What do you think? Fair and balanced?

[raj2001]

I saw this ad in the subway on 23rd street and 6av today:

[Bill R]

I have watched every available news outlet and I feel the "cable" and networks news outlets are doing a good job of "even-handed" reporting. The LOCAL stations are another story. One of our local stations has been giving a lot of the local anti-war groups (especially their leaders) WAY too much air time and doing everything to make them look good. I called the station about that and was told by a nice young lady that "one of our producers made that decision and we are getting some complaints about it". I asked to speak to that person but was told "he does not take viewer calls".

I think the anti-war groups have a right to be heard but I don't feel that the news editors or producers should go out of their way to make them look good. They are disruptive and should be shown for what they are.

[tampa8]

A little confused about the picture unless I am not seeing something. This picture and slogan have been used for years by Fox News. Nothing new here. I agree with Bill R. - the cable channels especially FOX and MSNBC have done a good job. I am one that does not care for CNN, but I have sampled their coverage and really can't complain much.

[TNGTony]

Well guys, I think the news networks (CNN, FOX and MSNBC) have been leaning WAY towards the US on this. Not really in what they say, but in the way they have been reporting the story and in the "happy talk" comments they make when handing off a story. Last night I swear I could see the glee in some reporter's faces as they talked about the US military's actions. You wont find anyone who is more pro war than me in this case. But the attitude I saw last night by the anchors and analysts was not "fair and balanced" by ANY of the news networks.

The difference in coverage in channels like BBC World, BBC1 (on CSPAN overnight), CBC News, TV Japan, TVE, Televisa and the U.S. reporting is incredible!

See ya
Tony

[Halfsek]

Originally posted by TNGTony
Well guys, I think the news networks (CNN, FOX and MSNBC) have been leaning WAY towards the US on this. Not really in what they say, but in the way they have been reporting the story and in the "happy talk" comments they make when handing off a story. Last night I swear I could see the glee in some reporter's faces as they talked about the US military's actions. You wont find anyone who is more pro war than me in this case. But the attitude I saw last night by the anchors and analysts was not "fair and balanced" by ANY of the news networks.

The difference in coverage in channels like BBC World, BBC1 (on CSPAN overnight), CBC News, TV Japan, TVE, Televisa and the U.S. reporting is incredible!

See ya
Tony

What do you expect? They're American reporters working for an American company reporting to Amerians... and we're kicking butt. And to tell you the truth, the reporters there are probably pretty pumped up- what with all the machinery and hardware and those big 'splosions.

As to the others... I'm sure they have their own slight agenda- just like the American stations do.

[firephoto]

Do BBC reporters ever get excited?
;)

[Halfsek]

Tut tut! Jolly good show!

No offense intended though, if I ever make it to Europe it's going to be an England, Spain, Portugal trip....

[gcutler]

The Fair and Balanced is all relative. The people I know who love to mention how Fox is Fair and Balanced IMHO tend to be right of center. And those who I consider very "Middle Of The Road" don't watch fox any more than they do CNN.

I find that many people no matter how radical consider themselves "Moderate". I think if you were to have asked Hitler or Stalin where they stand, they both would probably say "Moderate" :D

When I lived in NY City, I was considered "Conservative" by the people around me. When I moved down south I all of a sudden was considered a "Liberal", and I haven't changed my stance on anything :D

[TNGTony]

Halfsek,

Whad do I expect? I expect a reporter to report the news without editorializing. I expect them to relate information without interjecting their own thoughts and biases. See and say. Nothing more. I know it's very difficult (impossible) to do this 100%, bit I at least expect an attempt to objectivity.

Yes, others (international media) have their own agenda. In listening to Fox News intereviewing a French reporter, at one point the Fox anchor said something like "the Iraqi ministry of information just issued a statement saying X. Can you confirm that?" The French reporter's response completely serious: "Well, if they said X it's obviously true"

The Fox anchor could NOT hold his tongue and berated the French reporter for swallowing misinformation. I thought it was hillarious.

Anyway, so you can see the slant of foreign news: On Thursday when this whole thing started, TVE's headline was "The US fails to assasinate Sadam." :)

See ya
Tony

[gcutler]

Originally posted by firephoto
Do BBC reporters ever get excited?
;)

Do the British ever get excited? Besides Basil Fawlty? :p

[Richard King]

Well guys, I think the news networks (CNN, FOX and MSNBC) have been leaning WAY towards the US on this.This is why I think it was a GREAT move in allowing reporters to "go along for the ride" on this one. When you are at risk yourself, you tend to support those who you are riding along with. Looking back to Gulf War I CNN wouldn't report anything that could in any way assist the good side in the battle and so much as said that they wouldn't. As for the French "reporter" what would anyone expect.

