Media Curmudgeon

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February 10, 2008

Guest Blogger Jesse Kornbluth Disagrees

Neil Derrough is former president of the CBS Television Stations Division, and I am a schmoo who's seen, infrequently, on Plum TV, but we both have eyes and ears, and so, when we sit in front of a TV set, we might be equals.

In that spirit, may I respectfully suggest that -- like the network he defends in his post -- he misses the point?

Mr. Derrough falls into the easy, lazy game of ascribing positions to commentators. Who cares about the “politics” of a Chris Matthews? His problem with Hillary Clinton reflects that he has a deep-seated problem with [at least a few] women and man-crushes on [at least a few] Republican presidential candidates -- and could urgently use some help. Lou Dobbs also needs more counsel than a political consultant can provide; he never met a Mexican he couldn't hate. And while I'm thinking about CNN -- the “liberal” straw man in every piece like this -- why does that network keep a low-rated racist hack like Glenn Beck on if it doesn't want to grow up to be just like Fox?

No, the problem isn't the Fox News pundits. It's almost every pundit, including some Mr. Derrough would think I'd admire. Because, for me, it's not the opinion or the commentator, it's the context, it's the environment -- the problem is 24/7 cable itself, a bread-and-circuses medium that sucks intelligence out of the creators until they are sound-bite shills for whatever point-of-view is held by the owners. And as for informing the viewers about our complex world -- oh, who cares about them?

But to Mr. Derrough's point...

I don't object to the existence of Fox News; it isn’t regulated, it's entitled.

I don't object to Karl Rove on Fox News; it can hire whomever it likes.

But as a sometime journalist, I object to lies. That is, conscious, deliberate misrepresentations. I don't know Mr. Derrough's politics, but I dare him to write a single unqualified sentence praising Karl Rove's dedication to truth.

And as for Fox News, is it really a matter of "opinion" that Fox News is the propaganda arm of the Republican Party?

And, hey, we all make factual errors from time to time. Some people really thought Saddam had weapons. Not many of them still say so. Oddly, most have gigs on Fox News. And while we're talking facts...Mr. Derrough, does global warming exist? If so, please send Fox News the memo.

My beef with Fox News: When it gets the facts wrong, it generally seems to skew right. Like:

Just days ago: John McCain was labeled D-Ariz. Well, isn't he?

Fox News aired a picture of Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) during a discussion of indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA). Innocent error? Of course -- both are African-American.

And this beauty:

In the town of Lewiston, Maine, a group of Somalian Muslim middle school students were the subject of a cruel prank when their peers placed a ham steak next to them in order to personally offend the students. School officials filed a report because the students considered the act to be a hate/bias crime.

This actual story was then spoofed by a parody site called Associated Content, which made up quotes and details, such as the school's intention to 'create an anti-ham 'response plan.'"

On Tuesday, Fox & Friends reported these parody quotes and details as actual news. Poking fun at the students, hosts asked whether ham was "a hate crime…or lunch?" and showed screen shots of ham sandwiches, starving Somalians, belching, animal noises, and mock "reenactments" of the incident. Ironically, the hosts assured viewers several times, "We're not making this up!"

I could go on, but why? People who like Fox News and believe it are a lost cause.

I'm reminded of a guy I recently met who only watches Fox News and loves Rush.

"Is Rush concerned about Bush's expansion of executive powers?" I asked.

"Not at all," he said.

"Does he rant about the way habeas corpus has disappeared and Bush can, in essence, jail any of us as terrorists?"

"Never says a word about it," he said.

"What if Hillary Clinton were elected President and she inherited the power to jail any American she thought might be a terrorist -- would Rush care then?"

"You bet," he said.

And so would Fox News. O'Reilly and Hannity, for sure. But I bet the network would find a way to twist the facts, too.

Afterthought: It's Sunday morning, time for the pundits to kick politicians around on the "serious" shows. President Bush is interviewed on Fox News today. I guess he knows where to find "fair and balanced."

Posted by Charles Warner at February 10, 2008 12:17 PM

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Media Curmudgeon at February 10, 2008 09:48 PM writes:

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