Fox News becomes Faux News

[theyeti]

OK, we all know Fox News is obviously the most conservative news network out there. I'm fine with that, we have a free press, good for them. If you don't like it then just find a different source.

But today, that changed. Ever since 2000 liberals have accused Fox News of outright lying, and today, any possible defense they could come up with for that claim went out the window. This is what appeared today on foxnews.com, under Carl Cameron's byline:
Rallying supporters in Tampa Friday, Kerry played up his performance in Thursday night's debate, in which many observers agreed the Massachusetts senator outperformed the president.
"Didn't my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate!" Kerry said Friday.

With the foreign-policy debate in the history books, Kerry hopes to keep the pressure on and the sense of traction going.

Aides say he will step up attacks on the president in the next few days, and pivot somewhat to the domestic agenda, with a focus on women and abortion rights.

"It's about the Supreme Court. Women should like me! I do manicures," Kerry said.

Kerry still trails in actual horse-race polls, but aides say his performance was strong enough to rally his base and further appeal to voters ready for a change.

"I'm metrosexual -- he's a cowboy," the Democratic candidate said of himself and his opponent.

A "metrosexual" is defined as an urbane male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.It's not that hard to figure out that this is 100% completely and utterly made-up, pulled out of thin air, and a nasty low-blow.

This afternoon the piece was pulled and now this appears:"Earlier Friday, FOXNews.com posted an item purporting to contain quotations from Kerry. The item was based on a reporter's partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. We regret the error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com first uncovered this - go there to read all the details. I'm trying to find a screenshot, supposedly TPM is going to post one soon.

Now, it's important to get your news from a variety of sources. There's a qualifier to that: It's important to get your news from sources that don't make stuff up. And from sources that aren't there just to bash a particular candidate - we'll see if Fox qualifies in that category by what kind of punishment they hand out to Cameron.

Until that happens, please, stop watching FOX. You owe it to yourself and to the country to send media a message that lies aren't okay. To any other network that does something similar - do they same. They, and their advertisers, don't deserve your business.

[Justawoman]

Yeti wrote: Until that happens, please, stop watching FOX. You owe it to yourself and to the country to send media a message that lies aren't okay. To any other network that does something similar - do they same. They, and their advertisers, don't deserve your business.


Good article Yeti. Will it make me stop watching Fox News? I doubt it. Like all the media out there you have to listen carefully to what they report, investigate it yourself through numerous other sources, then make up your own mind. I think everyone here is intelligent enough to do that.

I have to admit I was skeptical. It actually does sound like something Kerry would say. Why, just this morning I saw him make fun of the Floridian voting system. He said, (paraphasing here), You know John Edwards 3 and 4 year old daughter and son? (He gave their names) Well they count so good that we are sending them down to Florida to make for sure the vote turns out right. "

To which the audience laughed and applauded. There was nothing funny about the whole Florida voting scandal. So it would not have surprised me if he had actually insinuated that women would vote on him by his looks alone. I wish the media would quit saying he looks more presidential. Yeah, this empty headed woman is voting by judging the candidates sex appeal.

I also scanned a few of Kerry's speeches. The archives are on his website. I never really saw a plan. I read how he has one. How he thinks Bush's plans are all wrong and he will lead us in a new direction. But his ideas are vague and hover about under a shroud of mysticism. I would really like to see him lay out his plan, step-by-step, detail-by-detail. None of this I will be successful in 6 months, I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, I will change this country in 4 years, yada, yada, yada............

Give me specifics, give me the bottom line, and quit saying how you will change something if you can't show me how you will fix it,that is if you want my vote.

[CuriousG]

All media lies and stretches the truth, it's just like I posted in another thread. It's just a matter of who gets caught because they're sloppy or its just plain obvious.

[Justawoman]

Good Morning CG! Very well put about the media. Even our little local newspaper is biased. I wonder if they teach that in journalism?

[theyeti]

Listen, this is not aboout what anyone did say in response to the debates, it's not about consistency or war or even which candidate you support. Nor is it about gay-baiting. It's not about bias; people have a right to be biased.

But do they have a right to blatantly like and make up news? Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we have to put up with it. Who knows what lie will be told next, or what lie another channel will tell if they see FOX get away with it?

We all have seen the fiasco around Dan Rather. What we now know Rather did was trust a source that turned out to be false, which was a huge mistake and a disservice to the country. What Carl Cameron did was take it a step further - he was the source and just pulled his quotes out of thin air.

There's no way to make our media accountable unless the people do something. They're not going to police themselves when we keep throwing money at them. Who will lie next time? Send a message to the all media execs that if you make stuff up, you're going to suffer. Each time you turn on the tv, it's a vote - but unlike a vote for a candidate, you can change it later. Stop watching FOX until they shapen up, and urge everyone you know to do the same.

[jamesglewisf]

They said it was posted in error. They removed it. They reprimanded the guy. I'm not sure what else they were supposed to do. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/9814126.htmFox News apologized Friday for posting phony quotes from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on its Web site.

Carl Cameron, a Fox reporter who covers the Kerry campaign, wrote an item that looked like a news story with made-up Kerry quotes, said Paul Schur, a Fox spokesman. The item was not intended to be posted on the site.

"Carl made a stupid mistake which he regrets," Schur said Friday night. "And he has been reprimanded for his lapse in judgment. It was a poor attempt at humor."How come you're not calling for the same thing with 60 Minutes and Dan Rather? His story was supposed to be a news item from an unimpeachable source. It took him a whole week to admit it was wrong and apologize. Fox News admitted their error within 24 hours and apologized. Even a Kerry spokesman David Wade said, America would be stronger if only George Bush could admit his mistakes as easily.I can understand the anger if they were trying to cover it up or deny it happened or refusing to admit it and apologize, but that didn't happen.

Carl Cameron wrote a satire or spoof, and it accidentally got published. That's not the same as ignoring experts telling you not to go with a news story and then running it and refusing to admit that the documents were fake. The examples are not even close.

[theyeti]

I'm not excusing Dan Rather. But:

Rather: Had a source.
Cameron: Bypassed using sources, instead opting to make things up.

Rather: Apologized when all the details behind the nature of his mistake were uncovered.
Cameron: Has not apologized yet (we'll see).

Rather: However flawed his judgement turned out to be, at first believed the documents in question to be legitimate.
Cameron: No documents, no source, just made up. Accidentally got published? At the biggest media outlet in the country? Accidentally publishing something is what I do when I hit "publish this post" on blogger too early, not something FOX does when they have layers and layers of editors and researchers. And if it was accidentally published, I think that would say something serious about the standards of professionalism at FOX.

CBS: Responded by refusing to air a story (about the Niger documents, I believe) critical of the President.
FOX News: Today, publishes this:
http://americablog.blogspot.com/foxcommx.jpg
Speaking of satire sites, [b]that's what "Communists for Kerry" (http://www.hellgate.org/disclaimer/) is:
"Communists for Kerry" is a campaign of the Hellgate Republican Club, a tax exempt non-partisan public advocacy "527" organization that exists for the purpose of;

"Informing voters with satire and irony, how political candidates make decisions based on the failed social economic principles of socialism that punish the individual by preventing them from becoming their dream through proven ideas of entrepreneurship and freedom."

Our members help elect candidates who support economic growth through Entrepreneurship, limited government and lower taxes. Communists For Kerry is separate and distinct from the Communist party of America and any of its organization. None of it's members are members of any communist organizations.Who out there supports this from Fox?

This isn't a thread for the issues fox raises - we have other threads for that. The question is, do you support it or not?

[Justawoman]

Actually Rather's source turned out to be no source either.

[CuriousG]

Both Rather and Cameron were wrong and should be reprimanded for using bad and/or false sources, but everyone is making this out to be an atrocity and are surprised by the lack of judgement in the media. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS! Probably ever since the institution we refer to as 'the media' came to be. I'm not surprised at all that there were shenanigans going on with bad sources and made up information. The only thing different is that people are starting to get caught. If you think Rather and Cameron should be crucified for this and they are exceptions in the world of media personnel, you are very naive. Maybe Americans finally woke up and are going to start paying more attention, and demanding integrity from the media, but I'm sorry to say that I don't blame the media. The public hasn't held the media accountable for a long time. The public likes controversy and sensationalisim (that's why reality tv and tabloids are so popular) and unfortunately controversy and sensationalism are often the product of embellishment and just plain making stuff up. Shame on the media? Yes shame on the media, but at the same time, shame on the public because the media was just giving them what they craved. The line between reality and fantasy is very skewed for a lot of people. Maybe people will start waking up. I know a lot of people aren't going to agree with me about this, but I've seen enough to feel very confident in my opinion.

[Justawoman]

You hit the nail on the head CG. People like fluff and feel good news. News where they don't have to think for themselves. Why else are tabloids still around and supposedly serious news reporters able to poke fun at the people/situations that make news.

I read the article that Yeti posted that was Camerons to my spouse. He started laughing and saying no way that was real. So some people will be able to tell a parody when they see one.

[theyeti]

I would like a world where everyone is as smart as your spouse, then.

[CuriousG]

Most people cannot distinguish the truth from parody. I'm kind of a sarcastic person, and I can't believe how many people can't even distinguish blatant sarcasm from real statements. People need to start thinking a little bit. Sometimes I get the feeling that people are too busy or lazy to just think for a minute. They want everything hand fed to them.

[Justawoman]

I like the fact that you, Yeti, point out these things to us. I guess I take them with a grain of salt because I am married to someone like CG. *L* He completely described my spouse. I was not aware of the world around us until I did get married to a history and political enthusiast. I still have my bright outlook on things but I don't just assume anymore. I love it when you post something that makes me go do some research. It's good for this old soul. *L*

[CuriousG]

I stopped assuming a long time ago. Assuming always seemed to lead to one thing, disappointment. For some reason, I think I work with most of these people. I feel like I have to spell everything out for my coworkers sometimes. It makes for a long and frustrating day sometimes. Many of these people are very intelligent (not all of them though, sheesh) but they need things told to them like you would explain to a child sometimes, and you have to repeat yourself 10 times. AHH!! Sorry, had to vent for a minute.

[Justawoman]

Totally understand CG. Sounds you work for the elderly as well. I know what you mean about spelling it out for someone. But at least my clients have an excuse they are all over 90.

One thing I will say about Fox news, Yeti, I get annoyed with Brian Kilmeade. He can make a joke at times when it is the most inappropriate. Either that or my sense of humor is very dry. Early morning is the only time we watch Fox news. We also like Bill O'Reilly and Hannity & Colmes. We watch them when we are in a debating mood ourselves. So to say we are avid Fox news fans is not true. We are not fans of any particular news program. Now when Decisive Battles comes on the History Channel we record it. Politics and War all rolled up into one.

[theyeti]

I don't think I've seen Kilmeade lately, or if I have I don't remember.
To be honest, most of the FOX people at least at night when I usually watch get on my nerves, and several of the personalities seem nothing more than talking heads for the execs (which is backed up by the ex-employees who have even went so far as to start lawsuits over people telling them exactly what to say). O'Reilly, even though a lot of lefties despise him isn't too bad. He's sort of like Jesse Ventura, I often agree with him strongly but just as often and probably more often disagree with him strongly. That is, when he's not screaming and you're able to think.

[raybeck]

Sorry, but Fox News is the ONLY news station we watch, they may make mistakes, they all do, but they are much more fair than the other stations!

[Justawoman]

I have to agree they are more fair. We quit watching them at night when every one of their news talk shows (O'Reilly, Hannity/Colmes, Greta) did nothing but review the Peterson trial for the most part.

I believe something needs to be done there but to have it on every news show was a bit much for us. That is how we found Decisive Battles and Command Decision. Plus we like to watch Mail Call.

[raybeck]

Have to agree about the Peterson trial...enough is enough already. We do enjoy Hannity and Colmes, but to be honest, I'm ready for the election to be over, enough of that is enough, as well!!!

[theyeti]

What exactly do you think makes them more fair?

[Justawoman]

I see several less than conservative takes on this news show. And if you get up in the morning and watch the news cast you do find that they debate alot with both the liberal viewpoint and the conservative viewpoint.

O'Reilly invites differing opinions than his on his show. Some folks take him up on it and others decline. Purely their choice to make. He has had Carville, Edwards, and Dan Rather on his show. How can that be bias when he could strictly be showing nothing but republican/conservative/rightwing shows??? He has Geraldine Ferraro on with some regularity and it is always interesting. He is always fair to her.

Hannity and Colmes most definitely have two differing viewpoints on nearly everything. I think you just need to actually watch more than you do to catch this all. If this show was one sided there is no way they would allow a debate between Mr. Cheney's senior adviser Mary Matalin, the Vice President's daughter Liz Cheney, former Democratic strategist Pat Caddell, former Republican Vice Presidential candidate Jack Kemp and others. That is tonight.

[jamesglewisf]

I'm also tired of Greta following the trial, and I'm looking forward to the election being over also.

[Justawoman]

Amen James!! We are starting to dust off old movies and watch them. When they have something substantially new to report on the Peterson trial I want to see that and voting day can not get here soon enough. Don't you think most of us have our minds made up by now anyway?