Is there a way to defeat the right wing strategy on news?

[ck4829]

We've seen this time and time again (Most recently with ACORN)...

1. Fox News creates a misleading story
2. They and right wing organizations and blogs then berate the other networks for not covering the story
3. The other networks feel like they're forced to cover it, and do, and they also make stories saying they must be biased and beg conservatives for forgiveness
4. Go back to #1

There must be a weakness to this strategy.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Its a long process

The key is education, which right wing news treats as a malignant cancer.

[Vincardog]

2. 1. Fox News creates a mislead 2) We LAUGH at their lunatic antics

[T Wolf]

3. That the reich wing has a monopoly on the major media, not a lot can be done.

They are too big and powerful and rich to be fought in any conventional manner (ratings, sponsor boycott, etc.).

The smart thing is to choose a battlefield that is more level.

Individual people work at the media outlets. If those individuals were in fear for their lives if they participate in the farce that passes for news in AMerika, a change is possible. Of course, there would be a large supply of cretins willing to risk "consequences" for the financial reward. But eventually, it would become harder to get people to join in.

Continuing to fight the enemy on their terms is plain stupid. And doomed to fail.

[Puzzler]

4. Yes, and it's more than just that...

... an interesting article that ran in the Guardian last year pointed out that much of the US MSM seems to be obsessed with reporting on itself. For example, Fox Noise comes up with a false and misleading story: "the moon is made of blue cheese", and then after a day or two, CNN reports about the fact that other media outlets are reporting about the story that the "moon is made of blue cheese". Then, in the interest of "fairness", CNN debates the blue cheese story with pundits on both sides of the issue. Wolf Blitzer, of course keeping his very straight and impartial face: "we debate, you decide". What could be fairer than that?

Of course, it's very unfair. What's happened is that a significant portion of the viewers may now actually think that the moon is in fact made out of blue cheese, but more significantly, a far greater number of viewers may actually think that the issue of what the moon is made of is UNRESOLVED... an open question.

We've had this same type of technique used to promote creationism/intelligent design, global warming denial, and of course most recently the health care debate.

[LuvNewcastle]

8. That is a big problem, and I attribute it

to laziness on the part of MSNBC, CNN, etc. Fox News stories are not news, they are exercises in creative reporting. Other networks should have other things to do besides refuting Fox, like finding real stories of their own and reporting on those. They shouldn't mention stories from Fox unless they intersect with stories of their own, and then they should be discredited.

[Lucy Goosey]

5. Truth? In theory, that should work, right?

Instead of swallowing the story whole from Fox (or from wherever they first hear it), other journalists should actually research the story to determine whether their "facts" are actual objective real-world facts, or whether they came from Glenn Beck's cocaine fuelled nightmares. If proof is found that Fox is lying, report that as a part of the story. Is that too complicated for most in the media?

If memory serves, Maddow did a great job with this re: ACORN, no? She is unusually smart and thorough for a TV talking head, though.

[Puzzler]

7. In theory, yes...

... but, as the Guardian pointed out, that fact that it IS a story becomes a story in itself. Under those conditions, the truth of the original (Fox) story is secondary.

[backscatter712]

6. Keep calling them out.

Every time FAUX News spews out misleading bullshit, call them out on it as loudly and widely as possible. Ideally, other news organizations would pick up on it, perhaps join in on the call-out as well.

That way, instead of bending over, covering the bullshit as if it's real news, FOX becomes the news because of their lying.

[BoneDaddy]

9. Yes...Create a show dedicated to challenging right wing talking points

John Stewart does a bit of this but I mean a show that is a FACTCHECK television show. A touch of humor and a great host dedicated to destroying the daily comments made by the peanut gallery.

In fact call it the Peanut Gallery.