If the mainstream media was fair and balanced, then why are conservative talk radio and FoxNews so successful?

Question

Think about it.

If the public were receiving equal bias and opinons, both conservative and liberal, on major news outlets like CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, Washington Post and NY Times, would conservative talk radio and FOX News ever have survived?

There would have been no need for them, as their audiences would be getting the "other view" from the regular media.

Conversely, Liberal talk radio like Air America and other liberal talk shows quickly die out. Why? Because they already get those news and views on all the major news outlets. There's no point in listening to liberal talk radio. The market is already saturated.

So logically, doesn't this pretty much prove that the MSM is biased to the left?

To Bush IQ - If memory serves, the mainstream media tried to spike that story, and then downplayed it for a while after Drudge broke it. It was only when it became too big that they covered it. Same story on the Swiftboat Veterans and Kerry. They tried to ignore it for the longest time, until they couldn't any longer.

I'm amazed at how many lefties think we on the right are just a bunch of slack jawed yokels who can't put a coherent thought together. How insulting.

Answer 1

Not necessarily.

Truth be told, my party has moved a bit from the "Free speech" days I still hold on to. I believe in free speech. Fox News? More power to them. CNN? Keep it up. The Web? I love it!

Liberal democrats whose ideologies are about as different from socialism as peanut butter is from peanuts don't want free speech in this country. It's been keeping them at bay for decades, and breaks apart those socialist nations that embrace it too closely (like the Soviet Union, like China is going through right now, though they are trying to integrate things slowly).

Liberal talk shows fail because they screen too much. They remove the argument except one side. It's boring as a result. Conservatives thrive on the arguments, actually invite liberals to call in unless they're just repeating themselves. Makes for interesting shows.

That isn't saying whose right, but I appreciate the "right's" ethics on free speech better. However, if my party got back to it's roots and away from the socialism and sedition we would take the government for the next twenty years.

We'd also be a whole lot better at recognizing how poorly we're treating the other half of America (Republicans) and do better at stealing away the votes of those Republicans who are willing to vote for the best person for the job regardless of who it is.

I'm simplifying things too much, it's just one more angle to consider.

Good post. Keep speaking up.

Answer 2

talk radio needs sponsors to survive.
If you have a large audience, you will get sponsors if you don't, you won't.
starting a talk radio station int he day and age when people would rather listen to music on an Ipod can be very challenging.
its best to start on TV and gain your audience there, and tell them that they can hear you on the radio when they drive to work.
Do you think Rush got popular on radio, or TV?

most people want to listen to music on the radio, not a bunch of blowhards preaching to the choir, their own party's talking points that are usually innaccurate, like your silly lack of logic.

i myself get entertainment by listening to Rush blabber on ranting for 20 minutes about this and that, and then listening to FOX news come on and contradict most of his so-called facts. unfortunately, most people like you, don't have the attention span to remember 5 seconds ago, when the guy was spewing crap that doesn't jive with the news on his own station.

Answer 3

Faux Noise is the preferred news channel for the illiterati. For those who can't understand words of more than 2 syllables, for those who don't have enough thinking power and need things explained carefully.

It is for people who feel powerless and are looking for somebody, somewhere to make them feel better - and Faux does it - They do it by totally ignoring the facts and going for the sensational.

It is nothing more than a 24-hour comedy channel.

Why is it so popular......? Because Boobus Americanus is out there, in great numbers.

Answer 4

FOX News' viewers are dropping more drastically than ever. Rush and the rest did well when Clinton was in power (bashing the president is always fun); but now that we are in this huge mess, people are sick of the bashing and propaganda. Those who still watch FOX News are brainwashed, lacking in mental capacity are REALLY bored, want to view how the crazy fascist minority lives, or are the crazy fascist minority! Oh, plus they have lot's of celebirty gossip "news" and colorful graphics--OOOH COLORS!!!!

Air America is not funded with nearly as much neocon corporate money so the reception is bad and the advertising is nil. I barely heard about it two years ago (prior to this, I was listening to right wing propaganda and making myself angry). It's such a relief to hear the truth for once!

Answer 5

You are repeating the same question and lecture. Fox news is popular because it panders to the beliefs of those who listen to the ranting level of commentary that it presents

Answer 6

hey hey... you got it all wrong... haven't you heard... its Air America....... TWO POINT OHH!!now... come on, its newly launched its hip, its fresh.. its young... all the marxist college kids love it..... hahaha i would respectfully agree with you ... you should of heard them asking the listeners to send in their charity checks so they keep on keeping on!! since they were going bankrupt... gee what a shock, liberals asking for charity... you cant make this stuff up folks!!

Answer 7

Yeah, I don't think there's much question that most media is at LEAST, slightly to the left. And it is a fact that Fox News beats all the other stations in ratings, by far.

Answer 8

They really AREN'T that popular (Fox, talk radio, etc).

If you look at overall market share - they have just a very tiny piece of the listener/viewer pie.

Intelligent people have the rest of the pie.

Answer 9

fox news is successful because they are entertaning...ppl can only look at Larry King's old crippled azz for so long.....

Answer 10

If the media is left-wing, why did they go after Clinton so hard with the Monika lewinsky scandal?