obama administration really needs to get over itself," added John Nichols of The Nation. "[T]he motivations of the White House are clear," wrote Politico's Josh Gerstein and Mike Allen. "Fire up a liberal base disillusioned with Obama by attacking the hated Fox. Try to keep a critical news outlet off-balance." That same article quoted Project for Excellence in Journalism director Tom Rosenstiel: “You should beware of politicians playing press critic."

All of this completely misses the point. The issue is not whether it was a good idea politically for the White House to say that the emperor has no clothes. The issue is that the emperor actually has no clothes. In other words, the administration's comments about Fox News aren't the story. Fox News is the story.

And yet, during a recent press conference, ABC's Jake Tapper asked Robert Gibbs how Fox News -- "one of our sister organizations," as he put it -- is different from any other network. His question indicates the pervasive unwillingness among members of the media to officially kick Fox News to the curb of the press club. By legitimizing Fox News as a news organization, reporters and commentators are enabling the network to continue conducting a massive conservative political campaign under the guise of journalism. In the process, they are permitting Fox News to dominate the national discussion by spreading smears and lies -- smears and lies that become conventional wisdom. They are also defending an organization that has nothing but contempt for journalistic standards -- hence undermining their own profession and the public interest at the same time.

Criticizing Fox News has nothing to do with criticizing the press. Fox News is not a news organization. It is the de facto leader of the GOP, and it is long past time that it was treated as such by our nation's media.

The evidence supporting such a reality is overwhelming. To begin with, Fox News CEO Roger Ailes has described his station's confrontation with the Obama administration as "the Alamo." Fox News senior vice president Bill Shine said Fox was "the voice of opposition." In other words, the entire operation has an explicit political agenda, not just a few hosts. There is no separation between Fox News’ "opinion" programming and its "news" programs. Bret Baier's Special Report, the closest show Fox News has to a straight newscast, portrays Obama in a negative light 77 percent of the time, according to a recent study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs.

But the story goes well beyond the conservative bias Fox News has historically reflected. Like all major political entities, Fox News is now coordinating grassroots (or, more accurately, astroturf) political activities, lobbying for or against legislation, and fundraising for conservative causes. The network called April's protests "Fox News Tea Parties." It encouraged people to attend town halls last summer and then broadcast only the statements of those who opposed Democratic health care proposals. The 9/12 rally in Washington was the work of Beck, who claimed that 1.7 million people showed up (it was actually closer to 70,000). A video soon emerged of one of the station's producers coaching marchers before a live "report" from the scene.

Fox news routinely implores its audience to call Congress and oppose progressive legislation. Fox's Dick Morris and Mike Huckabee have both used Fox News airtime to encourage donations to conservative political action committees.

Again, these are unambiguous campaign activities, not the work of a news organization. It is no wonder that Fox's new website, FoxNation.com, has repeatedly cheered legislative developments it favors as a "Fox Nation Victory!"

Fox News relishes its newfound activism. "The conservative media is winning now," Bill O'Reilly said on September 17. "They're damaging the president of the United States." But the damage Fox News causes isn't just political. Every day, it undermines serious journalism, misleads millions of Americans, and distorts our national discussion on crucial issues. Fox News represents an attack on democracy itself.

Much of the channel’s "reporting" takes the form of obsessive and factually inaccurate efforts to smear progressive organizations and discredit Obama administration officials. To give you a sense of priorities: over a three-year period, shows hosted by Sean Hannity and Beck mentioned ACORN 1,502 times, saying it was a corruption scandal. By contrast, their programs mentioned Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater, Jack Abramoff, and Bob Ney 109 times combined.

Fox is currently conducting a witch hunt against administration members. After Van Jones resigned, Hannity told a crowd, "We got rid of one, and my job starting tomorrow night is to get rid of every other one."

