BBC vs. Fox News: fair and balanced to you, too

International Herald Tribune ^ | feb 9, 2004

[george wythe]

When Greg Dyke, director general of the BBC, resigned last week, there must have been satisfied smirks at the offices of Fox News. After visiting the United States last year, Dyke had said that he was shocked by "the Fox News formula of gung-ho patriotism." He warned the British media: "In the area of impartiality, as in many other areas, we must ensure we don't become Americanized."

[cripplecreek]

That viewpoint would seem a lot less valid if it took into account the large numbers of left leaning media outlets in this country.

Americans create our own fairness and balance by looking at the wide variety of viewpoints potrayed in american media.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

There is so much BS in this article it's hard to know where to begin, but this is one of the more blatantly wrong statements:

The rapid growth in Fox News's audience caught other news channels off guard, and prompted a panicked shift toward the political right in cable news coverage.

The only "panicked shift toward the political right" was MSNBC hiring Savage, which lasted all of a month before they canned him. Otherwise, they continue to lie from the left - just like always.

[dirtboy]

When Greg Dyke, director general of the BBC, resigned last week, there must have been satisfied smirks at the offices of Fox News.

Nothing like basing your entire editorial on an unverifiable premise.

So it's official: the BBC messed up. But however much Fox News feels vindicated by the verdict, it should not ignore the fact that many foreign observers feel that the political right has taken over America's news media, and that the overt political bias of Fox News and Clear Channel Radio has become a serious obstacle to the fair workings of democracy.

Un-friggin' believable. The IHT is the devil spawn of the NY Times and Washington Post, the two towers of liberal media bias and the self-annoited saviors of Democrats democracy - but allow some conservative views to seep into another outlet, and it's the end of the Republic as we know it.

But few thought a mainstream television audience would accept the same opinionated personalities that make conservative talk radio work.

A mainstream accepted Fox News because, well, WE'RE THE FRIGGIN MAINSTREAM, AS OPPOSED TO YOUR ELISTIST OVER-EDUCATED SNOT-NOSED CONDESCENSION THAT YOU TRY AND SHOVE DOWN OUR THROATS EACH AND EVERY DAY BECAUSE YOU ARE CONVINCED WE ARE INCAPABLE OF RATIONAL THOUGHT AND THEREFORE YOU HAVE TO DO ALL OUR THINKING FOR US.

[cripplecreek]

It sounded as if the writer belived that FOX was the only network we have in america.

[Shermy]

Libs looking for an enemy. Easier than self-examination.

[george wythe]

A mainstream accepted Fox News because, well, WE'RE THE FRIGGIN MAINSTREAM

The BBC, as well as most of the European media, is to left of NPR and Pacifica radio.

I'm surprised that about a third of Europeans are still pro-American and capitalist-loving. Their media feed them commie propaganda 24/7, from their soap operas to their news shows.

[spacewarp]

They aren't?