Fox Sources Speak Out On Network's Presidential Candidates And Extremist Coverage

[RamboLiberal]

Signs of friction within Fox News continue to grow as two more sources indicate "frustration" and "surprise" at the direction the news channel is taking, with one source pointing to concerns that the "opinion side bleeds over the news side."

One source complained about the "political slugfests and extremists" on the network, while the other said the network "pander(s) to the extreme."

These concerns follow Media Matters' recent report that sources familiar with the situation say that the Fox Washington bureau is slanting more to the right in recent years under Bill Sammon, vice president of news and Washington managing editor, who took over for Brit Hume in February 2009.

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"It becomes increasingly incestuous. If you look at the line-up and who is on the shows, they feed on each other. You see Beck on O'Reilly and it is not just the candidates. They do not have the real serious contenders, which are not Huckabee and Palin. That surprises me because it is a news organization. I don't recall a time in news when this has happened."

The same source also complained about the presence of extreme views: "I think Fox has very good coverage on Shep Smith, Chris Wallace and Bret Baier. The others are more political slugfests and extremists. It narrows your audience."

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201011080007

In a little-noticed interview with the Australian Financial Review, Murdoch, echoing Palin, has announced in no uncertain terms he stands with Beck -- a "very genuine, extremely well-read libertarian" was his description of his star. Perhaps to underline the point that his top talent ought to get with the extremist Beck/Palin program, he trashed top-rated host Bill O'Reilly for a relatively even-handed interview of Hillary Clinton. "Disgraceful," Murdoch called O'Reilly's handling of that interview. Murdoch's disgraceful statement -- and its message to all of Fox's on-air talent and producers -- shows once again the cynicism and deception behind the slogan "Fair and Balanced." (Bill, I have tried to be booked on your show for years without success. I would be happy to come on soon to defend your handling of the Clinton interview and analyze your boss's trashing of you.)

Could be that Murdoch wants to back the hottest Fox stars -- Beck and Palin -- for financial reasons; he observed in the same interview that Fox is "beating the shit" out of CNN in the ratings. Of Beck he said: "Millions -- millions -- watch him at 5 in the afternoon!!" Could be that he views Tea Party agitation as merely something to be ginned up by Beck and Palin, and used in the service of a victory against Obama by ANY GOP nominee, which he will do everything he can, in the accustomed role of political kingmaker, to ensure. "The Tea Party will stiffen the back of the Republican Party," Murdoch said.

This, itself, telegraphs far and wide within Fox that Murdoch's prior statement that Fox should not support the Tea Party or any political party is no longer operative (doesn't look like it ever was anyway, except when Fox humiliated Sean Hannity by yanking him off a Tea Party fundraiser at the eleventh hour). But words matter when you are the boss, and Murdoch has now flip-flopped. When asked by the Australian interviewer, "Are you worried by the attacks on Fox for bias and its support for the Tea Party and Republicans?" Murdoch replied, "Noooo...People love Fox News."

But there is more to suggest Murdoch has shown his hand -- not just in standing with Beck -- but by signaling that he will throw the weight of his powerful political apparatus disguised as a media empire behind Palin as his favored GOP nominee.

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201011070007

[highplainsdem]

1. Beck is the Fixed News agitprop czar, and Murdoch loves him for it.

[Kalyke]

2. What is Faux going to do when the last of their audience dies out?

[Mikeystyle]

3. Fox News: terrorist Snidely Whiplash on the loose

A reputed terrorist mastermind managed to escape capture from Canadian Mounted Police and could be on his way to the U.S., according to a Friday report by Fox News.

The terrorist, known as Snidely Whiplash, apparently enjoys tying women to railroad tracks, robbing banks and attacking CMP forts in the wilderness. The information was first reported by Fox Newsmodel Gretchen Carlson on the “Fox & Friends” morning show.

“I’m not sure what channel I was watching, it must have been a Canadian network, but this guy Whiplash sure seems dangerous. In the report I was watching, he tied three innocent women to railroad tracks,” Carlson said. “In keeping with Fox news guidelines, I haven’t bothered to verify this information before putting it on the air, but it’s time for all of you to be very afraid. After all, we’ve got an election coming up.”

(continued….)

http://www.thechicagodope.com/2010/10/08/fox-news-terrorist-snidely-whiplash-on-the-loose/

[KharmaTrain]

4. The Difference...

MSNBC and CNN claim they are news channels with opinion programs second while with faux its the other way around...the "news" is only there as a ruse for disemenating propaganda. There are no conflicts in their newsroom cause the day someone goes against the company line, they're gone.

[11 Bravo]

5. Bill Sammon was a ridiculous wingnut hack at the Washington Times. FoxNoise knew ...

exactly what they were getting.