Exposing improper conduct is one thing. Inventing it is another. Fox News breathlessly reported claims that an ACORN employee had murdered her husband without confirming the story. It wasn't true. Similarly, Hannity reported that Department of Education official Kevin Jennings had concealed the "statutory rape" of a high school student. It was soon revealed that the student was 16 at the time (the age of consent), and by his own account had not engaged in sexual activity with his fictitious assailant. Hannity never apologized.

Fake stories like these are what Fox News is built on. Health care reform will create death panels? False. Cass Sunstein believes in mandating that people become organ donors? False. John Holdren advocates for "compulsory abortion and sterilization," as Hannity put it? False. Fox reported them all as fact -- and the list goes on.

Never in American history has a media organization this powerful been so willing to misrepresent reality in order to achieve a political goal. The right-wing press ran a similar campaign targeting Bill Clinton in the 1990s, but for most of that time period, it lacked the national, real-time reach and impact Fox now possessed.

The impact of Fox News’ long campaign of misinformation should concern any citizen. Fox has repeatedly misinformed its viewers on everything from the non-existent connection between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda to the contents of health care reform legislation. Such misinformation can have serious consequences, and Fox News should be called out for propagating it.

There is nothing wrong with the White House standing up to its most powerful, unprincipled, and self-declared political opponent, one that clearly started this fight. And beyond politics, there certainly isn't anything wrong with exposing an organization that unapologetically harms our democracy by poisoning our national discourse with falsehoods on an hourly basis.

The channel knows what it's up against. "If they repeat this long enough," said Fox News’ Bernie Goldberg on Monday, "and often enough -- that Fox News is not a real news organization, it's an arm of the national Republican Party, it's not to be taken seriously -- if they say that long enough, it might become part of bloodstream of the American culture."

Fox News' own media analyst got the story right, while so many others in the media are still getting it wrong. For once, the channel was actually breaking news, even if it is merely the simple truth.

 

Follow Eric E. Burns on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mmfa

Comments

[MattoutinAZ]

Obama will sit with Ahmadinejad and Fidel but is afraid of Beck? Weak.

[R M G]

After reading some posts I get a general idea that the News is definitely sided, Fox does report favorably to the right and MSNBC, ABC, CNN etc. , does report favorably to the left - by why no outcry about that? What I don't see are debates. A republican says something on Fox, it's disputed on MSNBC, some liberal says something on CBS, it's disputed on Fox, I have to run around channel checking every five minutes in a vain attempt to get both sides of the story and it never works.

I couldn't care less which new organization would carry it but have these so called "experts" debate face to face. I'd actually pay money to see Keith Olbermann and Glenn Beck face off in a debate one on one for an hour, wouldn't you? How 'bout Jeanne Gerafalo and Hannity - hilarious!

Why doesn't President Obama talk to Rush Limbaugh? - these are the guys that are in the news - these are the power houses of our media environment - come on Ms. Huffington ask Rush if you can come on his show, what would it hurt. If you want to shut someone down what better way than a confrontation of opposing views.

When we hash out our differences like this the truth comes to the forefront - what we do now is allow both political parties uncontested access to the masses in a confusing mish-mash of half truths and opinion, not facts.

[VANDERGRAAFK]

Apparently, you trust too much in John Stuart Mill. Alas, there are too many people who seek out informatio­n/propagan­da that only conforms to their pre-conceived notions. For rightwing nutjobs, Fox Noise fills an "informational" void. Rail all you want against Fox, it's not going to have any effect. I suppose left-leaning liberals love Olbermann.

Denying them privileges, on the other hand, might. Why should anyone from the Administration have to face off with Limbaugh or anyone else for that matter? Debating Chris Matthews is equally pointless. Trying to "debate" with Pat Buchanan is impossible.

Access is precisely that: access. If you represent an organization that is engaged in pure political propaganda, then why should you have any more access than, say, Vorwaerts then or Pacifica now?

Any administration sets the terms of the debate - or ought to try to. That the Obama Administration let the opposition caricature the health reforms this summer for weeks on end was either a brilliant strategy (let them spew their venom) or the worst step possible (it delayed and possibly derailed reform).