[Halfsek]

TNG- You mainly mentioned glee and "the way in which they reported" in your original post. You didn't really mention anything about editorializing. I would expect some emotion in a reporter's voice- either sadness as in 9/11 or glee as in America's ease in this war.

Now editorializing is a different thing.
But from the reports that I've seen on Fox, CNN and listened to ABC on the radio, they all seem pretty even. Actually, it seems like Radio ABC is the most pro American.

But you've got reporters blitzing into Iraq on Humm Vees. They have cruise missles flying over their heads and they're surrounded by pumped up Marines. These guys & gals aren't robots.

You're right, I have the feeling that they're pro American. But I have yet to heard any editorials from any reporter.

[Mike123abc]

I wonder if the glee is more that the reporters finally have something to report other than what France was going to Veto. At last a chance for a ratings bonaza after months of boring inspector quagmire, if the inspectors had turned up interesting stuff they probably would have been excited too.

[Karl Foster]

I have found much of the banter with "military experts" to be a little much. There is other news happening in the country and it would be good to hear about it at least a little bit. I have mostly watched Fox News Channel and MSNBC. I prefer them to CNN, but that is strictly a preference, based on no sound philosophy.

I think my father-in-law, a retired Medical Services Colonel with 37-years of Army experience, is the only retired officer not signed by a network to be a "military expert." :)

[Jack White]

Originally posted by Halfsek
Tut tut! Jolly good show!

No offense intended though, if I ever make it to Europe it's going to be an England, Spain, Portugal trip....

Good luck, I saw a news report that said that the US has a 14% favorability rating in Spain.
The US had a 34% favorability rating in France in the same poll.
You see, it seems like where the governments are seen as US Puppets/Lapdogs like Spain the public hates the US EVEN MORE than in countries like France.
BTW, FORGET going to Europe, they don't like pro war people or Republicans in Europe, and neither does the public in Africa, Asia, or Latin America.
Go to Israel on your vacation, that's the ONLY COUNTRY in the WHOLD WORLD outside the US where pro war people or Republicans are liked.

[firephoto]

And since all these "pro war" people go around with a big hat that says "I'M PRO-WAR!" all the time, that's how another country recognizes them. :rolleyes:

I personally think Israel is a great country. For the people there to be able to survive and prosper in the middle of so many that are against them is just amazing. My sprinklers in my yard are made in Israel!

Latin America hates us so much they flock across our border by the hundreds every day.

[TNGTony]

Jack, please post a link to this poll. I haven't been able to find anything of the sort.

See ya
Tony

[patmac01234]

FAIR AND BALANCED? WE REPORT; YOU DECIDE? Just because slogans says these words does not make it true. I have found that FoxNews has very clever, subtle ways of presenting an pro-conservative/pro-Bush attitude. That's cool, but the network says it tries to be objective... LOL

The biggest example of this kind of stuff was when, a while back, the news broke that the federal court in Calif. dropped the "under God" section of the Pledge. Fox News -- within minutes -- put on the tv screen the name and address and office phone number of the deciding judge. No kidding. I was shocked! They said that people should feel free to express their opinion to the judge. Fox does not do that for every sourt decision it reports -- just that one.

THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO R-E-P-O-R-T THE NEWS -- not be a frickin' cheerleader to harrass the judge (even though I think the judge was way off base). I lost alot of respect for Fox that day.

FAIR AND BALANCED?

[Jack White]

Originally posted by TNGTony
Jack, please post a link to this poll. I haven't been able to find anything of the sort.

See ya
Tony

Here you go Next Gen, glad I could help.
http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=175

[TNGTony]

Thanks. Interesting numbers. I wish I could find other polls from groups I trust. The Pew Group is not one I trust. This is not to say the numbers are wrong.

See ya
Tony

[raj2001]

Originally posted by firephoto
I personally think Israel is a great country. For the people there to be able to survive and prosper in the middle of so many that are against them is just amazing. My sprinklers in my yard are made in Israel!

Incidentally I don't hate Israel either. I just hate US foreign policy that's so tilted towards them.

Heck, I make a pretty good living installing, configuring and maintaining a software product that's coded in Israel (Checkpoint Firewall).

[firephoto]

I think that we are tilted towards them because it is a way to keep them from starting a war with ALL their neighbors. They have a VERY effective military that I don't even know if we would want to go up against.

[Halfsek]

Originally posted by Jack White


Good luck, I saw a news report that said that the US has a 14% favorability rating in Spain.
The US had a 34% favorability rating in France in the same poll.
You see, it seems like where the governments are seen as US Puppets/Lapdogs like Spain the public hates the US EVEN MORE than in countries like France.
BTW, FORGET going to Europe, they don't like pro war people or Republicans in Europe, and neither does the public in Africa, Asia, or Latin America.
Go to Israel on your vacation, that's the ONLY COUNTRY in the WHOLD WORLD outside the US where pro war people or Republicans are liked.

Hey Jack,
I suppose you're right. I mean Europe does kind of have a history of singling people out by looks alone and venting their rath upon them. Yup, I suppose it would be the ovens for me since somehow those wily Euros would be able to mentally deduce that I am one of those pro war republican types.

Oh, I know, I'll go in all stealth like- I won't shower for a week, I'll wear dreads and grimy clothes. I guess they'll have to get me at the airport with a bunch of hash, but that's okay since I'll be using my anti war cover. Or maybe I'll just have a white flag sewn onto my ripped up shirt so they think I'm French.

Y'know, Jack, all you have to do is substitue "pro war" or "republican" with "black" or "chinese" and your post is suddenly very racist.

But you'd never do that, would you, Jack? I mean, you accept everyone, right? It's all one love, right? Kumbayaa and all that, eh? Oh, wait, I forgot, people that don't agree with Jack need not apply.

[DCSholtis]

Originally posted by gcutler


Do the British ever get excited? Besides Basil Fawlty? :p

Or Benny Hill....:p

[DCSholtis]

Originally posted by patmac01234
FAIR AND BALANCED? WE REPORT; YOU DECIDE? Just because slogans says these words does not make it true. I have found that FoxNews has very clever, subtle ways of presenting an pro-conservative/pro-Bush attitude. That's cool, but the network says it tries to be objective... LOL

The biggest example of this kind of stuff was when, a while back, the news broke that the federal court in Calif. dropped the "under God" section of the Pledge. Fox News -- within minutes -- put on the tv screen the name and address and office phone number of the deciding judge. No kidding. I was shocked! They said that people should feel free to express their opinion to the judge. Fox does not do that for every sourt decision it reports -- just that one.

THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO R-E-P-O-R-T THE NEWS -- not be a frickin' cheerleader to harrass the judge (even though I think the judge was way off base). I lost alot of respect for Fox that day.

FAIR AND BALANCED?


I watched Fox that day too and I didnt find a problem with that at all to be perfectly honest. Im GLAD they did that....I watch Fox News mostly but have gotten to like MSNBC a little more (Except when Saddam's best friend Peter Arnet pops in screen then I flip back to Fox).....but Id NEVER watch CNN
those guys are too left wing for me.

[btbrossard]

Something about Shepard Smith rubs me the wrong way. I can't watch Fox News while he's on.

Mugshot (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/dsmithmug1.html)

/Benjamin

[waydwolf]

Originally posted by TNGTony

The difference in coverage in channels like BBC World, BBC1 (on CSPAN overnight), CBC News, TV Japan, TVE, Televisa and the U.S. reporting is incredible!

See ya
Tony

The rest of the world has no problem with moaning and whining about us Americans whenever it suits their mood swings, but when tyrants like Hitler come around, or some empire is threatening to overrun the known world, or there's a need to save the day, we Americans get the call. You think South Korea or Portugal would get the call if there was a killer asteroid? Or maybe that Viet Nam or Peru would get the knock on their door if human kind had a sudden desperate need to reach another planet?

I'm not bothered by it. The attitude overseas illustrates with perfect clarity why so many of their people could care less about being there at best and at worst are in fear for their lives and would desperately love to be here, and why so many of them do come here, many times at great risk to themselves and their families.

Hmmm... I recall a Canadian politician joking(half heartedly) that the other provinces would secede and join the USA if Quebec became independent. You'd be hard pressed to find an American politician from any state who'd say their state would secede and join Canada or Mexico were let's say Texas to go independent.

Some days, it seems like we're the only ones who care enough about ourselves to stand up and do the tough jobs to keep our future stable and not in perpetual peril.

[alfbinet]

Hey wait a minute. Wasn't it just a week or so ago there was this never ending thread about how "liberal" the media was? Have all the reporters and corespondents suddenly become "conservative"? and that makes the media "all right" now?

[Halfsek]

Just becuase they media isn't ripping on the war doesn't mean they're conservative.
Jeez, some of my most left wing loopy liberal friends are for the war.... just against how Bush did it- blah blah blah.

But I must admit that I'm somewhat surprised, and pleased as to how positive they are on the whole thing.

Remember though; these reporters are living with our military personnel now. They see how it really is and the good people that make up our military.

Maybe they've finally seen the truth.