O'Reilly & Fox Sell Sex

by Taylor Marsh

Everybody knows sex sells, but bikini shots during serial killer coverage?

This is a subject I know a lot about. During the 1990s, I did a lot of work inside the sex industry, all with my clothes on, let me add, but reporting from the front lines for sure. I've interviewed everyone from Amsterdam hookers, to 900 line callers, to men who visit soft core porn sites, as well as all sides of the dating, marriage and relationship wars, including personal ads that used to be so big. So I'm not a prude. I remember interviewing the biggest strippers in the industry right when the Internet made it possible for these women to move from the strip club to powerhouse people in control of fan clubs that started bringing in real cash for them. It was the empowerment of the sex industry, if there can be such a thing. If you're a sex worker, the answer is yes. I wrote a book about it. I also did mounds of research on conservative companies who secretly invest in the adult industry so their shareholders can get in on all that smut money, but don't trumpet it to the public so their image won't be harmed while they're raking in the big bucks. But what Fox "News" is doing throughout their network schedule is something quite different.

Ratings rule and we know that the Fox channel is having a tough time these days. Their credibility is in tatters, particularly because of the way they've pimped the Iraq war. So the cheapest way to get viewers back is through gratuitous titillation. We've seen it through the wall to wall blondes and babes delivering the news, but the graphic video and interviews they air takes it to a whole new level.

Take Bill O'Reilly's sexual interview of Miss New Jersey. As a former Miss Missouri, I can tell you that this sort of interview would never have happened in a million years before Fox "News" and Bill O'Reilly. Is this a fantasy picture thing? Is it a negligee situation?

The video above from Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films puts it all together for us.

There's a reason their advertisers are upset. Women who choose to flaunt their sexuality is one thing, but clipping together images to parade before Fox audiences completely out of context is another. Asking a woman in trouble because of lame pictures on the web about non-existent lesbian trysts is insulting. Prodding her over and over again is mindless sexism at its worst.

Mr. O'Reilly hails himself as a "culture warrior." He rails against indecency and that our kids are being harmed by the culture. Then what does he do? Shows ad nauseam clips of Paris Hilton soft core advertising and other smut to get people's attention. Can you say hypocrisy? He's looking out for you? Only if you're a man in a bathrobe with nothing else to do but watch Fox and hope for another primetime smut show.

Greenwald was on Countdown on Monday, with Keith giving O'Reilly the full treatment. Using a fig leaf of "reporting" to show more soft core porn, Fox "News" even put it on the Neil Cavuto show, which is supposed to be about business. Well, if the business of selling sex 24/7 is what Fox has decided to do then they're right on target. There's a reason the video at the top of this post got over 500,000 views in only four days. It hit a nerve. Greenwald and the people at Brave New Films are just getting started. They're campaigning for "a la carte" cable programming.

What is Fox's official comment? It's classic.

Reached for comment on Greenwald's new video, a Fox News spokesperson asked Radar: "Can you quote us so not giving a shit?"

That is so obvious.

One of the clever things they do to cover their actions is show the soft core crap then have a conservative on to rail against the stuff, as it plays gratuitously on the screen. It's classic programming, really, you've got to give it to them. It hits all angles, including the "secular progressives" who are supposed to love this stuff with their news.

Women make all sorts of choices these days about what to do with their lives. We make all sorts of choices on wardrobe, too. Being smart and sexy is a win-win today. Women don't have to be a turtle-neck wearing feminist to show we've got it all. But liberation also doesn't excuse wall-to-wall smut when someone is flipping channels in the living room with a daughter or kid by your side. This stuff assaults a viewer when you're not expecting it and certainly didn't choose it.

Bikini and breast shots during a serial killer report? It's the most reprehensible sexism there is, like walking through a mall and seeing sex shots as you pass by a store.

Why are advertisers putting up with this insult? This is not valuing anyone, particularly not women and certainly not families.

As a feminist, I want to take Fox's "fair and balanced" slogan at face value. I really do. So Mr. O'Reilly, hey Roger Ailes, where are the bare chested, muscles rippling, hot and sexy guys? Fair is fair, right? Or won't they sell as well as making women out to be sluts?

Fair and balanced back at you, boys.

Follow Taylor Marsh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylormarsh

Comments

[MACS]

Please remember that murdock is nothing more than a TABLOID TYCOON. FAUX is nothing more than one of his many trinkets. If FAUX were truely "FAIR and BALANCED" bill would occasionaly have Al Franken as his substitute when he leaves town to PIMP his books.

[JScott]

I'm just waiting for a Robert Smidgel animated version of 'Fun With Real Audio' for SNL, it's just so perfect for this.