[laursaurus]

What a bunch of crybabies! After 8 years of the MSM raking the Bush administration over the coals, the Obama staff lacks the fortitude to withstand any criticism from the press? Every president since George Washington has endured scrutiny from the press without sinking to the level of acknowledging a source by name. Obama has maligned the Bush administration at every opportunity. You'd swear he was still campaigning! If they are committing libel, then take legal action.

Well, Liberal Elite America, the chickens have come home to roost!! Do they realize how this is perceived? If we want information that hasn't been Obama-approved, we know exactly where to go. In the era of channel surfing, the public has a new channel to flip to during the commercial.

[xypher0725]

"we know exactly where to go"..are you sure?...I don't think Glenn Becks secret fortified bunker is big enough to hold all of you.

[panamarine]

I believe that labeling FOX News / Station as the propaganda arm of the Republican Party and the use of misinformation to "brainwash" certain segments of the poluplation WILL STICK to them. It's out there in the mainstream....FOX lies and is intent on "bringing down" the Presidency (OBAMA). and they make no bones about it....THAT is their sole reason to exist. WE all know it, THEY (who work at, and those who watch and listen to FOX) know that WE know WHAT we know about them and FOX is TRUE.

[plaidsportcoat]

CBS RADIO NEWS also portrayed only the anti-health reform comments from town halls all during the summer. I called and spoke to its radio news directeor Harvey. Harvey denied it was slanted toward the right, but had no factual rebuttal when presented with the facts.of their newscast.

So, I find that CBS allows its news directors to slant to the right - because the owners are in the Wall St. class, Hank Paulson republicans.

[texfly]

The Obama administration should ask Faux News for a program hour each day with 20-30 minutes of administrartion talking points followed by Q&A from Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly plus some Fair 'n Balanced left wing assets

[quantpro]

There's only one or possibly two reasons for the administrations attack on Fox News. It is Acorn and Van Jones. The next reasons to attack Fox are soon in coming. Fox news is uncovering stories the general news media do not what to investigate or even discuss. Having exposed issues which became newsworthy sometimes weeks later by the rest of the media the administration sought to neutralize and marginalize Fox news. Happily that attempt failed. Hopefully the news media will now meet their responsibility and report facts and news which may from time to time expose mistakes, misjudgments and the lack of vetting of this administration.

[LibertyBell7]

How can the rest of the media cover news events that Fox creates until they create them? Of course, the rest of the media don't cover the same stories covered by Fox because it is an impossibility to cover events that only take place in the editorial meeting room over at News Corp.

[laursaurus]

Besides the Tea Parties, what has been "created" by Fox? Van Jones, The Townhall Meetings, the corruption of Acorn, the alarmist, irresponsible reporting of the training exercise on 9/11, were not concocted by Fox.

Remember the political witch hunt of Alberto Gonzalez? Everyday and night for months, he was grilled for firing insubordinate attorneys. Guess why 3 of them were fired. They refused to investigate ACORN for alleged voter fraud in the 2004 election! Everybody just forgot about that. I don't know, if my boss told me to do my job and I refused, I'd get fired, too.

Well said, quantpro! ITA

[scottpot]

Can we stop pretending that FOX is the only problem in the MSM.

[LibertyBell7]

No. We can't.

Because, while it can be argued that NONE of the corporate mass media (CMM) are "mainstream" (which is the biggest problem and why I refuse to buy into the MSM-label meme), Fox is nothing like the rest.

Which of those other organizations actively promote and sponsor anti-government political rallies? The simple answer: None. Beck's 9/12 Project has as one of its main stated goals the desire to bring down the duly elected government of the United States — meaning the fact that the people of the US elected this nearly overwhelming majority of Democrats and a Democratic president and Beck wants to overturn the will of the people.

As for sponsoring the event? Simple. Fox cut promotional pieces for the 9/12 event in DC, with the invitation to coordinate through the Fox organization. Those promos were put on the air in ad-free time. That is a literal, de facto, in-kind contribution. Time is money on the air and that means Fox donated money to an anti-democratic, anti-government political rally to foment fear, anger and open the possibility for those who hear their dog-whistle rhetoric to violence.

