The problem with Fox News, Rush, Stuart, Oberman and the likes . . .?

Question

Is not that that they are fair or biased - it's the idiots that watch these shows and refuse to differentiate between hard core news and televised editorial. Seriously watch Fox morning news for one hour and then try CNN - if you remove the witty banter they are basically saying the same thing. Instead of the "Fairness Bill" I think news shows should be forced to put an opinion banner every time an opinion is issued so dumb people are less confused - Agree or disagree.

Answer 1

Bring the "Fairness Doctrine" back! People are still going to want their news bright, loud, and sensationalized.

Me? I'll take boring old PBS and real journalists like Bill Moyers for my news.

Answer 2

To be honest, I like to use a variety of news sources to gather information. Somewhere down the line aways, after watching MSNBC and reading the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, I can generally figure out whats going on with a particular issue. Then I like turnng to Fox to listen to their spin on the issue. Many times its good for a chuckle.
I dont see much need for an opinion banner. I agree with the person above who said it would just be on the screen all the time!

Answer 3

There used to be an informal unofficial law in Canada that the news was to be read with no emotion in it - flat toned so as not to affect the listener -

There also used to be no opinions allowed except at the end of the broadcast when it would be introduced as the opinion of --------- then the warning after would be this is the opinion of --------- and not the necessarily the opinion of us the broadcaster or anyone else

Further in advertising a product there was a literal law that stated - You can say as many good things about your product as you want but you can not mention the competitions brand name and you may not say or imply bad things about other products - Because we live so close the the US that particular law was abolished as the American ads had no such restrictions and it was felt unfair Canadian advertisers had to obey regulations Americans did not

Unfortunately today news is about selling cans of soup and spaghetti and steak knives - The higher the ratings no matter how you got them is all that is important now a days

Sad sad sad -

Answer 4

News must be some what entertaining, or people won't watch. I think most of us know when we're hearing an opinion versus hard news. That doesn't mean that the news part still can't be biased. We don't need anymore legislation to help morons and other mental giants figure out something that should be common sense. Putting an opinion banner up on the screen is synonymous to putting a "Warning: Beverage may be hot" sticker on a cup of coffee.

Answer 5

What? Remove wit from TV, Fox and CNN are the same?
I don't think so.
First off TV news is horrible, sensational and often superficial.

Disagree. If they were forced to use an opinion banner Fox would never take it off, because it isn't real news. It is a televised op-ed 24/7.

Answer 6

Fox NEWS sued for their RIGHT TO LIE

The Right to Lie in the "News"
If ever we needed to know why the biggest media consumers in the world are so badly informed, this pretty well tells it all. The Media Can Legally Lie.
According to Akre and Wilson, the station was initially very excited about the series. But within a week, Fox executives and their attorneys wanted the reporters to use statements from Monsanto representatives that the reporters knew were false and to make other revisions to the story that were in direct conflict with the facts.
Fox editors then tried to force Akre and Wilson to continue to produce the distorted story. When they refused and threatened to report Fox's actions to the FCC, they were both fired.
Akre and Wilson sued the Fox station and on August 18, 2000, a Florida jury unanimously decided that Akre was wrongfully fired by Fox Television when she refused to broadcast (in the jury's words) “a false, distorted or slanted story” about the widespread use of BGH in dairy cows.
[...] FOX appealed the case, and on February 14, 2003 the Florida Second District Court of Appeals unanimously overturned the settlement awarded to Akre. The Court held that Akre’s threat to report the station’s actions to the FCC did not deserve protection under Florida’s whistle blower statute, because Florida’s whistle blower law states that an employer must violate an adopted “law, rule, or regulation."
In a stunningly narrow interpretation of FCC rules, the Florida Appeals court claimed that the FCC policy against falsification of the news does not rise to the level of a "law, rule, or regulation," it was simply a "policy." Therefore, it is up to the station whether or not it wants to report honestly.
During their appeal, FOX asserted that there are no written rules against distorting news in the media. They argued that, under the First Amendment, broadcasters have the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on public airwaves.
Fox attorneys did not dispute Akre’s claim that they pressured her to broadcast a false story, they simply maintained that it was their right to do so.
OK, pick your jaw up off the floor. That some court thinks they CAN is bad enough, that these people assert their right to do so pretty well kicks it all down the hole. And these guys wonder why their credibility is in the toilet and the net is burning them left right and centre.
Oh, and February 2003, 30 days before Iraq.

Answer 7

I like both. Sometimes I just like to listen to someone who would agree with everything I say so I go for something other than the hardcore news. I can decipher for myself the difference.

Answer 8

Dumb people are their own problem. It is not my job to protect them from their own stupidity. I have everything I can do to protect myself. As far as the talking heads and their stations.
If I think they are being unfair or biased I utilize the off button.

Answer 9

I agree , but if that were the case the banner would be up 95% of the time

Answer 10

So what your saying is that you give up - Americans are too stupid to know the difference from opinion and facts?

If that were the case, I guess the fault lies with the teachers unions who have tied the public education system up with BS, rather then education.