Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fox News Drops ‘Fair and Balanced’ Motto
NYT ^ | 6-14-17 | MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM

Posted on 06/14/2017 4:43:21 PM PDT by bimboeruption

Fox News is “Fair and Balanced” no more.

In the latest sign of change at the cable news network, the “Fair and Balanced” motto that has long been a rallying cry for Fox News fans — and a finger in the eye of critics — is gone. The channel confirmed on Wednesday that slogan and network have parted ways.

“The shift has nothing to do with programming or editorial decisions,” the network said in a statement. Instead, the slogan was dropped in part because of its close association with Roger Ailes, network’s co-founder, former chairman and the originator of the phrase, who was fired in August in a sexual harassment scandal.

The network said that “Fair and Balanced” was shelved as a marketing tool after Mr. Ailes’s departure. In its place is a new motto: “Most Watched, Most Trusted.”

Another Fox slogan, “We Report, You Decide,” also has been retired, although the network said that it returns occasionally.

Some viewers may be surprised. Several Fox News personalities still toss the phrase “fair and balanced” into on-air conversation, though it no longer appears in onscreen graphics. Gabriel Sherman, the longtime Fox News chronicler, reported on New York magazine’s website that the motto was gone for good.

The new motto, “Most Watched, Most Trusted,” mimics the firm cadence of the previous slogans, but lacks their Ailes-tinged tone of defiance.

For conservative-leaning viewers, “Fair and Balanced” was a blunt signal that Fox News planned to counteract what Mr. Ailes and many others viewed as a liberal bias ingrained in television coverage by establishment news networks.

But the slogan also caused conniptions among liberal critics of Fox News, who viewed it as an intentional needling of anyone who might question the network’s view of the news.

Mr. Ailes, who died in May, created the slogan with both of those purposes in mind. He coined the phrase when he and Rupert Murdoch founded Fox News in 1996, and it stuck.

Executives at Fox News acknowledge that it is rebuilding.

This year, Fox News has continued its yearslong streak as the top-rated cable news station over all, beating rivals MSNBC and CNN in total viewership.

But the loss of the anchors Megyn Kelly and Bill O’Reilly has taken a toll in prime time. In May, MSNBC was the highest-rated network in a key industry category, weeknight viewers 25 through 54, for the first time in nearly 17 years.

On Wednesday, executives at Fox News sought to play down the shedding of “Fair and Balanced,” saying the move was strictly a marketing decision and that the network’s approach to news coverage had not changed.

One senior network official emphasized that the slogan was officially dropped last August and virtually no one had noticed.

Some viewers may be surprised. Several Fox News personalities still toss the phrase “fair and balanced” into on-air conversation, though it no longer appears in onscreen graphics. Gabriel Sherman, the longtime Fox News chronicler, reported on New York magazine’s website that the motto was gone for good.

The new motto, “Most Watched, Most Trusted,” mimics the firm cadence of the previous slogans, but lacks their Ailes-tinged tone of defiance.

For conservative-leaning viewers, “Fair and Balanced” was a blunt signal that Fox News planned to counteract what Mr. Ailes and many others viewed as a liberal bias ingrained in television coverage by establishment news networks.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ailes; cnnfoxbc; fairandbalanced; fox; foxnews; liberal; propaganda
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-59 next last
To: bimboeruption

Oh that will help....
Maybe they can spend 100m and change their logo.


21 posted on 06/14/2017 5:05:09 PM PDT by Zathras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

Fair and balanced is a good concept. It seems impossible to be non-biased so ask different sides their views. It works.


22 posted on 06/14/2017 5:06:40 PM PDT by \/\/ayne (I regret that I have but one subscription cancellation notice to give to my local newspaper.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Islander7; Snickering Hound

I paid for OAN for about a year...

I know they’re just getting started and probably are on a tight budget, but IMHO, most of the talking heads were terrible. Especially, their answer to Megan Kelly, the blond who looks like a giant bunny rabbit. I think her name is Liz. She has her own show and talk about a brain dead Stepford Wife...

The only show I liked was the guy who came on at 8 PM.


23 posted on 06/14/2017 5:10:44 PM PDT by bimboeruption (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

Adios Fox - say many conservatives....... watch Fox drop to last place...


