Monday, September 21, 2009

If I Have to Come Back There and Separate You Two!!!!

Fox News has a history of trashtalking to the mainstream media, despite the fact that it is perhaps now the most mainstream of the media companies out there. Its ratings consistently beat those of ABC, NBC, CBS, or CNN. But now it seems that CNN is ready to do some talking of its own. A recent event has heated the animosity between the two channels. At some of the recent Teabag protests in Washington, it was revealed that FOX producers were apparently encouraging the crowds to cheer loudly when reporters were in front of the crowds. Many see this act as promotion of an event as opposed to coverage of an event. Video footage of the producers rallying the crowd can be seen below:




Rick Sanchez of CNN commented lately on an advertisement that FOX bought claiming that the mainstream media did not cover the protests. Sanchez spent significant time bashing FOX for such a claim. His response is below:




Here's my question? Are we as a society headed towards a "biased" media situation, one in which each channel must take sides and viewers must accept that the organization is biased? Are we capable and ready as a society to critically evaluate our news coverage or do we accept the "talking heads" perspective as fact? Do you prefer one channel over another because their "news" agrees with your perspective/politics?

20 comments:

Alexis K. Ellis said...

The media we believe because of the things they say, and their news we think are facts. I think that certain news commentators we believe because of the stories they tell,and our personal beliefs about those stories. I think that some commentary we do not accept, but I think that most of the time people believe the journalists. I think that the media like Fox, CNN, are biased, and I think because the stories are so controversial that their emotions get involved. I think the profession of journalism is biased today, and I think there should be more standards enforced, but I think when it all comes down to it, the ratings, readership, and money for the corporations is what counts, not about telling the story, objectively and without bias.

Glenda said...

My first thought is why over such a petty situation (who covered and who didn't) does either network even bother with responding??. Most of the public is not going to take a tally as to who covered what, when. I personally do not care who did or didn’t cover. If one stations chooses to go the route of making another look bad in order to better themselves, then that is their choice however stupid it may be.

I do believe we all have our favorites that we tend to trust or agree with. I don't think any news can be reported without being biased in one way or another. Isn't that freedom of press? I think we are already moving towards if not already there at the “biased media. We do listen to the ‘talking heads’, but I don’t think the public believes every single thing they say. I also believe that people do gravitate toward a channel that is closer to their own values, opinions, etc.

Glenda said...

Oh, sorry, the above is from Glenda Gupton

gina said...

I personally do not prefer one news station over another. I do not watch a lot of news myself, but I think that if you have a good head on your shoulders then you wont be easily persuaded on what to think about a situation just because the news station has taken that side. I do think that sometimes when reporting a story you can tell which side the news station is taking. It is hard for commentators to comment about a story on television and try not to let your emotions show. By the time any story is heard about, almost every station is already on top of it and reporting it on their station. Like Glenda said, noone really cares who reported it first and who reported it last. They just care about hearing the story. This is a hard topic for me, just because I dont really watch the news. Although I can see how constant news watchers have their programs that they like more than others. As far as this situation with CNN and Fox news, I think it is good that CNN fought back and showed that they had aired news about the story and they didnt just let Fox lie about them. However, I also think CNN could have just let it go and report important

gina said...

Gina Sharp

Mark said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mark said...

I think people like to here news that enforces their opinion. This is why fox is so successful. I think there will always be room for unbiased media but those media outlets will always be accused of being biased whenever their facts don't agree with the right or left.
An example is PBS and NPR, these are both media outlets that consitently score high in opinion polls about their fair neews coverage. In fact the head of the FCC under the Bush administration even had a committee research NPR and PBS and found them to be unbiased. Still they get critized by FOX as being biased.

Mark Stephenson

Unknown said...

I completely agree with the previous comments. Of course we watch news that will agree with what we believe because birds of a feather flock together. As humans we don't want to be contradicted, we want ours views to be reinforced. Of course our media is biased, but having interned at a news station, rewriting a national news story (to avoid plagiarism)is challenging when it is already condensed. Also, writing a story that you've covered live can be very challenging as well. And, most importantly, we are all humans, so reporting a story absolutely and positively objectively is very very difficult. Although, I'm sure, knowing some reporters myself, they work very hard to do so.

