Howell Raines calls out honest journalists for not exposing Roger Ailes and FOX News
Jon Stewart shows no fear when he exposes FOX News for their bias against health care reform, but the rest of the media just excuses their GOP propaganda behavior.
Well, Howell Raines called out the media for turning a blind eye to the TV cable channel known as FOX News.
One question has tugged at my professional conscience throughout the year-long congressional debate over health-care reform, and it has nothing to do with the public option, portability or medical malpractice. It is this: Why haven't America's old-school news organizations blown the whistle on Roger Ailes, chief of Fox News, for using the network to conduct a propaganda campaign against the Obama administration -- a campaign without precedent in our modern political history?
Through clever use of the Fox News Channel and its cadre of raucous commentators, Ailes has overturned standards of fairness and objectivity that have guided American print and broadcast journalists since World War II. Yet, many members of my profession seem to stand by in silence as Ailes tears up the rulebook that served this country well as we covered the major stories of the past three generations, from the civil rights revolution to Watergate to the Wall Street scandals. This is not a liberal-versus-conservative issue. It is a matter of Fox turning reality on its head with, among other tactics, its endless repetition of its uber-lie: "The American people do not want health-care reform."
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For the first time since the yellow journalism of a century ago, the United States has a major news organization devoted to the promotion of one political party. And let no one be misled by occasional spurts of criticism of the GOP on Fox. In a bygone era of fact-based commentary typified, left to right, by my late colleagues Scotty Reston and Bill Safire, these deceptions would have been given their proper label: disinformation.
I try not to believe that this kid-gloves handling amounts to self-censorship, but it's hard to ignore the evidence...read on
I think for a long time the MSM was worried about being labeled as having a "liberal bias' and got so used to the criticism that they internalized it. But when the liberal blogosphere came onto the picture and was horrified at what we were witinessing they weren't used to handling criticism from the left and instead of looking at their own behavior, they lashed out at us like they never would to the right.
Now I believe they are just down right scared of the right. They are afraid to have their email boxes filled with psycho rants, they are afraid that the comment sections in their on-line articles will have to be shut down and they are afraid of the backlash AM talk radio will whip up against them individually. Fearmongering doesn't only work on our national security front.
Watching the elite Beltway press actually rally around Fox News last year after the White House called it out as an illegitimate outlet for real news was one of the saddest journalism spectacles in recent memory. Recall that during the Bush years, the GOP White House often cooked up allegations and lashed out at prominent (i.e. genuine) news organizations, such as NBC and the New York Times, and I don't recall anybody rallying around them.
But when a Democratic administration called out Fox News for what it really is, a GOP propaganda tool (i.e. the Opposition Party), the same D.C. press corps played defense for Murdoch's dishonest empire and actually demanded Dems back off.
Good grief.
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But I think the huge majority of it is explained quite simply: fear or the 'liberal media bias' charge. Conservatives have been pounding the press for more than four decades about their alleged bias and the Beltway press corps has developed rabbit ears when it comes to the allegation. And frankly, there's plenty of evidence that jouranlists are terrified of the charge and nervous about what can happen to their careers if that tag sticks.
So what's an easy way to prove you're not liberal? (Aside from becoming lapdogs during the Bush years.) You pretend Fox News is legit. You pretend that sure, Ailes has some opinion guys on at night, but there's a clear dividing line between the news and opinion. You pretend that Fox News is just the mirror opposite of MSNBC.
Basically, you sign off on a charade that, as Raines points out, any newsroom pro can see is a complete joke.
David and I have the goods and we'll be exposing more about FOX soon enough in our new book, but I think the journalism community should know that we'll have their backs if they do stand up and do the right thing. Howard Kurtz likes to argue that MSNBC does the same for the left because they have a three hour block of center left opinion shows, but FOX News promotes the GOP agenda throughout their entire 24 hour cycle. And did you see MSNBC actively support the left at the height of the anti-Iraq war protests and send their hosts down to flame the fires at those protests? Eric's points are well taken, but fear is now guiding them and I don't mean because they would be labeled liberals.
"... many members of my profession seem to stand by in silence as Ailes tears up the rulebook that served this country well as we covered the major stories of the past three decades..."
They never know where they're career might take them. One day you may have to switch careers to acting and merely play a journalist on television. Like Megyn Kelly.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
this is too obvious and very boring..If you watch fox , which I do not, am sure that you could find the issues without much effort..If you go to MSNBC you get blasted by the Todd etal group and conservative trolls!
