Are Bill O'Reilly And Fox News Biased? I Report, You Decide!

Toogood Reports ^ | December 27, 2001 | Isaiah Flair

[Starmaker]

I will report, and let readers decide.

For quite some time now, I have been a major fan of the Fox News Channel, CNN´s 24-7 cable competitor.

CNN serves up news with a mix of male-bashing feminism, proactively atheistic secular humanism, and a bitter, America-last attitude. Their graphics look like something out of a garage home-editing chop shop. Their anchors robotically proclaim an ultraliberal party-line agenda which apparently flowed directly onto their copy sheets from Gloria Steinem´s misandric pen.

The Fox News Channel, in marked contrast, offers viewers Fair And Balanced coverage of breaking news events from around the country and around the world. Not only is their coverage accurate and immediate, it is presented in an interesting, engaging way. Their graphics, sets, and production values are all top-rate. Their anchors and show hosts, from Sean Hannity to Bill O´Reilly, offer tough, no-holds-barred commentary on all of the issues facing real people in America. They also engage in truly credible investigative reporting, which allows viewers to “get the scoop” and learn the inside details of a given story before they would anywhere else.

One aspect of the Fox News Channel that has become especially apparent since 9/11 has been their spin on our nation. After years of watching CNN and the so-called mainstream media present international stories from an “everything must be America´s fault” perspective, it is good to see the Fox News Channel (FNC) take another tack.

What FNC does is unabashedly present the news in a patriotic, America-first way. When you see a graphic-design flag appearing with their logo, you can believe that it represents more than just lip-service to our country. The FNC is blatantly in favor of the United States, and clearly proud to be a part of it.

This attitude reminds me of war coverage in WWII. In that era, there was no offering of moral equivalency to the Nazis. There was no attempt to understand Hitler. Instead, the media supported America and American soldiers in their battles against foreign enemies. The Fox News Channel is reviving that WWII-era patriotism, something which has been missed over the last number of decades.

And yet...

And yet, the extreme Left, in it´s own self-interest, is complaining greatly that the Fox News Channel is “biased”. Leading the charge with this complaint is the media watch organization, FAIR.org. FAIR.org complains that Bill O´Reilly, host of the popular show The O´Reilly Factor and author of the books The No-Spin Zone and The O´Reilly Factor, is very conservative.

They also suggest that FNC CEO Roger Ailes has a conservative bias. Just for argument´s sake, let´s say they are right. Not only about O´Reilly and Ailes, but about Tony Snow and Brit Hume. After all, both Hume and Snow have openly acknowledged their Christian faith, belief in moral absolutes, and love for their nation.

On the air, no less.

The real question is twofold: First, why did “media watch” organizations like FAIR.org fail to lambaste the obvious pro-feminist left-wing bias of CNN, ABC, NBC, and CBS (as so brilliantly proven in Bernard Goldberg´s great new book, Bias)? Could it be that FAIR.org is not interested in fair criticism of both sides of the political fence, but rather only in going after the Fox News Channel for boldly refusing to meekly carry the liberal party line?

Second, given that all of the broadcast networks news programs and CNN slant to the Left, what would be wrong with the Fox News Channel slanting to the right?

Slant away, FNC.

Your ratings are soaring because you appeal to a population which has long been poorly served by the mass media: Patriotic American conservatives.

[Leesylvanian]

Since NBC/CBS/ABC/CNN only feature the conservative viewpoint 5-10% of the time, they are biased.

You think its really that much? Usually, when the "conservative" viewpoint is being presented, its some bowtie wearing, non-offensive guy, like George Will or William Kristol, who is "safe" because he won't point out the fact that Clinton is a traitor or that Hillary is the anti-christ.

[BUSHdude2000]

I agree that O'Reilly is a great investigator, just look at the way he went after Jesse Hi-Jackson, O'reilly uncovered some great stuff.

But since you read his book, you know he's not conservative. I still don't know what he is. There were too many times in that book where he gave great arguments for both sides of an issue and then he left it alone without saying what his view was.

Fox News is only different from the other channels in the sense that they do throw in a few conservatives here and there. Unfortunately, Hannity has to sit next to that communist who admitted giving his $300 refund check to the ACLU.

Rupert Murdoch is in bed with China, listen to Michael Savage's speech to the Commonwealth Club of California to know all you need to about Murdoch's dealings with the Chinese.

[NC_Libertarian]

Bill O'Reilly is a liberal without the bleeding heart.