I also agree with the fact that people aren't tallying who reported who. Some may, but the majority don't. Besides, if we argue that most watch the news program that agrees with their views, then the viewers of FOX probably didn't notice that CNN did or did not cover the story and vice verse. CNN got their feelings hurt, and probably rightfully so, but that was a pretty lengthy rebuttal.

~Victoria L. Carr

Unknown said...

I have recently discovered upon researching the news because I normally don't watch any news that FOX is extremely biased and favors Republicans.
I now believe that they really like to "stir the pot". You know....it's normally called a "poop-starter" to put it nicely.
FOX is more of info-tainment than entertainment or information.
They are going to talk about issues that are in favor of the Republican party and against the Democrats.
People are going to believe or start to believe information after they listen to it long enough. How are they going to know that it is lies if they don't compare it to something else or watch other news channels.
However, I do believe that all of them are biased, but that doesn't mean they are all liars. They will just tell one side of the story.
It will be your choice as to which one you prefer to watch or to actually listen to. I believe one is probably not any better than the other. Each will have their srong and weak issues.

Unknown said...

Dr. Kevin Williams.....please look at your email. I have previously sent you 2 that you haven't responded to.
Sorry about posting here....but didn't know how else to contact you. I even tried text to your number.

Sherry Osborn
sko22

Wesley said...

The fact is that the news media is made of of individuals that give the best coverage of news from their perspective. Yes, most media outlests are very biased. However, it interest me that many of the comments here tend to deny that the CNN, MSNBC, ABC, news outlets are in fact very left wing in their coverage. They employ liberal thinkers to cover and discuss their media topics. FOX has many conservative anchors that do present the news with, perhaps to much common sense. However, they also employee at least one full time liberal thinker to offset their opinions and give the other side of the story.
We have issues in America today bottom line. We are facing situations and circumstances that have never bedfore been seen in our history. We have a struggle of right and wrong. Right is right and wrong is wrong. I don't see how certain information can hope to be objective when it carries the responsibility of concious. While the public claims it wants to choose for itself it really wants its ears tickled. When a responsible news outlet attempts to heighten the publics awareness to the truth it has fully done its job. FOX should have better checked their source this time,however, the allusion of free thinkers that claim to do make thier own choices would never have known the differences had this not been brought out. I think that the public needs an awakening to truth, morality, justice, and integrity. Thank you FOX for trying to help us.
wesley head

Crystal said...

This is just another reason perpetuating my decision to no longer regularly watch broadcast news. The media is more concerned with what the other station is doing to accurately report the actual news that the viewers need to know about. Do they honestly want us to believe that there are no more important newsworthy topics to cover?

I HOPE we, as a society, are more intelligent than to simply take these actions in stride and concede ourselves to having to pick and choose one broadcasting company over another based upon its 'views'. News coverage should be presented in an unbiased, fact reporting way so as to allow the viewers to make their own opinions and decisions about the situations. I personally will not be spoon fed my opinions or beliefs. --Crystal Sloan

a said...

In regards to the first question, I believe we are already in a biased state of news reporting. One must remember that behind the organizations are people, and people are a very flawed thing. People have to choose the news that suits them more instead of receiving the news that is just facts without any sort of "spinning". I feel that all the major channels have an agenda behind their news, so no channel is innocent. The fact that Sanchez went on his rant is somewhat ironic seeing that CNN is just as guilty as FOX.

I personally choose to watch FOX more often than CNN because my views and values somewhat align more with it. I can't fully trust any news station because people present it. Personally, I believe there is only one ultimate Truth; therefore, there is no way to get the pure truth on a television channel.

Michael Jared Koon

Mary said...

I don’t watch that much news but when I do, I watch a couple different news channels. I do that because they all report things differently. Watching the different news channels will give you different views on one story. I think that we are already in a biased state of news. People will watch the channel that agrees with their opinion. I think that people can take what they want from the news. I don’t think that we should believe everything we hear and see on the news. The news doesn’t get all the stories 100 percent correct.
Mary Thomas

KamrynsMom said...

