Free Press Issues
October 2, 2011
Fox’s Judge Jeanine Pirro Suggests The U.S. “Revisit” The First Amendment
Fox News host and birther Jeanine Pirro shocked her own conservative guest when, in a discussion about the assassination of American-born Al Qaeda member, Anwar Al-Awlaki, she eagerly suggested the United States “revisit,” i.e. scale back, the First Amendment as a protection against jihadists.
Continue reading >>September 19, 2011
Greta Van Susteren Attacks Colleague Tucker Carlson Over Mike Tyson’s Comments About BFF Sarah Palin
For the record, I totally agree with Greta Van Susteren that Mike Tyson’s recent comments about Sarah Palin were disgusting. But in a lengthy blog post, Van Susteren went after not Tyson but her Fox News colleague, Tucker Carlson, proprietor of the Daily Caller website, for posting about them. (H/T Mediaite). Van Susteren wrote: I don’t like it when I see that my friends do disgraceful things – but we need to start calling out even our friends to stop this. Tucker has daughters and a wife and I would think he in particular would not want to be a purveyer of smut (and this is actually more, this is violence against women) and allow this to be posted on his website. OK, fine – admirable of Van Susteren, even. But where’s her outrage when the attacks are against Nancy Pelosi? Or Rosie O’Donnell? Or, for that matter, when violence is threatened against liberal men?
Continue reading >>September 16, 2011
News Blooper or Sabotage? Guest Blurts Out “Fox News Lies” On Fox
One of the dangers of live tee vee is the news blooper, where something goes wrong and all they can do is move on. Until talk radio installed a delay button, putting someone on the air was always a dangerous proposition and sophomoric wags used that to their advantage, slipping in crazy or scatological references. Artist Jay Shells will forever be a folk hero for his actions on Fox “News” yesterday. He combined the two concepts above, using a live ‘in control room’ interview to say “Fox News Lies.”
Continue reading >>August 10, 2011
Eric Bolling Goes All Bully-Boy Against Undeniable Truths: Another Aunty Em Annotated Transcript
A hint about watching Fox “News” critically: when it rejects all other Points of View, including mild, logical and non-controversial truths, you are witnessing the exact moment when the so-called “Fair & Balanced" network proves it nothing more than a Propaganda Network. It is pushing an agenda, not delivering news or viewpoints. There can be only one viewpoint. The Fox “News” viewpoint. And, don’t you forget it. Ever since S&P downgraded the credit rating, it’s been harder than ever to watch Fox “News” if you believe in journalism, as opposed to Propaganda. The “Fair and Balanced” network has been heavily invested in saving the Tea Party from any and all criticism. It’s the “we report, you decide” network’s greatest Propaganda Push since it helped promote the nascent astro-turfed Tea Party in the first place. “Some people say” this the Tea Party downgrade. That notion has sent Fox and its on-air personalities into barely-concealed snits and they have invested heavily in blaming “Mr. Obama” (as Eric Bolling often calls him) and/or defending the Tea Party.
Continue reading >>August 9, 2011
Fox News And The Outfoxed Effect: Seven Years Later
As one of the researchers for Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism, I’m proud of the impact the film has had on the public’s perception of Fox News. Before Outfoxed, few people paid much attention to what the network was up to. Now, it’s a regular topic of political conversation and even mockery by The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Other than from a Fox News employee, when was the last time you heard someone arguing that the network doesn’t have a conservative/Republican bias? I think we can thank Outfoxed for exploding that "fair and balanced" myth to smithereens. And yet, while we can call that particular mission “accomplished,” there is still plenty more work to be done. I hope you'll join Outfoxed's producer/director Robert Greenwald tonight at 8 PM ET as he holds an online discussion about the seventh anniversary of Outfoxed. There will be special commentary from a variety of people including myself.
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