FOX "News": A Bias Report

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Photo from FoxNews.com

I've written about NewsHounds.us before, and even excerpted from them on occasion. Their motto is "We watch FOX, so you don't have to." And their mission is to expose the right-wing bias, and other outrageousness on FOX "News." Their logo should be McGruff the Crime Dog, except modified to take a bite out of FOX.

Anyway, I have had FOX "News" on for a while today for noise (if there's one thing it's good for, it's that). As I listened to the chatter, I started to notice something, even without my full attention on the TV. The program that was on FoxOnline, is ostensibly a news show (not commentary) with a tie-in toward the Internet. While I didn't notice much focus at all on the Internet, I did start to hear a lot of editorializing from the host, Julie Banderas.

So, as the NewsHounds do, I took a couple of notes. At 11:18 am, Julie was talking about rapper DMX, and his being involved in dog fighting. Her tone, in an interview with an "expert" showed unmasked disgust, and she actually called him a "scumbag."

At 11:26, in a short segment on Iraq, she was analyzing a Hillary Clinton comment about a new terrorist attack being advantageous to Republicans. Julie said (paraphrasing), wait, I thought that there not having been a terrorist attack was a strength for Republicans. Now, if there is a terrorist attack, it benefits Republicans, instead of that we're not doing something right?

In the first example, while DMX very well may be a scumbag, this isn't news, it's editorializing. In the second example, I highlighted "we're" because--unless I completely misinterpreted--Julie either considers herself, FOX "News", FOX viewers, or all of the above to be Republicans. I wish I had the real quote, but I was jotting with a pencil, and I never learned shorthand.

My point is, Conservatives often point to left-leaning bias and editorializing on other stations as proof of a "liberal media." Liberals often point out that FOX "News" is much more guilty of this sort of bias (right-leaning). In their defense, they point to Alan Colmes as "balance," and claim that only the commentary shows (Hannity & Colmes, O'Reilly Factor) are biased.

I contend that their "straight news" shows are just as biased, in story selection, editorializing, and general tone. You could not come away from Fox Online without sensing a right-wing tilt.

UPDATE: While I was typing, the subject changed to the CBS show Kid Nation a "Lord of the Flies" type reality show with just kids. The guests used to discuss it were former (disgruntled) kid star Paul Peterson, and Apprentice villain, Omarosa. Neither seemed to really know what they were talking about, but they were saying it passionately! This is news?