24 posted on 06/14/2017 5:16:01 PM PDT by Arlis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

“””””””””The Death of Fox began with their coverage of Katrina, IMHO.”””””””

I quit watching when Greta spent an entire year talking about the Scott Peterson murder case. And before that it was the endless coverage of the missing girl in Aruba.


25 posted on 06/14/2017 5:20:50 PM PDT by shelterguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

Liz Wheeler is much better than 'The Five' in the evening although admittedly I watch more live sports than anything else in that time slot.

No Juan/Geraldo...

26 posted on 06/14/2017 5:23:09 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Snickering Hound

Smokin’


27 posted on 06/14/2017 5:24:33 PM PDT by King Moonracer (I wish I had the Tantulus field, but I'd probably wear it out.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

Outside of Tucker and Hannity, I do not watch this channel any further.


28 posted on 06/14/2017 5:26:19 PM PDT by chris37 (Donald J. Trump, Tom Brady, The Patriots... American Destiny!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

At least they are no longer liars.


29 posted on 06/14/2017 5:27:14 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

I have also changed my Fox slogan from :mostly watched” to “rarely watched”.


30 posted on 06/14/2017 5:29:24 PM PDT by kempster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption
Over the years it morphed into a mouthpiece for the Establishment (Right and Left).

That's why they put idiots like Juan Williams and Dana Perino on the same show.

31 posted on 06/14/2017 5:33:23 PM PDT by Bullish (May as well just rename Hollywood---> Hypocrite city)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Islander7

Unfortunately Comcast doesn’t carry OAN.


32 posted on 06/14/2017 5:37:25 PM PDT by Hugin (Conservatism without Nationalism is a fraud.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

Just go ahead and cut their throat.


33 posted on 06/14/2017 5:39:09 PM PDT by ealgeone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

The Colmes/Hannity thing was ages ago, so far back I almost forgot ;) Yes, they did seem F&B then.


34 posted on 06/14/2017 5:40:33 PM PDT by CottonBall (Thank you, Julian)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Snickering Hound

I miss Cassie Louffen


35 posted on 06/14/2017 5:44:23 PM PDT by al baby (May the Forceps be with you Hi Mom Its a Joke friends)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

Yeah Carlson and Hannity are the only ones remaining that are worth watching. I liked Meagain until she outed herself as a full blown narcissist during the Presidential ‘debates’. And please why isn’t S Smith on CNN or MSNBC already. It makes me want to puke when I see him. I wouldn’t watch him if the norks were attacking during his broadcast.


36 posted on 06/14/2017 5:44:50 PM PDT by TnTnTn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

“Most Watched, Most Trusted.”

I think these sailed off with the others, didn’t they?


37 posted on 06/14/2017 5:50:37 PM PDT by sayfer bullets (I didnt leave the [---] party, the [---] party left me. - Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hugin

Directv, AT&T Uverse, Verizon Fios. Or get a Roku and watch them over the web.

I


38 posted on 06/14/2017 5:51:08 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Secret Agent Man

I don’t know. Most watched most trusted seems to shown false by the ratings they are getting.


39 posted on 06/14/2017 5:52:09 PM PDT by xp38
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: bimboeruption

“Fair and Balanced” was the old Nixon era language used by Roger Ailes and Company when they worked for the GOP back then.

Back in the 1960’s and 70’s the major media organizations were in the early stages of a liberal bias that would morph and metastasize as the decades went by and the more extremely indoctrinated Marxist-Leninist influenced students graduated and joined its ranks.

Of course Fox News was all about GOP Establishment talking points being peddled to sucker the grassroots Conservatives into supporting the GOPe agenda-candidates.

FOX NEWS EXPERIENCED ‘MISSION FAILURE’ LAST YEAR WITH DONALD TRUMP’S TRIUMPH IN THE GOP PRIMARY SEASON.

The cleaning of the house, retribution, reorganization, call it what you will is underway.

Fox News Channel will still be about the Republican Establishment suckering Conservatives.

Its just that the presentation will be revamped to that end.

Trash “Liberals, Democrats, etc. etc.” and extol Republican politicians who are not Trump supporters and never will be, even if many are faking it right now.


40 posted on 06/14/2017 5:52:36 PM PDT by Nextrush (Freedom is everybody's business: Remember Pastor Niemoller)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-59 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson