Besides story selection, Fox News often picked information to present in stories in an effort to persuade viewers to hold a specific opinion. Proponents of such practices claim this was an example of Fox News being hard hitting and not kowtowing to the liberal media's agenda (Anderson, 2004). In an excerpt published in the American Enterprise from his book We're Not Losing the Culture Wars Anymore Fox News senior vice president for news John Moody told Brian Anderson that Fox News would opt to begin a story on an upcoming execution by telling about the crime the person committed while the network news channels or CNN would start the story with footage of death-penalty protestors (Anderson, 2004).
According to the documentary, Fox would also use framing to appeal to its audience. For example, it made the American flag its background and had its news reporters; producers and all other journalists who appeared on TV wearing American flag pins while covering the events during and after the attacks on September 11, 2001. By using images deemed wholesome and good (the American flag for example) Fox News portrayed itself as the more honest and believable news source compared to its "liberal" rivals (Outfoxed). Finally, Fox influenced viewers by simply presenting one side. According to at study by the national media watch group FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) Fox News' guests were predominantly Republican (83%) with just 17% of the guests being Democrats or to the left of center (Outfoxed).
Fairness and Balance
The significant disparity of Democrats is just one of Fox News' ploys to twist the notion of "fairness and accuracy" into favoring a right-wing point-of-view. Besides its choice of guests, choice of stories, and organizational-wide edicts to go easy on Republicans under fire; Fox News allows commentators like Bill O'Reilly to run with suspect news stories such as his "War on Christmas" held several years running where he pushed real news aside to complain about the usage of the politically correct holiday greetings in lieu of "Merry Christmas."
Objectivity is difficult to achieve at...
No one reporter can fairly cover all issues 100% of the time. This is why news organizations have editors, not only to catch mistakes, but also to ensure that all sides of an issue are covered. This is where news, particularly political stories or complex financial issues, can leave readers feeling either overwhelmed by complexities or patronized by a TV news anchor who tries to
water down the subject. Fox News appeals to viewers by choosing to simply present one side of the story, the conservative's side. While such coverage, the one-sidedness masked by flashy graphics,
rock music, loud arguing and handsome anchors, appeals to a less educated segment of the news viewing public, it ultimately does a disservice by misinforming and manipulating a
population that desperately needs clear and straightforward information. But until National Public Radio gets Terry Gross to bellow "Shut Up!" At Karl Rove or CNN persuades Al Franken to lose the glasses, go to the gym and be its sexy new commentator, Fox News will continue to be successful in its
campaign to, by any means possible, undermine the liberal and left-leaning segments of the population and allow the right-wing to take over.
References
Anderson, B. (2004). Why FOX News beat the
mainstream media. The American Enterprise 15.: 52+. Academic OneFile. Web. 21 Mar. 2011.
Farhi, P. (2003). Everybody wins: Fox News Channel and CNN are often depicted as desperate rivals locked in a death match. In fact, the cable networks aren't even playing the same game. There's no reason they both can't flourish. American Journalism Review 25.3: 32+. Academic OneFile. Web. 21 Mar. 2011.
Rieder, R.(2008). In the tank? John McCain more than earned his negative coverage. American Journalism Review 30.6: 4. Academic OneFile. Web. 21 Mar.…