In my opinion, we as a society are headed toward a more biased media situation. I think that the media channels are being forced to choose a side. I think this way because this is what the viewers want. People are not forced to watch biased stations because they choose to watch biased stations. People may choose to watch biased stations because they may prefer to watch a station that agrees more with their beliefs or opinions.

While I feel some people are capable and ready to evaluate our news coverage, on the other hand some people I feel are not capable to evaluate the news coverage. I would have to say that I do prefer some news coverage over others because they are in favor of what I my opinions more. While I like watching the opposing news stations to see what their reasons for opposition are, but I would prefer to watch stations that agree more with me. Its kinda like everything today, people prefer to hang out with people who agree with them, or rather have the same values as they do. While some disagreement is good, too many disagreements may turn into heated debates and eventually lead to friends no longer being friends. Some people feel extremely strong when it comes to politics because political figures hold our country in their hands.

David Camp said...

I believe that most of the more familiar media outlets have been “biased” for years. The BBC to me is one news source that seems to have “real” news. The more popular news sources such as Fox do seem to be confrontational and push their views in the stories. I do believe that people watch according to their values, for example many Christians may favor FOX because it is conservative.

Many people trust “the talking heads” for their news and do not question the source of it. They see the anchors as trustworthy, assume they have done the research, and are giving facts over their own opinions. I don’t think as a society we are ready to critically evaluate the news for a few reasons: some people take the news at face value, some are disgusted and turn it all off, and still others are educated in areas such as, politics and can discern fact from fiction.

I do not watch any of the major news broadcasts because I do not trust them, and do not have the time to research all the facts for myself. The only news I tend to watch is the local news because it is easier to verify.

David Camp

Unknown said...

I really don't view FOX news as conservative, but then again this is all new to me because I don't like watching the news, and the only time I do watch is when I'm in the gym....and that is everyday for an hour. In other words I am forced to watch it.

There is too much negativity for me!

Unknown said...

I believe we are already in a media biased society. If you watch more than one news channel it is evident who they support, as well as the issues that are cherished by the anchors. I do not see where we have a choice but to accept an organization being biased. Other than not viewing the program there is not much one can do. Unfortunately, I feel that a majority of people have lost the ability to think for themselves. Just because an anchor has an opinion, does not mean it has to be yours. However, with the recent reactions to what congress has done gives me hope that people are taking back this country. I am particular to a news organization for the fact most of the stories are in line with my views.

Dianna and Joe Davis said...

If I was asked before the situation arose between these two media outlets whether or not I though there was a bias, I would have confidently agreed that there was a bias in the media and people were aware of and embraced it. This publicized network rivalry just further confirms something I held, and thought many others did as well, to be an evident truth. I frequently watch the news every morning. Sometimes I sit down and watch it to see what is going on the world or to watch the coverage of a certain story and sometimes I just turn it on as background noise when I am getting ready. However, I always turn it straight to Fox News. I have seen enough of major network news shows to know that I prefer the hosts and coverage of news on Fox as opposed to that on any other network. To me, it has always been obvious that Fox was more politically conservative than, for example, CNN.
I don't think that there is anything particularly wrong with politically swayed news coverage, because for any liberally biased news production someone out there will be willing to produce an equally conservatively biased show to answer. People have the option of which news networks to tune into, and thus the obvious bias shouldn't matter. I do, however, believe the Tea Party coverage situation between these two specific stations was a ridiculous showing on their parts, and it reminded me of high school rivalry, something beyond the maturity level of national news networks.

Dianna Majors

Arnetta Buckhalter said...

I usually only watch the local new station, which is WCBI, but during the last presidential campaign, I start to watch Fox and CNN news. I don't think neither news station is better than the other. Journalist work for all news stations and a journalist want to get the attention of the people so they can and will alter information.

We have to rely on the internet and the new station for current news. It is obvious,on both Fox and CNN news, if the anchor support or disagree with a person they are covering a story about. I feel that all news stations should use correct language and present all stories at a professional level.

Arnetta Buckhalter