Fox is not a news organization for that express and blatant reason alone. They are not part of what you refer to as the MSM establishment. Problems that exist within the CMM are real and are also completely independent and separate from issues that should concern everyone about the Fox Propaganda Channel.

[kat1944]

They are only anti Obama policies and ant the liberal agenda.
Obama did not win in a landslide and he had better start listening to ALL Americans or he like Carter and Bush Sr, will be a one term president.
Obama is President of all Americans but he presidency does not convey that. His hyper partisanship should be tuned down. The "I won" so bite me attitude has to go. The constant campaigning has to go. Governing has to start.

[scottpot]

The corporate media is also slanted way to the right and commit mostly lies of omission,but they are still lies that distort reality. Since Fox is so blatant about their agenda, the rest of the MSM or corporate media is seen as a fair arbiter of news and information. They are not .
FOX helped corrode all reason and standards in television news.

[CabaretArtist]

the "story" is turning out to be just as fake as Faux News


http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_10/020599.php


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/wh-were-happy-to-exclude-fox-but-didnt-yesterday-with-feinberg-interview.php?ref=fpb


http://www.mediaite.com/online/foxs-white-house-bans-fox-news-story-completely-unravels/


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/33456104#33456104


http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/24/796608/-Chip-Reid,-CBS-News-Chief-Whitehouse-Correspondent,-Proves-the-Obama-Administrations-point. FACTS folks

[Scarborian]

I can think of several reasons why the other news outlets might rally to support Fox News.

Reporters are working hacks and reducing the pool of potential employers affects every reporter.

There is a camaraderie among news organizations. Perhaps they are hoping FN will have an epiphany and start the twelve step program back to living a meaningful and full existence.

Maybe they are just not ready to accept that one of their number has fallen and the grieving has yet begun.

[LibertyBell7]

Someone commented on this story over @ TPM speculating whether the network pool crew wanted Fox included because the action could stir the pot and keep this story bubbling and "newsworthy."

There may well be merit to that speculation (though it is, of course, only speculation).

[whatfi1658]

I hope most people can read or listed to a reporter and understaqnd the issues. Then conduct his/her own research to determine the truth. There are so many tools available So to say that we need to take FOX off the air is stupid and insults the intelligence of all independent thinking people.

70000 at 9/12 rally?Really. I went to the 9/12 rally in DC. The primary reason I went was to witness it for myself. Im not a expert at counting people so I did my own research. There were at lease two portal potty stations. One station had 20 potties and I simple counter the number of people that were waiting in line at each potty. I counted 20 people waining for each potty. 20 and 50 is 1000. There were 1000 people waiting just to go the the restroom at one station. So I was told by the police that there were several stations and another station at the garden museum. So about 4000 people using the bathroom. Now ask yourself how many people in a crowd use the bathroom. It wasnt an intermission or anything just about 11:30 AM. I estimate about 1.3 million people. So now ask yourself, why would news organizations refuse to report the accurate number of people at a political rally?Why would they minumize the interest of the citizens? I dont know maby someone has the answers...

[LibertyBell7]

The crux of the problem with the 9/12 rally, as I've suggested here and elsewhere, is that it was invented by a Fox employee, using Fox resources, time and money to promote — and it was a political rally.

News organizations report on political news events, they do not create them particularly when the goal is to offer one flavor of political ideology. When you are in the business of promoting single-ideology political events, you are a dispenser of political propaganda, not a news organization.

Note that the most significant element here is "active staging and participation in political events" NOT whether a media organization has a conservative or liberal slant.

It's the active manufacturing of political events promoting causes that makes Fox totally unlike a news gathering and reporting organization. That they hide their manufactured news behind the mask of being a "fair and balanced" news organization should make folks run for the hills away from them. Unless, of course, you happen to agree with the political agenda they promote. But it is paramount to keep in mind that you are only getting one politically slanted point of view when consuming the news they create.