[7thson]

You are right - oversight of all charities, regulating Detroit to build specific vehicles that get 30-50 mpg but fold into an accordian upon impact with a rabbit. He is also a great admirer of Bobby Kennedy and the Kennedys in general - has said so on the air.

And yet - I still like to watch him. I credit his show with forcing the charities to cough up the cash. His battle with George Clooney and the rest of the no-talent squad from Hollywood has embarrassed them to hit military installations for goodwill/USO tours. He even got Hillary to start paying attention to the surviving relatives of the 9/11 war casualties. Is he right - no. Is he left - a little. Does he have a sense of right and wrong and protection of the weak from the strong? I believe he does.

[RightOnline]

Excellent post. I agree. Bump.

[Lee'sGhost]

"FNC may not be perfect, but it is certainly the best news channel available today. My theory about Fox is that they are labeled right-wing or conservative because people have been spoon fed liberal pablum for so long that when something unbiased comes along, it appears to be right-wing."

Yes! I've been saying this sort of thing for a good while now. Conservatives like FOX bec it IS balanced. To the libs, that's unfair. So they try to paint FOX as conservative in an obvious attempt to discredit it. "We can't have people watching FAIR news coverage." If people are given ALL THE FACTS, libs lose!

And another thing, its funny that the libs whine about FOX talking heads who ID themselves as conservative but think it's perfectly OK that the Lamestream networks talking heads continue to misrepresent themselves and UNBIASED journalists. What a joke. IN their view, deception is good foundation upon which to report the news.

[Leesylvanian]

IN their view, deception is good foundation upon which to report the news.

Deception is necessary when you are presenting the BIG LIE! Just ask Goebbels!

[RnMomof7]

Murdock contributed to Clinton/Gore he is no conservative..he simply knows how to make money..I expect to see Fox turn into CNN anytime soon!

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

My review of O'R's 'No Spin' at Amazon.com:

Only from the Mind of O'Reilly, November 21, 2001
Reviewer: A Vast Right-Wing Conspirator (see more about me) from Easton, PA USA
These are a some selected pearls of O'Reilly wisdom - I must admit, I do not watch his show as much and as often as I should. But then, I only have this much time to waste:

- The Serb people deserve to be punished as a people. They are 'bad' people.
- Afghanistan is a country of 2 towns and 5 roads. O'Reilly knows it because he saw it 'on a map'.
- Our military should win in Afghanistan by bombing their 'water delivery systems'. (I almost died laughing on this one)
- The entertainers who raised money for the Sep. 11 victims must answer all questions that O'Reilly asks unless they admit to be bad people.
- George Bush should have fired nearly all Dept. of Defense because they were not prosecuting the war in Afghanistan as fast and furious as O'Reilly recommended on his show.
- The stock market was going down last November-December because of the Florida vote count impasse. In fact, 'all knowing' O'Reilly almost yelled Cavuto out of the Factor when Cavuto tried offer some rational (fact based that is) explanation.

Why do I like O'Reilly? Because I love to be entertained.

Why should lots of people be O'Reilly fans? Because he's relentlessly pursuing that Nirvana of journalism (so to speak) - always aim at 'the lowest common denominator'.

[blackie]

"Bill O'Reilly is hardly a conservative. At times, he sounds like a socialist."

Right-on, he loves the democRAT version of campaign finance reform and he doesn't have a clue about the Second Amendment !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

The Right Of The People To Keep And Bear Arms Shall Not Be Infringed !!

An Armed Citizen, Is A Safe Citizen !!

No Guns, No Rights !!

Molon Labe !!

Happy New Year !!

[RussianBear716]

And he probably isn't a Christian either

[RnMomof7]

and...

[mulligan]

Think you are reading Mr. O'Reilly wrong.

He is a `hot dog' and only interested in his ratings.

He doesn't care about the `working person' anymore than do politicians. He just has an ego bigger than a `daisy bomb' and only wants to get re-elected (be #1).

Other than that FOX, overall, does an excellent job.

[rwfromkansas]

Well, he is a Libertarian.

[CubicleGuy]

Are Bill O'Reilly And Fox News Biased?

Of course they are. Everyone is biased. Anyone who loudly proclaims a lack of bias is not only biased, but ignorant, too.

[Amerigomag]

Until and unless Ailes fires Rivera this is just an academic pursuit.

Anyone who employs Rivera is neither conservative nor liberal.

They're just stupid and it irks me no end that they also think I'm stupid.

[blackie]

Happy New Year !!

My favorite day of the year is the one I'm living...yesterday has gone, tomorrow never comes; all that we have is, today... :o)