I guess they all believed they needed to support free speech and show solidarity when Obama briefly froze Fox out, but I still can't understand how the MSM can show solidarity with an outfit that does not practice journalism and instead practices propaganda. Supporting PROPAGANDA? Unheard of. Raines wrote an important and well-reasoned op/ed. John, I will be looking for your book and buying at least a few copies, some of which I will give to huge Fox fans. Will it change their minds? I doubt it, but I want people to know what they are watching is NOT NEWS. Please let us know when it's published!!
Someone who thinks they are equal just hasn't watched msnbc lately where criticisms of Obama and other Dems is routine. When was there EVER a criticism of Bush or Cheney, during their eight year reign of terror, on Fox? Never.
It's not a mystery at all why they don't call out Fox. Job one for modern journalists is to protect the fat cat paycheck they get. You don't bad mouth anyone that may someday being paying you even more than the ridiculous amount you already get.
wants cheaper healthcare. (who the hell wouldn't!!!)
The majority of Americans don't want reform...(at least congress' current "version" of reform)
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
most Americans don't want reform?
Hasa Diga Eebowai
...version of reform.
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
but that's not what Fox will say.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
My healthcare costs rise faster than my pay. If we depend on Republicans, nothing will get done. They want to insure 3 million, when there are 10 times that without insurance, and the rest of that pay for their lack of healthcare, in taxes, and in our ever rising premiums.
Most Americans do want healthcare reform, especially the public option. The Repubs in Congress have ignored these facts by virtue of obstruction and caused the degradation of a fine program. That is what Americans are objecting to.
washington mink
the supreme court did, as one of our new corporate "citizens", they have the same free speech rights as everyone else.
at a large American flag (lit at night, on private property), I have pondered what the new design of the Corporate States of America (tm) flag will look like that will soon replace it...
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
http://politicalirony.com/2010/01/24/new-flag...
http://www.angelfire.com/or/sociologyshop/cor...
i go with number one, relects the "hyper-real" and detachment from reality.
... that Fox is entitled to lie.
If you need funds to pay for essentials, you have a revenue problem
If you need funds to pay for frivolity, you have a spending problem
Only a Florida appeals court, it didn't work it's way up to the supremes, but considering Citizens United v Federal Election Commission, they would indubitably do the same.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Will tomorrow be the day Glenn Beck breaks down? Will he say something totally outrageous? Or will Obama's goon squads disappear him?
Tune in tomorrow for another episode of
General Hospital: Psychiatric Unit
Also, dressing women in such short skirts that it's difficult to sit down and having the camera look right up their skirt -- what is that about?
Actually, that's about the only excuse to watch fux.
Not that I watch fux, but I have seen this and more like it on the internets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzkin-CDiyM
or this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Ot7RijMAA&NR=1
As for John Amato's column on Howard Raines' WaPo opinion piece, I've stopped watching the networks because they're such tools for the right. I get most of my news from here, HuffPo, and other sites--and one site that has been calling out fux for years: News Hounds. Their motto is "We watch Fox so you don't have to." http://www.newshounds.us/
Men are basically smart or dumb and lazy or ambitious. The dumb and ambitious ones are dangerous and I get rid of them. The dumb and lazy ones I give mundane duties. The smart ambitious ones I put on my staff. The smart and lazy ones I make my commanders.
I think Beck has been eating the chalk from his board. I wasn't surprised when CNN let him go. Fox News would never hire an honest newsman. Look at who they have on their staff a no surprise that Tucker Carlson went over where he could support his agenda.
Fox is the Looney Ben for broadcast wannabees. Those that were reporters no longer cover a story within that organization.
They all play the same game, just not as blatantly. MSNBC was one of many that put on "neutral" generals to pound the drums for the Iraq War. Of course, their generals were on the payroll of defense contractors and taking briefings straight from Rumsfeld. Great work by David Barstow; he even won a Pulitzer for breaking the story. But a media wide "no comment" on these and other media lies on the road to Iraq is still somehow ok.
The "liberal media" myth is a defensive meme they can always trot out when confronted with blatant conflicts of interest (e.g. G.E. owned media commenting on defense or energy or environmental issues).
In a weird way, there's almost an "honesty" about FOX. I mean, who'd trust their generals to begin with?
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Question to Obama/Gibbs/Pelosi/Reid
Do you believe that an elected government that goes against the express wishes of the majority of it's citizens can retain any legitimacy?
"Basically, you sign off on a charade that, as Raines points out, any newsroom pro can see is a complete joke."
Newsroom pro? How about anyone with an IQ over 90?
How can anyone still call out liberal bias in the media. A couple of points here: First, FOX claims to be "fair and balanced," which of course is nothing short of an outright lie. Second, Ed, Rachel and Keith make no such claim. They clearly state they are left of center and are honest about it. They represesnt the only real left in all the media. Regardless of the personal politics of the rest of the media which has many many decidedly right wingers on CNN and MSNBC, just look at the conservative corporate structure and where their advertising (that has a huge influence) comes from. Ads are from oil companies, pharma, big agra, investment banks and funds, all the big business corporate players that are anything but left. Representing the left or even being professionally neutral as journalists should be is to put one's career on the line in today's corporate media.
The new era MSM journalists are sellouts. Look at the host of Meet The Press, none other that Karl Rove's dancing partner and Bush stenographer David Gregory. I mean WTF. Then you got Geraldo Rivera, another complete sellout. This is what the big bosses of the new era consolidated media want, lap dogs.
This is not my father's America
I totally agree Gregory at times shows his bias. Of course what really gets me is all of the news media has a fixation with celebs. Look at the amount of time spent by all media on Tiger Woods, Lindsey Lohan, etc. Another criticism is the news media complains that we Americans have a short attention span. Of course we do they are the news givers and when they spend twenty minutes on dribble like Tiger Woods and five minutes or less on real news we quit paying attention. Let's get back to the days of Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Morrow and the real reporters who gave us the story the way it was.
I doubt that it will happen.
Good for Raines. I found out a long time ago anyone who watched Fox News was as Bill O would say is a PINHEAD.
Fox News just preaches to the choir as they say. Anyone who cares about America and Democracy wouldn't take them seriously.
Fox 'Always Lie and Blame the Liberals' News is pure Right Wing Evil Extremism. Why? Because they promote Lies, Hate, Fear, and Violence to advance their One Party Fascist rule. Fox stands for everything I oppose as a decent, sane, honest human being. Fox violates every moral and ethical code we need to honor as a civilized nation. Fox's agenda of Wingnut/Conservative Bigotry and Hate is dividing and destroying our country and our world.
Good job!
I agree with everything you stated.
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
What comes around goes around. Glen Beck had a bad week with his interview of Massa and now the church comment might bring him down a notch or two. Hopefully Hannity, O'Reilly and the rest of that crew will step in some of their own crap.
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/glenn-beck-social-ju...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Deep down inside, the dream of every presstitute in the American press is to get a gig on Fox News where they are given carte blanche to further the agenda of the Republican Party. It's amazing to see how the American press has mutated into TASS.
I'm eating bacon right now.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The sad part is; if the GOP wanted to privatize the oxygen that we breath, Fox would be able to convince the wingnut morons that it's a good idea.
Glenn and Sean would sell the idea that having "Free" oxygen to breath, is somehow an un-american, anti capitalistic, left wing socialist pinko plot.
Within minutes, emergency rooms across the country - especially down south and out west, would be over run with calls of people holding their breath and passing out!
Rush Limbaugh is what a smart person thinks a stupid bigot sounds like.
Is like the last bush said sometimes money trumps peace. If that is so then you know it trumps truth and honesty, honor and integrity, these things mean nothing in todays America. The corporations and the GOP own the media and by god they will report it the republican way or be out of a job. These people are so over paid to start with that they will gladly repeat anything they are told to keep those big checks rolling in.
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness. It has killed the economy and ruined the lives of millions of people!
You would think after 4 or 5 years and making millions, someone would go out and report the real news. Quit Fox, MSNBC, CNN, ABC and CBS and go out and do what you always wanted to do, report the news.
I think open discussion is finally taking place of facts that many have known for some time. The right, religious and otherwise have taken over many of the foundations of this country. The media by way of Fox and the diminishing of other "real" news sources and by far the most far reaching of all - their ownership of the Supreme Court. The Court that is supposed to be void of political influence and beliefs. It was in the past but surely isn't anymore. I fear the writing is on the wall. Time will tell.
washington mink
... NBC (MSNBC, CNBC and another - maybe USA) and CNN have reporters who go out and report news. Fox sends out one of its 2 stalkers (Jenkins and the bozo's favorite [what's his name] to harass judges, lawyers, politicians and TV people.
If you need funds to pay for essentials, you have a revenue problem
If you need funds to pay for frivolity, you have a spending problem
Do you know how ridiculous this sounds to anyone who's ever been faced with something actually scary?
I mean, really? Afraid of full email boxes and unmanageable comment forums? This is what terrifies them? How is that even possible?
of what every teenager is afraid of, critizism.
know what the hell reform will do for them because the media repeats the lies of the corporatists and rethuglicans. If you ask them if they want to have healthcare available with pre-existing conditions they will answer yes. If you as them if they want their premiums to stop increasing at an alarming rate they say yes. If you ask them if they want what FOX and the MSM is saying they will say no because it is a false arguement.
Wasn't it a lions share of the 9-11 terrorists Saudi Arabian? Didn't Bush and Cheney always head off to Saudi Arabia for some kind of weird "midnight meetings"? I get it, Fox is owned by our enemies( a Saudi Arabian corporation) , and we let it happen without any journalistic integrity. Shame on us. It's time to burn Fox down.
15 of the 19 were Saudis, and for the most part upper-class, college graduate types, thus belying the conservatives Iraqi theme, but also the liberal they were victims of their oppressive regime theme.
Additionally, the Saudis along with the Chinese, are underwriting America's debt due to tax cuts and two wars concurrently, so I doubt they want us to fall, because they want to be repaid. We're also some of their biggest customers for imports.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
are STILL Saudi!
http://guardian.150m.com/september-eleven/hij...
audit-prosecute-incarcerate
Oh yeah, and...uh....6 of 'em are still alive, and were never in Manhattan.
The United States, and the previously revered and respected "Media" institutions are so irreversibly fragmented and corrupt, they will both have to completely fail in order to be rebuilt. There are no incremental fixes that can rationally be expected to work. And in fact, they both will fail. The only question is will it be quick and painful, or a long, drawn out and extremely painful affair? But it's gonna happen. Both by the actions of corrupt officials and by design.
I'm not sure which is more pathetic: the very fact that their idea of getting the "everyman's" opinion by interviewing Ted Nugent's knuckledragging, illiterate love child (aka Kid Rock), or Megan Kelly's laughably lame "everyman" dialect ("Ya not a Manhattan gah, Ya not a Hollywood gah"). Absolutely pathetic. Every bit as pathetic, in fact, as your typical drooling, farting, nose picking FOX viewer
If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.
George Carlin
Public discourse has degenerated into the surreal. I do not think Americans are capable, as a whole, of seeing the writing on the wall or making the necessary corrections- and agree en mass. For those not succumbing to the "hypnotic" onslaught, there is little to do but simply shake your head and try to stay above and beyond the contagion.
"Good grief."
Maybe a little less "good grief," and a little more "Great Caesar's Ghost!!" from Perry White. Can we borrow him back from Superman for a while? Just until we get rid of the Fox feces flingers?
Why are we geting health advice from someone named ails anywho?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
..about faux tearing apart the government until the right regains control and tells you to support the government blindly. I paraphrased but you know what I meant.
Mickey: "It was an epiphany. Do you know what an epipany is?"
Keoni: "NOT NOW MICKEY!"
If John Amato's analysis is correct -- and I think it has a lot of truth to it -- America's actual journalists suffer from the same cravenness as the Democratic Party:
They're so afraid the mean other side is going to hurl accusations and call them names, so they try to appease the bullies.
Well, I've got some "news" for them. THEY ARE GOING TO HURL ACCUSATIONS AND CALL YOU NAMES NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. Trying to appease FUX News and the Republicans is like trying to masturbate a gelding. It's not going to happen. You cannot appease them and you cannot avoid their onslaught.
You sit around and let them build up this well-greased noise machine without calling them out, and now the noise machine itself has become what you're afraid of? Liberal bias accusations?
When are like-minded Democrats and journalists simply going to stand up for the truth, consequences be damned? There are too many consequences to not doing so!
