This article has been brewing for several months now. At first I avoided writing it because I didn’t want to just be jumping on a bandwagon that is shared by the readers of this site. But then the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore brought it all to a head and I realized it was time to say what I had been holding back for some time. Fox News is a cancer that has metastasized through America.
We all know that Fox News Channel is severely slanted to the far right. Frequently, it appears their stories are being taken directly from the daily talking points of the Republican Party or some multinational corporation. This is a given with Fox News.
Point 1:
But what has most stuck in my craw this week is the way in which Fox has sought to create facts out of nothing more than their own personal biases. The perfect example of this occurred the other evening on Sean Hannity’s show.
Full disclosure here: I despise Sean Hannity more than just about any other person on Fox News. He is not only ignorant, he is willfully ignorant, and that is an inexcusable offense in my book.
So in the midst of the chaos in Baltimore, the Washington Post printed a story in which it alleged that Freddie Gray, according to an unnamed source, had self-inflicted the injuries which led to his death. From the moment that report hit the wire, Hannity began to broadcast it as if it was the Word of the Almighty, handed down on stone tablets from Mount Sinai. In other words, he acted as if an uncorroborated news article was the final word on the matter. Did he or Fox do any reporting to substantiate or discredit the Post report? No, because that would require effort and they don’t really deal in truth or fact anyway. So, to hell with it!
Point 2:
Then, just last night, Megyn Kelly had a “special exclusive guest” on her show who was going to tell what really happened to Freddie Gray in the back of that police van. She brought on a man whose face was hidden and voice was digitally altered. He was, supposedly, a current member of the Baltimore Police Department who feared for his safety and his job if his identity was disclosed. What did this “exclusive guest” then do? He proceeded to slag Freddie Gray, saying he must have been on drugs and that the cops who arrested him (illegally, it should be noted) were all stand-up guys.
As I sat and watched this spectacle of so-called journalism, I could clearly see what Fox and Kelly were trying to do: Change the narrative. Six cops have been charged with murder, so we have to now make the victim the bad guy. It’s basically the same strategy that defense attorneys use in rape cases.
Part of the Whole:
But what we have seen from Fox in their reporting from Baltimore is their standard modus operandi: If the facts don’t fit the narrative, change the narrative, or, more perniciously, change the facts. But a fact that is altered is no longer a fact. It has then become an opinion, an editorial comment.
I have been a journalist on and off for the past 20 years, and in that time I have made more than my share of mistakes and had to correct things that I reported. But I can say with a clear conscience that not once did I ever alter or create facts to fit a narrative.
The Disease That is Fox News:
Here is the bottom line of what I want to say: Fox is a cancer on our country. If some choose to watch it and believe the propaganda they are fed, then that’s their right. But it is out right—and our responsibility—to call them out when we see their blatant lies. We can write, blog, point out the inaccuracies when they occur, and we can counter their false facts with the truth.
I hope you’ll leave comments and let me know what else you think we can do to counter this 24-hour media machine of falsehood.
This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org.
I believe in free speech but the fox news channel is so out of line on what they report on. Any person or persons that spew that much hatred, bigotry, and blatant lies constantly and continuously needs to be held accountable.
“The Fox Effect lays out how the network operates when they attack political foes – a process we call the Fox Cycle:
STEP 1: Conservative activists introduce a lie. And they know it is a lie
STEP 2: Fox News devotes massive coverage to the story.
STEP 3: Fox attacks other outlets for ignoring the controversy.
STEP 4: Mainstream outlets begin reporting on the story.
STEP 5: Media critics, pundits praise Fox News coverage.
STEP 6: The story falls apart once the damage has been done.
Most attacks from Fox follows these six steps. The Fox Effect illustrates this phenomena and details how Fox News’ lies can be stamped out.”
Benghazi and other congressional “investigations” have shown those steps to be accurate. The point is not to report the news. The point is to do as much damage as possible, raising the negatives of the target and then cut it loose.
That is why I call them FAUX Noise, but I sit through 10 ~15 minutes of them every just so I can keep track of the enemy.
What the hell kind of dive restaurant are you frequenting that not only has a TV blaring, but FAUX Noise on?
I believe we the American People, should sue FOX “news” for false advertising and they should not be able to sell their product as NEWS. I love FOX Sports, but you couldn’t pay me enough to sit through 5 minutes of FOX “news”. On the few occasions when I have been forced to view FOX “news”, such as in a restaurant, I have noted their advertisers, and I refuse to buy any of their products. I know I am only one person, but it’s the principle of the thing.
Truest words I’ve heard this week; “I don’t watch FOX News for the same reason I don’t eat out of the toilet”……
I agree Fox News is a cancer. I don’t give them a second of my time for that there is Joe from MSMBC. I give the show 10 minutes then he speaks and I’m done. I understand that the police has a job to do but there is too much corruption and cover up. I don’t feel save when I see them at times. The police should be there protect and serve not to assume and act without thinking or actually taking there own personal believes to the line of duty. Mental test should be given to all to include drug testing in assume regular basis.
Boycott fox if you have direct tv an paying it will save you around $5.00 a month I don’t want them to make money off of me
I really don’t know about anybody else I cannot sit through a Fox News program. None a night shows talkshows anything that you do with politics. Because most of times they are saying something wrong. They was correct on some of the report and then you said there’s a lot that’s a different view but they always wrong. So I no longer listen to them. And that’s a shame . It Fox News told the truth about the GOP. That party will fall.
The word is “incites.”
I truly believe a law needs to be made that if a “news” station like Fox report false news, which in return insights one of their viewers to commit a crime because of what they heard. Which has happened more than once because of Fow spew. Then they should also be charged with the crime.
I’m certain they use subliminal messages along with lies. If they did not, people would start foaming at the mouth if their blessed news source is challenged.
Before Reagan was president if you delivered an editorial, you had to allow someone to present their counter opinion as well.