... many say that the main role of media is to be a government watchdog...
Is Fox News fullfilling this most basic role?
What major stories has Fox News broke of government corruption? (or do Fox News fans believe that the government is doing nothing wrong?)
2006-08-30 12:22:56 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
coragryph: perhaps... but personally, I consider all of the "anti-Bush slant (as conservatives say)" nothing more than them (liberal media, according to conservatives) being a watchdog...
perhaps sometimes it's over zealous, but I would rather know too much than have too much hidden from me...
they broke watergate (granted it was years ago) and are covering the CIA leak and Abramoff... and they covered the heck out of the Clinton scanal...
2006-08-30 12:31:06 · update #1
Carpanone Kid:
well... some would say the stories about warrantless phone taps and watching over bank finances are "breaks" in government news... which were both "broke" by sources other than Fox News...
and I have seen several of stories on corruption in the democratic ranks by the AP and on CNN? Apparenly you don't watch them enough to know what they are talking about?
2006-08-30 12:45:01 · update #2
MEL T: you're busy making tons of assumptions without even answering my question... I never said that it shouldn't report on those other things, but I do feel that it is a MAJOR role of the press (not the only role though)... I mean that's clearly why freedom of the press is important... regaurdless of who is in office...
and not that I don't care about corruption of those other items you mentioned... but those people don't represent me... they don't spend my tax dollars... they don't build my roads or govern my schools... so the U.S. government is a little more important to me than those other issues you mentioned...
2006-08-30 12:49:50 · update #3
What bothered me with fox was their morning show and the coverage of the controversial election with Gore. They seemed very bias.
When Kerry was running against Bush, the day before the election that arrogant blonde women on the Fox news morning show said these exact words.
"I guess this election will come down to who the American people want as president; Bush who's been shown to be a leader or Mr. Kerry who we dont' know about and tends to change his mind." I thought it was ridiculous.
These are definitions of fascism:
A system of government that promotes extreme nationalism, repression, anticommunism, and is ruled by a dictator.
a political system in which all power of government is vested in a person or group with no other power to balance and limit the activities of the government. Fascist governments are often closely associated with large corporations and sometimes with extreme nationalism and racist activities. Modern fascism is often called "CORPORATISM".
a political theory advocating an authoritarian hierarchical government (as opposed to democracy or liberalism)
An extreme form of nationalism that played on fears of communism and rejected individual freedom, liberal individualism, democracy, and limitations on the state.
Very scary. FOX news is the network most liked by conservatives and it isn't close. Nothing surprises me anymore. You also never see any coffins from the Iraq war on TV.
2006-08-30 12:31:05 · answer #1 · answered by Ice4444 5 · 5⤊ 2⤋
So you feel that the most important job of the media is to break stories regarding government corruption? What about just reporting the news? Some news has no corruption involved, does that make it useless knowledge (storms, accidents, science, the stock market)? What about breaking corruption in foreign and domestic news agencies (Reuters, Al Jazeera) or reporting corruption in the party not in power (currently the Dems)? Does that count? Or is a watchdog to be defined solely by your personal beliefs?
Edit to your note:
The Dems that I mentioned do spend your tax dollars. For example, they spend it on the "Big Dig". So that is very much in your interest. However, I can't answer your question. I believe that it's the responsibility of the media to report the truth. The truth regardless of who is injured. Dems, terrorists, Iraq, Bush, liberal, neo-cons, but that's no longer respected in this country. That's very sad. Your question itself says that you assume there is corruption in the government (specifically the Bush admn or why name only Fox?) and you want it reported on to earn your respect. What about the truth earning your respect? You don't mention that. What if there is no corruption and they report that the administration did something right, would that earn your respect if it's true? I"m asking because you specifically name Fox News as if this isn't a problem with every station, every outlet. The press' only responsibility is to report the truth. Unbiased truth.
2006-08-30 19:43:17 · answer #2 · answered by MEL T 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I don't know who these many people are that you are referring, but the news media's primary job is to report the, news. I don't recall any major news story that FOX broke on government corruption, but I can't name any other news organization having done so as of late either. So what? Someone has to break the story. What is most important is how the story is reported. Do they leave out facts to present only one viewpoint? Not normally. Does FOX make up stories (ie. Dan Rather) to sway elections? No again. Do they ignore stories on corrupt Democrats like the other agencies, again no. So what's your beef?
2006-08-30 19:35:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Fox News (you really can't call it news or journalism) is part of the White House public relations machine. If you want to know what plans the White House is working on then watch Faux News because they lay the groundwork for policy and propaganda. Don't get me wrong, the other major news outlets do the same because of their corporate interest but Faux is just so blatant with their dis-information.
2006-08-30 19:29:21 · answer #4 · answered by Charlooch 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Most for-profit news agencies aren't generally considered watch-dogs, because they have a conflict of interest.
If a company -- TV, book publisher, newspaper, whatever -- makes money by providing what their audience wants to hear, whether factually-based or not, they have a financial interest in keeping that audience entertained.
That interest can conflict with the objectivity required for a watchdog agency to truly do their job, which is to provide an accurate objective account of what happens. That's why most watch-dogs are non-profit groups.
Granted, the news media can perform similar functions. But because of their financial interests in sensationalism, their objectivity may be questionable. And that applies regardless of whether they are for or against whatever they are reporting.
2006-08-30 19:25:16 · answer #5 · answered by coragryph 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
More like an attack dog.
News media only has the job to report the new stories of the day. To that effect, almost all news outlets fundementally fail to do this by concentrating on sensationalism and ratings. Fox further fails by pandering its broadcast to a sole demographic which buys into its message like a religion.
2006-08-30 19:32:59 · answer #6 · answered by mathew_raven 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The government is doing some things wrong. All governments do. They can't make everyone happy 24/7. But I love FOX news. It is what I am watching right now.
2006-08-30 19:27:59 · answer #7 · answered by gin 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
fox news is an administration mouthpiece.
more lapdog or poodle than watchdog. barking when ordered.
does anyony one even watch fox propaganda anymore????
2006-08-30 19:31:54 · answer #8 · answered by emptiedfull 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
well in many countries the news broadcasters only tell u what they r allowed to say so i dont know if it is the same case here in usa.
2006-08-30 19:26:04 · answer #9 · answered by Aspettami28 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
No Fox News is a clown act.
2006-08-30 19:25:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 3⤋