Faulty Fox News?
(AP)
So it was with great interest that I read today's Project for Excellence in Journalism report that summed up the first quarter of this year's cable new agenda, breaking down what the three cable networks deemed newsworthy, and to what extent.
It's not pretty. As much as it's old hat to raise questions about Fox News Channel's coverage of political issues, it was still surprising (even to a cynical eye) to see that FNC gave less than half the airtime that MSNBC did to coverage of the war in Iraq -- 15 percent of its airtime versus 31 percent for MSNBC. CNN devoted a quarter of its airtime to the war.
Another notable aspect of FNC's news coverage? According to the report:
If Fox was less focused on the Iraq War, what took its place? Mostly—according to the numbers—Anna Nicole Smith. Coverage of her death trailed just barely the airtime spent on the Iraq policy debate, accounting for 9.6% of all the Fox content studied (versus 10.1% for the Iraq policy debate). Fox also stood out for its lack of coverage on the firings of the U.S. attorneys, compared with the other channels. The story, which gained real momentum in mid March, consumed a mere 2% of Fox's total airtime. CNN devoted twice that percent (4%) and MSNBC four times (8%).And this information isn't coming from a partisan source. It's coming from the well-regarded Project for Excellence in Journalism. (Though Roger Ailes disagrees.)
It's easy to play partisan footsie with Fox News Channel about this memo or that memo, but while such anecdotes are interesting – not to mention great fodder for the shoutfests – they're not as telling as Actual Data. And today's study isn't the first time that FNC has demonstrated quantifiable news judgement that is, at least, aberrant.
Before you file this under editorial discretion, remember the study about global perceptions that came out in 2003. In it, participants were asked three questions (that would have correctly been answered 'no'):
Later in the study, the researchers compared the answers to these questions against where the participants said they got their news and information from. 80 percent of Fox News Channel viewers answered 'yes' to at least one of these questions. (With 2/3 thinking an Iraq-Al Qaeda link had been proven, 1/3 thinking WMDs had been found in Iraq and 35 percent thinking world opinion supported the invasion.)
The smashmouth approach to news that makes the Fox News Channel more attractive and watchable – it is, in many dayparts, the most watched – doesn't seem to lead to more informed viewers. (Though at times it's debatable how much news is imparted on any of the news networks.) When you score last on viewer comprehension and highest for AnnaMania, it's time to take a look in the mirror.
The story broke at least a month ago. One of the articles to show up in a Google news search for "Al Qaeda Torture Manual" is dated April 25, 2007 and is from the Canadian National Post. (The link is too long to copy here, but Google it and I promise it's there.)
Compare that to an article by the Iraq Slogger dated today that opens with the following. "The Pentagon this week released a gruesome 13-page deck containing what it says are excerpts from a recently-seized "al Qaeda in Iraq" torture manual." (This can also be found under the same Google news search.)
Looks like the Pentagon has been holding back from Americans this crucial information that the rest of the workd has known for weeks. Still believe that our government is telling us the whole truth about Iraq and Al Qaeda? (coughcough PAT TILLMAN coughcough) Didn't think so.
Don't be so quick to accuse the media of thinking that Americans don't care about a story like this. Just take a look at our elected officials and their cronies in the Pentagon first to see who really doesn't care about the average American.
Secondly, please lay off the PUBLISH button next time buddy. It's so upsetting to see what looks like an interesting discussion unfolding, only to find out that it's the same idiot being way too impatient with his ISP.
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...
Or don't you think America cares what kind of enemy we are up against?
Ex-CBS-employee Mary Mapes thought that it was worthy enough of a topic to report even the slightest (false) allegations that Americans were torturing terrorists...
Don't you think THE REAL THING warrents the "IF IT BLEEDS, IT LEADS qualifier? Or at least it should qualify under the "human rights abuses" category, right????
The public is waiting for your prompt response to this crucial pressing question...