Standing up to FUX was one of the few things the Obama Administration has done that I actually liked. But nobody got in their corner. Everyone worried about what it meant for himself if they joined the fight. Ever notice how Republicans don't behave that way? They behave in every hedonistic, hypocritical behavior imaginable, because they know their team has their back no matter what.
Watching our side is like watching allied leaders bitch about the precise details of how to counter the Nazis. Meanwhile, the Nazis are overrunning countries and killing millions. When can we cats heard ourselves, and at least make common cause on what we all know is true: FUX's propaganda and GOP obstructionism MUST BE STOPPED. From the Bernie Sanderses to the Barack Obamas to the bluest of blue dogs, we should AT LEAST unite on THAT. And say it. Over and over and over and over.
Don't worry about what the noise machine might say. They will say it. Whether you say anything or not. You can salute the Nazis all you want. Scrub the streets until they're shiny, just like the SS officer commanded. Doesn't matter. He's going to kill you anyway.
Everyone is equally entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Wasn't that once self evident?
I took stick the other day from a post's author and other posters over my stance on the Grayson thing-Medicare for all. To me it's not good enough. It's a buy in, and Medicare has a deductible and copays. Not single payer. Their reason for liking the plan? Because 'single payer' makes the other side howl like banshees. "They'll start screaming about 'tax and spend' democrats!"
So the fuck what? Howl back louder. and with the truth. How about the 'No plan for paying' Thugs? Or 'the grandkids will pay and we'll blame it on the dems' Thugs? Or the 'Meet your new owners, the Chinese, we've borrowed too much to ever pay back' Thugs?
It's sickening. If I hear "We're better than that" whinge one more time, I'll swing for the mofo that says it.
me-oww!
And as we can plainly see, watering down the health care bill so much that it cements the private insurance industry's position as the only place to go for health care policies has completely stopped the other side from howling like banshees about a huge government takeover, deficit spending and left wing fanaticism. I mean, the Republicans said to themselves, "Woah, they gave us what we asked for. I guess we should admit it, huh?"
If Obama came out tomorrow, and said he was for privatizing Social Security and dismantling Medicare altogether, the other side would still scream like banshees that the Democrats are creating more big government, and they're coming after our nation's seniors in the process.
Everyone is equally entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Wasn't that once self evident?
But fox is not really doing anything very new here, as Howell Raines mentions in the piece above about yellow journalism. Objective news is rather new, dont believe me, look up a fellow named William R. Hearst, the Roger Ailes of the late 19th-early 20th century or any of his competitors. Even after WWII journalistic standards have never been fully objective.
I believe that "this too shall pass" and things will eventually get better for a while. Life goes on.
When angry, count four, when very angry, swear.
-Mark Twain-
You're right. The FUX approach to "journalism" has been around forever.
What's new, I think, is the almost Orwellian technology, and the far reaching noise machine they have built. They have an audience of millions of drones who tune into the noise machine to download their thoughts for the day, and the rest of the powers that be are too afraid to say anything to get on their bad side.
I don't know that this too shall pass. The
conservativeradical movement is hell bent on destroying public education, and they're doing it. They've created an atmosphere in which left-wing dissent is impossible to express without qualifications. They've enabled and emboldened small, Christian militia movements not that different from Hezbollah and al Qeida, who are starting to openly terrorize their communities. Even many progressive Democrats in Congress cave into the demands of consolidated corporate interests. They've changed the debate from whether torture is Constitutional to whether it should matter if it's Constitutional or whether it's really torture at all.I could go on.
The only way this country doesn't crumble into a totalitarian abyss is for its people to remember IT CAN HAPPEN HERE! It will not necessarily pass. Things will not necessarily be okay. Life will not necessarily go on.
Everyone is equally entitled to the pursuit of happiness. Wasn't that once self evident?
And people, don't make the foolish mistake of discounting or denying subliminal messaging and manipulation of 'wording.' The human mind can be easily 'controlled' with methods that have been around for centuries. Before you can even realize what has happened- you've been covertly influenced- by professionals.
'They' have been using these methods for a while and as more and more discoveries are made of better clarification, they will become more effective.
The salvation will be rooted in fierce and unwavering independence of self. Nothing else.
Someone please explain to me why the "counterpart" to Fox "News" and it's 24/7 Disinfo-tainment, MSNBC, uses up so much of it's airtime with life-in-prison crap and true-crime stories. How about more news. Consequently, all the late night viewers who want to see news end up going somewhere else.
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