FOX News

[gill.navi.singh]

Oh. My. God.

Let's just get this over with... I'll be brief for now...

For those of you who don't know, and don't want to check Wikipedia:

FOX News is an American Broadcasting Company, Headquartered in New York City.

For the past little while now, FOX is now being looked at funny by many people in North America, and (I believe) it reaches out to European, and South Asian viewers as well.

The reason behind this is as follows:

As you all know, EVERY News Broadcaster is biased in some way, shape, or form. For example, CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corperation, the oldest Broadcasting Station in Canada) has a very strong feeling towards the CANADIAN Identity, in the same way that The Chosun Ilbo would have a very Korean identity.

FOX News has been blamed for some time for having a very Pro-Conservative-Republican/Anti-Liberal-Democratic viewpoint on politics. Not only that, but one of it's well known anchors, Bill O'Rielly, has a bit of name in some parts of North America, as being Pro-Christian/Anti-Diversity, criticising other religions, such as Islam, Sikhism, Greek Paganism, and even Atheism.

Some people have noticed a large amount of criticism towards Barack Obama's Democratic Party, coming from FOX News and CNN (Cable News Network), The latter of which has slowed criticism down a bit.

Over the last 2-3 months, there have been a few, Uh, questionable comments coming from FOX. These include the mentioning of an assasination of Barack Obama, not long after his Inauguration in January this year, Comments from a comedian named Greg Gutfeld poking fun of the Canadian Forces' decision to pull out of Afghanistan in 2011 for at least one year, claiming their forces to "need time for a manicure" etc., which resulted in the cancellation of his Canadian Stand-Up shows, even after he apologized to Canadian Defense Minister, Peter MacKay. His apology was seen by some as half-hearted, and some believed he would be hurt physically if he were to come into Canada.

Fox has also brought Richard Dawkins, a very famous biologist/evolutionist to discuss the important topic of Religion, on Bill O'Reilly's show - "The O'Rielly Factor", whereupon the two shared a debate over what is true, and what is not. It eventually ended up being a shouting contest between the two.

And more recently, FOX has slandered names onto the Democratic Party.

Just last Wednesday, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden stepped into a Burger Joint in Arlington, Virginia (Wow, I can't believe I remembered it) whereupon, the two had a quick lunch, followed by, who else but the media.

FOX aired a clip of Obama ordering a Cheddar Cheeseburger, titling it as "Obama Murders Cow To Enjoy Pagan Lunch!" (That's no joke...)

And for the last little while now, Fox has aired itself with a logo saying "Fair and Balanced". FOX has been being called many different names now, like "Faux News", "Fox Nothing Channel", "Fixed News", and "GOP News" (GOP stands for "Good Ol' Party, a nickname for the Republican Party).

Last Saturday, at the Democratic Corresondent's Dinner, a comedian named Wanda Sykes made fun of Heavily Right-Winged Republican, Rush Limbaugh, calling him nasty names, including several fat jokes, and calling him "The 20th 9/11 Highjacker who failed to show because of Oxycontin". She went on to say that she hopes his Kidneys fail and that his political leaning was similar to Osama Bin Ladin (who by the way, has been compared to Barack Obama by FOX News, because of the similarities of their names).

FOX News sprang to the defense of Rush Limbaugh, and called the comments by Wanda Sykes, "Hateful", and "Personally Offensive to Mr. Limbaugh".

NOTE: Rush Limbaugh is famous for saying "I hope that the country fails" in a response to an Obama-Administration Stimulus Package. This quote was used BEFORE Wanda Sykes open the joke on Rush Limbaugh's Kidneys.

Quote:

"Heh, Rush Limbaugh, I hope the country fails. I hope his Kidney fails, how 'bout that 'eh?" (Audience Laughter)

"He should go waterboarding, that's what he needs..."

End Quote (Quote was taken from Live Coverage of the Correspondant Dinner aired by C-SPAN News)

There's much more I can say about all of this, but now here's my opinion:

FOX News is very biased, moreso than other broadcasters, and it's because of this that many people have formed "Free-Speech Rallies" in some cities in the US.

One in Denver, Colorado had a big group of people refusing to comment to a FOX reporter who walked into the Rally, and asked many people if they had something to say.

Many didn't, others just goofed off in front of the camera, and everyone, (I kid you not)

upon seeing the FOX reporter, starting simultaneously chanting "F**k FOX News! F**k FOX News!"

This was LIVE, and UNCENSORED on the Noon Hour News!

The reporter was pushed and shoved in the middle of a huge swarm of people, until he and the cameraman were pushed onto the sidewalk.

Several policemen on bicycles nearby, did nothing more than advise the reporter to leave. He was unharmed, but the anchorwoman had cut him off from Live feed after the cussing began, but before he began to be shoved and pushed.

This Rally was authorized by the Denver Municipality, so it was completely legal.

To conclude:

I really think that FOX News needs to learn to watch their mouths, and respect the privacy of other people. They can be a Pro-Republican Broadcasting Network for all I care. BUT, when a broadcaster starts to get hypocritical, and takes criticism negatively, That's when something like the rallies are important.

It's not just up to the Networks to control the broadcasters, but it's also up to average citizens to take part.