[elkabong]

Isn't it illustrative:
For the Fox dolts
Popularity = Good
Unpopularity = Bad

Except when it doesn't. Then it's "Strong leadership doesn't listen to polls".

Conservatives have no standards - just "team" spirit.

[realpolitic]

This writer says she wants to take Fox's "fair and balanced" slogan at face value. Why? There is no more cynical slogan imaginable.

"We report, you decide" is another cynicism. Yes, they throw dirt at Democrats and Democratic positions all day and then you decide if you like those positions. If one is not convinced all liberals are terrorist abettors after watching a few hours of Fox, one is truly independent minded. Fox is a 24 hour GOP campaign commercial.

[disenfranchised]

Wow, that video footage is unbelievable- so wrong, on so many levels.

I don't watch F-- N----, but, gosh, it almost seems like they are pandering to repressed and deeply frustrated individuals so much in denial who, for instance, would call listening to stories of violence coupled with images of sex informative? Or would think watching a pretty, all-American blonde in a cashmere sweater and pearls answer lascivious questions with a smirk on her face... was just an innocent family values based show run by a practicing Catholic?

But probably not, because certainly the conservative Christian right who do watch the network would be outraged if this were the case.

[Bluesplayer]

Murdoch's satellite company, bSkyB, not only broadcasts pornography produced by others, but is now producing its own.

Most of it is targeted to hotel chains' businessmen visitors. Remember, when offered an opportunity to shake hands with a business type, make sure you don't get his splooge on you.

[rememberMartinlking]

I was raped by a fellow serviceman...believe me, he wanted sex.

[Chinampas]

I don't understand why everybody feels they need to attack Bill O'Reilly and Fox News. To say that Fox News is on the decline is ridiculous. Where is CNN and MSNBC? Fox is the only channel that will talk about the turn around happening in Iraq right now, and I am sure that really upsets the liberals. You can attack the messenger, but you can't change the facts. One more thing. If Bill is guilty of exploiting sex on his show, what about all the other mainstream channels on TV. No sex there, huh?

[realitytrumpsbull]

FOX is part of the Big Propaganda Machine.
They're going to have women wave their tits
at the camera and then start a riot like on
Jerry Springer, and call it 'news and entertainment'. Also known as 'bullshit'.
And, if you look at the other networks, like
CNN, they are now JUST as greasy, just as
polished, and JUST as fake as FOX. Matter of
fact, television in general, the 'big show',
generally has that propagandistic, mildewy
flavor to it anymore, even in the movies.
The experts say 'there is no such thing as
an accident', and it's no accident that
there's so much crap on the air anymore.
Stay in your homes. Watch our crap. Stay in
your homes. Watch our crap. Stay in...

[rh654]

While I think Foxnews is a joke for news - I agree with another poster - the last I saw Foxnews' numbers are killing CNN and MSNBC.

Exactly, how is Foxnews hurting?

Ratings do rule - and Foxnews is still ruling in the ratings.

But on the other hand - what's wrong with babes reading news? Its not like any of the less attractive people are doing much more than just reading a teleprompter.

[gatedancer]

Has anybody seen Geraldos shrink he has on his show? Victoria Zdrok shes a fullblown (no pun intended) porn star

[clumberfeet]

O'Reilly & Fox & many others advertise sex and sell many other things.

You just need to decide what organ you use to make your decisions with. My suggestion is the organ that has two lobes on the front and a stem at the other end.
Here’s a hint; It’s the one that is all wrinkled when it “is” stimulated.

[BachelorJohnnyCool]

I'm surprised it took so long for people to figure out that Fox has been having its cheesecake and eating it too for a long time. I realized a few years ago that it fills its broadcast network schedule with sleazy programs and then provides ample opportunity on its "news" network for self-righteous hosts and guests to condemn the liberal Hollywood elites who are destroying the country's values with the trash they put on TV (and which Fox is happily airing on a different channel).

[bethinCary]

It's a concerted divisive strategy by the GOP:
point out differences in people-race,religion,gender,nationality......
It shows the desperation of white males trying to consolidate thier supposed "power".
It also points out something bigger-that they're a bunch of scared, threatened, little whiners-who think that by carrying guns,mounting illegal wars to steal resources,insulting women and minorities they are somehow in highschool at the "cool kids" table.
What they really are is a bunch of nerdy bullies still trying to get even with everyone around for thier own geekiness and insecurities.

[TuffPosh]

That's nice, but we all know what this is about: O'Reilly is beating everyone else in the ratings and the Left wants to silence him and Fox News.