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Bill O’Reilly’s Missing Malaysian Airplane Sour Grapes – Benghazi Edition

Posted by Ellen -7842.60pc on March 20, 2014 · Flag

OReilly_image.jpg

Bill O’Reilly followed in colleague Andrea Tantaros’ footsteps tonight by gratuitously throwing Benghazi into the missing Malaysian airliner story. And it merely confirmed my theory that O’Reilly’s real beef with the missing-jet media saturation is that there’s no way for him to exploit it.

As I posted earlier, The Five’s Andrea Tantaros, just happened to think of Benghazi families while she was sympathizing with the families of the missing Malaysian airline passengers. Later, O’Reilly just happened to think of Benghazi when he was thinking of how he’s getting beaten in the ratings by CNN looking out for the integrity of journalism over the Malaysian airlines story:

(T)he media is running wild with the airlines story, as you know, and there is a big reason why: money. The nation’s newspapers are in dire trouble. They need bold headlines. The network news doesn’t want to cover important stories like the IRS and Benghazi but they can cover the airliner without any political consequences.

Cable news, which now dominates America’s prime time media, is in a brutal war for ratings. The Fox News Channel was the #1 rated cable channel in the country last week. Not just news, all cable channels. We beat everybody. The zombies, the thrones, you name it.

There’s a lot at stake here. FNC wants to keep its leadership and its main competitor, CNN, understands there’s an appetite for the airline story. So it’s going wall-to-wall trying to generate some interest, get some viewers.

Not “trying” to generate interest and viewers, O’Reilly, but actually doing it. The New York Times reported earlier this week:

Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the CNN 8 p.m. program, hosted by Anderson Cooper, beat Fox’s perennial ratings giant, Bill O’Reilly, in the audience that attracts the most revenue for news channels, viewers between the ages of 25 and 54. It was the first time Mr. Cooper has ever topped Mr. O’Reilly in the group for three straight days. (Mr. O’Reilly still won the week in that category.)

O’Reilly continued:

MSNBC has stayed the liberal course. They’re not really hyped up about the airliner story. But if they could find a way to blame Chris Christie, things may change.

Project much, O’Reilly?

From there, O’Reilly complained that the modern day media is not the independent watchdog to power the founding fathers intended when they gave it First Amendment protection. “Because of the big money now associated with the media… circulation and ratings now dominate news coverage and unfortunately, so does ideology," he said.

Of course, O'Reilly didn’t mean at Fox News.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to follow the jetliner story. It’s a mystery – folks like that. But when the media begins to pander to the audience and fabricate things, then there’s a problem. We’re living in an extremely dangerous age, where thugs like Putin and the mullahs of Iran could ignite a world war. We need honest and courageous media. Do we have that? You make the call.

I wholeheartedly agree that our media have failed us. The problem is, as I posted during O’Reilly’s first round of missing Malaysian airliner sour grapes, O’Reilly’s bellyaching just doesn’t pass the “legitimate concern for journalism” smell test. Not when you have a guy promoting phony stories like the War on Christmas and deliberately turning legitimate stories like the George Zimmerman verdict into a vehicle to advance his own racial acrimony.

As I also previously posted in Sour Grapes 1, O’Reilly’s grievance also smacks of, “There’s nothing in it to exploit,” as he has done with other stories he has over-covered.

But not to worry. If the hosts can’t actually make the missing Malaysian plane about Benghazi, I feel confident they’ll eventually find excuses reasons to blame Obama.

And then it will be back to Fox News business as usual.

Photo credit: DonkeyHotey via photopin cc

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Aria Prescott commented 2014-03-22 02:57:01 -0400 · Flag
Thanks, Antoinette… I’m weighing whether or not to write up The Five slamming O’Reilly’s ego trip, I’ll have to find that, and include if anyone else piled on.
Jan Hall commented 2014-03-21 17:44:19 -0400 · Flag
The picture at the top? Is that Junior O’Reilly 2014? Or is it Dear Old Dad—- William James Sr.—- circa 1960s?
Antoinette commented 2014-03-21 15:28:37 -0400 · Flag
Greta nuked Billy on her blog about his complaints of excessive coverage of the missing airline. She didn’t mention his name, but the masses knew she directed it to Billy.

If the masses thinks that these hosts get along they are wrong. Envy, jealousy, back-stabbing, complaints to the suits, is the norm at this fraudulent “news” outlet.

Some of these hosts are not fans of Billy, and he knows it. Others can’t stand this Irish volcano. His short temper and blow-ups is infamous.

Billy needs to retire, and find himself another young wife who will take care of his aging behind.
Joseph West commented 2014-03-21 13:37:48 -0400 · Flag
O’Reilly snorted, “We’re living in an extremely dangerous age, where thugs like Putin and the mullahs of Iran could ignite a world war. We need honest and courageous media. Do we have that? You make the call.”