[BuckCarson]

Glenn Beck knows. Thanks for questioning boldly, what11658!

[47songs]

I believe you've left out a major component of your equation. You need to consider how many squares on each roll of toilet paper were used per person. Since most people use between 5-10 squares per sitting, and there are approximately 450 single-ply sheets per large roll, my estimate, after reporting a loss of 956 rolls at the event, calculates down to a more accurate number of 65,329 people. which compares relatively closer to the 70,000 reported by the fire deprtment.

Of course, there are those who don't even use toilet paper - hmmm - that messes up my hypothesis altogether - oh well, facts be damned!



Besides, they were probably all there just to get Glen Beck's autograph. His star shines so brightly!

[Kevins]

Important story, Mr. Burns.
Well done.

It seems to me Fox is the Bush/Cheney Administration in exile. They do seem like the mouthpiece for what Cheney, Rove, and Abramoff would come up with if they were sitting in a room on the sidelines of power, steaming. Still caring as much for truth-telling as they did when they controlled the White House.

Why journalists would cheer on the destruction of journalistic standards, though.... Are they not able to tell the difference between Fox and news?
Do they support Murdoch's lawsuit awarding him the express right to lie in "news" reports?
Do they think Edward R. Murrow was no more "serious journalism" than a two-headed alien story in the Enquirer?
Can journalists no longer recognize propaganda--what was called "Yellow Journalism", and shunned?
I agree they're tearing down their own profession--but why?

[BryantG]

Well written Mr. Burns. Thank you.

[rockymthi]

It is easy to understand the state our Country is in when you consider how many of its citizens get their news and information soley from Fox. That is the tragedy for me. FOX owners and employees are more interested in their destructive agendas than the health of a Nation.

[carolm62]

Is anyone curious as to the incident that raised the White House's ire against FOX...?

It's like this: The Obama Administration sent a representative to speak the WH's position on a Sunday news program hosted by Chris Wallace. Statements were made after which Chris Wallace requested a fact check on these statements. The White House was offended that anyone would seek a fact check on what they uttered. The fight isn't over whether the fact was proven to be wrong or right. The dispute is over the fact CHECK itself.

Reasonable people likely assume that ALL networks do such fact checks as just a routine part of the journalism process. Apparently not, because the White House was super PO-ed that a news network wouldn't just take their word for it. So apparently the other networks HAVE been taking them at their word -- which is why FOX supporters accuse the liberal networks of all obediently spouting the White House talking points.

Consider the idea that there may be some truth in that!

[Aerows]

Can you cite your source, please?

[teletom]

Anita Dunn said that.

[MaeScott]

Fox has lied about Obama since the campaigns. Nothing but lies and slander-birth certificate, acorn, ayers, chicago, his wife and children, NOTHING was sacred, EVERYTHING was slandered by Fox and its rrw minions..not his mother, his grandma, his church, NOTHING. Anything related to the Pres, Faux cast as evil or other....

This is another meme of theirs...."they are trying to stifle our 1st amendment...you'll be next"
Pure BS. It's what Fox does best....lie and misinform. They are still doing it with their new lie about being boycotted. It didn't happen...the only source I've seen for that story is...Fox.

enough said.

[nitanae]

Please provide a source or link to where I can find this. If you are unable to provide a credible link then you only prove the point by showing that Fox is the source.

Fox is the only one that's fact checking? Prove it.

As a Fox watcher, (as this article points out) how much do you know about the corruption surrounding Blackwater,KBR, Halliburton etc?? If they are reporting accurately and fact checking then you should be AT LEAST as outraged over what they have done as you are over anything the Obama Administration has done. Or is it that electrocuting our soldiers to save a buck is OK with you?

[calamityjohn]

After thinking about it .. maybe the President should offer to go on Fox news everyday .. and begin each interview by pointing out one egregious fallacy .. "Now Mr. Beck on on the 29th of September you stated that Vancouver lost a Billion Dollars when they hosted the Olympics .. but the Vancouver Olympics have yet to take place."