Image from source, NewsBusters
Liberals like me tend to watch MSNBC for our cable news. With Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow Show, we have news commentary shows that tackle the daily news with a liberal viewpoint. Whether or not Hardball with Chris Matthews is liberal or conservative is open to interpretation, depending upon the news of the day, and the viewers' take on the show. But classifying the channel as liberal isn't exactly accurate.
For starters, the channel has employed quite a few conservatives over the years, including Alan Keyes, Bay Buchanan, Tucker Carlson and the still-on-the-air Joe Scarborough. Their news updates and programming outside of the prime time lineup is--as far as I can tell--objective. And while Olbermann can be as bombastic as Bill O'Reilly sometimes, I don't believe that Maddow has the same flaw.
FOX "News" on the other hand, is conservative-slanted, through and through. This is my blog, and my opinion, you understand. You might disagree. But consider the people involved, particularly Roger Ailes. Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan confirmed that they sent out talking points to the channel. Hosts like Sean Hannity, Glen Beck, and Mike Huckabee are unabashedly conservative. Bill O'Reilly claims not to be, but the facts show otherwise.
So it is amusing to see conservative blogs lamenting the liberal bias of MSNBC, and it's supposed new role as a mouthpiece for Barack Obama. FOX "News" has provided this service for the last eight years, and where was NewsBusters then? And have these critics ever watched Olbermann's or Maddow's shows? It is not uncommon for either one of them to blast Democrats in power when they disagree with their policies. Maddow in particular will wave a flag of concern over the policies of anyone that concerns her, and has done so even in the last week.
And one more thing. If the media in general is so gosh-darned liberally biased, why is it that it is only now that MSNBC is drawing such derision? Supposedly, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and the rest are already in the tank for the liberal/socialist/Marxist/evil demon agenda. So what is the big shift now?
I'll tell you. It's that by and large, the media isn't liberally biased. Conservatives see news sources that don't present stories from a conservative viewpoint to be by definition liberally biased. Even if it is centrist. But when faced with a genuine liberal viewpoint, they really get irritated. Thus, the "concern" focused on Olbermann and Maddow. For an example, read the excerpt below.
[Excerpt]
Rachel Maddow & Keith Olbermann Lonely, Look for New Friend
Building on the relative popularity of their 8pm and 9pm slots--Olbermann & Maddow, respectively--MSNBC has begun the search for a personality to fill the currently unfilled 10pm slot. 10pm is currently devoted to a replay of Olbermann's "Countdown. . ."
Read more at: Newsbusters
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The one difference between those media on Fox and those on NBC is that the anouncers declare their bias, whereas NBC hides behind calling themselves objective. Truth in Media would be the fair approach, not silencing. In other words, if you are bias in your reporting, you must declare it, as does Hannity. Now to be fair, Fox and Friends do try to be objective, but do mostly have a GOP Bias. I use GOP because the Republicans are far from conservative of late.
ReplyDeleteYou may have a point, but I'm not so sure. Rachel Maddow comes from Air America Radio, and never pretended to be anything other than a liberal. Keith Olbermann's bias only became evident over the last couple of years. I watched "Countdown" for quite a while before "Bushed!" and "Special Comments" became the norm. It was a variety news show that slowly drifted left.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't believe that either program is billed as "fair and balanced" which FOX "News" certainly is. . .
I would have NO problem with such shows on any news channel being disclaimered or labelled "News Commentary" or something. News should be news, and I'll bet you Olbermann and Maddow wouldn't mind such labels.
R. George Dunn. You are completely wrong. You ever hear of the slogan "fair and balanced"? Fox News deliberately hides their conservative bias with that alone. Bill O'Reilly in particular consistently refers to himself as an independent. Meanwhile Rachel Maddow has explicitly stated that she is a liberal on her own show numerous times. You can make an argument for MSNBC tilting to the left, but you can't really accuse them of the same consumer fraud FOX news is guilty of by claiming to be fair and balanced.
ReplyDeleteYeah! What you said! Good response, anonymous!
ReplyDeleteWell, the lastest conduct of MSNBC is clearly Liberal. CNBC is moving to the middle, objective aproach and it has caused a feud between MSMBC & CNBC.
ReplyDeleteFox News is big government related, though they allow Glenn Beck, so maybe they are courting small govenrment conservatives, but truth will rule the day.