So, Mr O’Reilly, why do you and your fellow FoxNoise liars squad only demonize the mullahs while heaping all sorts of love and affection for Putin? Or have you (at least) decided to see Putin for what he really is (for the time being anyway)?

I also found the following quote very hilarious: “Because of the big money now associated with the media… circulation and ratings now dominate news coverage and unfortunately, so does ideology,” [O’Reilly] said.

Bill, does this mean you don’t like the “big money” paycheck you’re getting Rupert and Roger? You remember Rupert, don’t you? He’s that “big money” media typhoon tycoon who, along with Roger, allow their “ideology” to “dominate news coverage.”
d d commented 2014-03-21 10:49:41 -0400 · Flag
BOR: Cable news, which now dominates America’s prime time media, is in a brutal war for ratings. The Fox News Channel was the #1 rated cable channel in the country last week. Not just news, all cable channels. We beat everybody. The zombies, the thrones, you name it.
-——-

Yep, you’re right, Ellen, and his follow-up segment on the matter definitely confirmed your theory. His attempt to paint his whining as a deep concern about honest journalism/non-idealogical media is nothing more than a transparent attempt to misdirect from what’s really bothering him – his loss in the ratings game and his inability to exploit the issue.

And BOR is doing some spinning with this one. Sorry but this is kinda long so bear with me. As usual, BOR did not name his source for the ratings info he was pimping. I’m guessing that he got his ratings info from here: http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cable-network-ranker-fox-news-1-in-primetime-for-week-of-march-10_b217708

What’s interesting (and unintentionally hilarious) about this is that the TVNewser article specifically mentioned that one of the reasons that FOX “news” was #1 was because it was “a busy news week” that included “THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING MALAYSIAN AIRLINES PLANE”. Bwaaah!

How do you like that, BOR, hmm? One of the reasons FOX was on top was because of the very coverage that you claim is hurting the news business! Too funny! Also, BOR didn’t bother to tell the folks that FOX “news” hasn’t been #1 in prime time among all cable networks since way back in Jan. (the week of the State of the Union speech). So, apparently, this #1 ranking among all the cable networks is not a regular thing to happen to FOX “news” – yet it happened this time due in large part to the missing plane coverage that BOR has been criticizing. LOL!

And, while FOX “news” may have come out ahead among all cable channels with regards to total number of viewers in prime time, FOX “news” in no way beat some of the individual shows on other cable networks. BOR specifically called out “the zombies” – I assume he is talking about “The Walking Dead”. “TWD” had over 12 million viewers for its airing this past week. No FOX “news” show (even in prime time) gets 12 million viewers per airing.

BOR said that FOX “news” beat “Thrones” – I assume he’s referring to “Game of Thrones” whose new season doesn’t even start until next month? All they are airing now are freakin’ reruns! Good gawd, BOR, get a grip – “we beat everybody”?! Hell, Spongebob still beats “The Factor” and the other FOX “news” shows. Not only is it deliberately misleading and dishonest for BOR to suggest that the FOX “news” shows’ ratings actually beat a couple of the most popular shows on the teevee, it’s just bad, inaccurate reporting for him to be mixing in FOX’s overall weekly prime time ratings with “TWD” and “GOT” in the same breath (as it leads to faulty conclusions among his viewers who most likely just take him at his word).

As per the Top 25 Cable shows from the past week, no FOX “news” show was in the list.
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/03/18/cable-top-25-the-walking-dead-tops-cable-viewership-for-the-week-ending-march-16-2014/245352/

And because dates overlap some, here’s the Top 25 Cable shows for the week before too – no FOX “news” shows made the list.
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/03/11/cable-top-25-the-walking-dead-tops-cable-viewership-for-the-week-ending-march-9-2014/243786/

Btw, BOR, you are not what the Founding Fathers would consider to be honest journalism either so get off your high horse and clean up your own act. Perhaps you should start by telling the folks the WHOLE truth behind the ratings you cited.
LauraJane commented 2014-03-21 04:59:03 -0400 · Flag
Not just back to business as usual. Without stopping for breath O’Reilly then turned to the missing plane. Oh the irony.

Also, can you imagine how thin skinned this guy must be to have been “No1” (depends on your definition I guess) for over a decade and then to so obviously feel threatened by Anderson Cooper because he “lost” to him for three days?. Everything is a pissing contest with him. Either his ego is so out of control after being feted all these years as to rival Emperor Nero’s or he has serious psychological issues, not unlike your neighbourhood psycopath.
Bemused commented 2014-03-21 04:21:13 -0400 · Flag
testing, testing.
NewsHounds posted about Bill O’Reilly’s Missing Malaysian Airplane Sour Grapes – Benghazi Edition on NewsHounds' Facebook page 2014-03-21 00:30:51 -0400
O'Reilly joined his colleague into gratuitously talking about Benghazi while discussing the missing Malaysian plane mystery.








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