My Final Thought:

I am a Canadian, supporting Ethnic, Cultural, and Religious Diversity. (Including any forms of Atheism, Paganism, or even Satanism)

I am Pro-Liberal, Pro-Democrat, and Pro-Choice.

I support LGBT Rights, but not the War in the Middle-East.

I am against Hate, Intolerance, Torture, and Animal Abuse.

I am slowly becoming a vegetarian (and have lost 5 kg in three weeks because of it).

I believe there is more potential in a Socialist Government, but will remain optomistic about a Capitalistic Government.

I believe people have the right to agree, disagree, or even make satirical jokes about anything I have just said, including my beliefs (as long as there is no genuine hate behind it).

And Finally,

I believe in Free Speech...

But Not from FOX News.

I leave it to the rest of you, to share your views on FOX News, and your Political beliefs upon this thread.

Thank You for Reading.

Edited May 13, 2009 by gill.navi.singh

[diabolicalangle]

wow. i am pretty impressed by the amount of time you put into this post...

I gotta say, i kinda gree with you, but american media has been pretty biased from the start. which is why its important to take in as many perspectives as needed.

for FOX itself, it ahs gotten worse, but the examples you've picked are of course some of the worst.. most of fox's story have the same american bias, or maybe a tad bit more, that other stations have. Sometimes they do get a bit gung-ho

[gill.navi.singh]

wow. i am pretty impressed by the amount of time you put into this post...

I gotta say, i kinda agree with you, but american media has been pretty biased from the start. which is why its important to take in as many perspectives as needed.

for FOX itself, it has gotten worse, but the examples you've picked are of course some of the worst.. most of fox's story have the same american bias, or maybe a tad bit more, that other stations have. Sometimes they do get a bit gung-ho

Firstly, Thank You. I tend to work hard on topics that affect me as a person. (I can on and on about a lot of stuff)

Yes, perspective is important, but it's also important to realize another perspective, and bring it into light, especially if it's a hot topic of debate in today's society. We are the next generation, so we should start doing something about it.

That's why there's the Young Democrats/Young Republicans Organizations in the US, and the Political Ridings in Canada, For Teens to get involved.

I'm not saying that we should be all against, or all for FOX's perspective, but I really thinking this whole mud-slinging thing is getting out of hand, and something needs to be done.

No, don't even the odds by making an Anti-FOX corperation.

Take the Neutral side.

Yes, there are angry Republicans out there. There are probably angry Democrats as well.

It's the slinging of mud (the exchange of negative for negative) that makes all of this occur.

More people will get angry as time goes on...

I fear the country, if not the continent, or the world will take up physical violence.

If we split ourselves just because our political beliefs

Then, I think we may suffer a Metal Gear Solid 4 type of fate...

Seperated forever as East and West.

As Red and Blue.

As Yay, and Nay...

As Big Boss and Zero.

Ah, there I go again...

Sorry, but Thanks for reading.

[Panserborne]

I respect Shep Smith: "We're American, we don't **** in torture."-note, this was not a denial, but an imperative for the future. But yeah, apart from him, they're all loons. Fortunately, as old people die, so will Fox news.

[Darko]

Fox news is a mere corporate tool used to influence the people through the media in order to have constant control over the population. Thats my opinion. Agree?

P.S. I hate Bill O'Reilly.

[IBS09]

You seem to have missed this link:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-1-2009/osama-bin-laden-needs-to-attack-america

Yep. A guest on Fox News advocating an attack on America. And the host agreeing with him. I'm pretty sure that gets you arrested in most countries.

[Sandwich]

[quote name='IBS09' date='Jul 28, 2009 - 06:21' timestamp='1248758507' post='53589']
Yep. A guest on Fox News advocating an attack on America. And the host agreeing with him. I'm pretty sure that gets you arrested in most countries.
[/quote]

That's off that programme which is meant to be mocking the news, though. More to the point, the guy wasn't advocating an attack on america!! He was trying to make the point that that's the sort of scale of thing which would need to happen to make the american people sit up and pass what I assume is going to be some sort of law legalising the use of excessive violence for the purposes of 'defence'.

I don't know any first world countries with freedom of speech where that'd get you arrested. Being perfectly honest, given the record of the USA on this sort of thing (for instance looking back to that band member of the Dixie Chicks who was threatened with death and they wouldn't play any of that band's songs on the radio because she made a negative comment about the war in Iraq!!), I'd say the USA is one of the few countries where you can genuinely expect to be taken seriously with that sort of comment (and possibly mobbed).

Having watched some FOX news myself, I have to say, it does show a very one-sided view of things. One-sided in that it all comes from the same centre of ideals. Indeed I'd say that chap is promoting an 'american ideal' when he suggests how pressing the need is for "we hit you before you hit us" defence is! It's obviously not actually an american ideal, but it is a very strong national feeling in the US. It's the reason why a lot of people argue for needing to be able to have guns etc., it's a sort-of national mentality. Not shared by everyone, I'm sure, but it is there in a significant enough amount to be noticeable.

FOX news isn't all biased and evil or anything, but it certainly has a central ethos to it which isn't a neutral one. In my opinion, at least.