Underdog Fox News wins war ratings race

New York -- The newsroom at Fox News Channel used to be a Sam Goody and still has that generic retail look -- only crammed full of people, files and computers.

Executives work out of small offices with old furniture. Carpeting in the studios is frayed. Compared with its competitors, the network has less space, fewer international correspondents and a shorter journalistic tradition. But as the nation continues to wage war against Iraq, the unabashedly patriotic network has more viewers.

Critics snicker at the red-, white- and blue-festooned screen and say the network of Bill O'Reilly offers opinion, not news. But it has struck a chord with American viewers. A clear cable news ratings winner going into the war, Fox has held on to its No. 1 status, even during a serious international news event -- turf that Atlanta-based CNN long commanded.

"They announced for two months they were going to clean our clocks," Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes said of CNN executives. "My dad always taught me that if someone is bragging about beating you up, stay quiet until the fighting starts. The only thing that matters once the fighting starts is who wins."

Fox may be winning the ratings race, but its patriotic tone goads some detractors.

"It lacks skepticism," said Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

But viewers like 31-year-old North Georgia attorney Jenny Yates like it. "It is refreshing to hear news reports that are absent the liberal bias that is present in the reports on the other major news broadcasts," Yates said.

Alex Cobble, a 50-year-old commercial real estate broker from east Cobb, said he preferred Fox because most media have a "liberal, elitist bent."

Since its launch in 1996, Fox has steadily gained viewership. In January of last year, Fox for the first time beat CNN in both prime time and daylong ratings figures.

Still, there was speculation that CNN would win the ratings as the war started because of its vast international news operation and its hard news reputation. CNN pulled way ahead during other big events, including Sept. 11. It also reclaimed its lead briefly after the Columbia shuttle disaster. Also, CNN had a track record in the gulf region, having made its name there in 1991.

MSNBC, a distant third in ratings, also has extensive resources due to its relationship with NBC.

Despite apparent disadvantages, Fox attracted more viewers the night the United States first attacked Baghdad -- a lead it has held on to throughout the conflict.

Fox attracted an average of 3.6 million viewers from the night the war started through Thursday. By contrast, CNN attracted 3.2 million viewers and MSNBC drew 1.6 million. All are up dramatically from this time last year, though MSNBC and CNN have had bigger percentage increases than Fox.

Ratings aside, CNN lead anchor Aaron Brown said CNN's coverage would be viewed as historic because it has been broad and shown all sides of the story, including negative sentiments about the war from other parts of the world.

But at Fox headquarters, executives are gloating about ratings. They are proud, they say, to have won the contest with fewer resources. Fox, for instance, says it has 100 staffers in the gulf region, while CNN claims more than 200.

"Do we have 50 Humvees in the field? No. Maybe you don't need 50 Humvees in the field," said Bill Shine, network executive producer. "Maybe you need good journalists on the air."

Sharri Berg, who heads news operations, said reporters in the Middle East have spotted large convoys from other media outlets but were not awed. "They will say, 'There are three of us.' There is a certain pride in that," Berg said.

Strolling through the newsroom, she proudly points out a mere four people at that moment working on the international desk.

Anchors for the network's morning show "Fox and Friends" also seem to revel in their no-frills digs, contrasting theirs to CNN's slick studio down the street.

"Not only that, we have a fly problem" added Brian Kilmeade. "When we aren't on camera, we are swatting down flies."

Though often criticized as buzzing with conservative bias, Fox executives say they are including both conservative and liberal voices, instead of just the liberal ones that most networks present.

Fox has not "inserted conservative dogma and called it news," said John Moody, senior vice president for news editorial. "What we've done is open the spectrum of opinion or point of view."

E.D. Hill, another "Fox and Friends" host, said Fox stands out because anchors can show emotion and be themselves on air. Hill, who wears an American flag pin and a pin representing the 3rd Infantry on her lapel, said she is "absolutely patriotic."

A Fox commercial supports the troops: "For your courage, for your sacrifice, your bravery," reads the message on screen, "we salute you."

Craig Allen, coordinator of broadcast news at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, said that kind of flag-waving plays well in Middle America. "There's nobody with a British accent, and they don't seem to be reporting other countries' perspectives."

Rosenstiel, the Project for Excellence in Journalism director, noted that more people watch CNN each day. However, because viewers tend to watch Fox longer, it gets higher viewership at any given time. That means people may be checking into CNN for quick news updates while watching Fox longer for "a kind of comfort, an affirmation."

Another key to Fox's success, Rosenstiel said, is its consistency. While CNN and MSNBC have had leadership changes, programming changes and strategy shifts, Fox has stuck with its format.

By contrast, last week CNN canceled "Connie Chung Tonight" less than a year after its launch, part of a larger effort to return the network to its serious roots.

Fox staffers credit Ailes, who has run the network since its inception and who rules from a corner office, for holding to a steady course.

Ailes' deputy Moody says the biggest threat to Fox's continued success is complacency.

Several things turned me off to CNN - first of all was the dark or morose colors they used. Sure, war isn't a party, but FOX's red, white and blue was more appropriate - since the USA's butt was on the line in this war. CNN seemed to approach it as though the USA was some country they weren't associated with.

Secondly, none of the CNN people would ever smile! Even when there were some good things and some funny things - even their embedds did not appear to be having a good time. Whereas, FOX's people were just great! Even laughing at themselves and some of the things they had to go through (using baby wipes). It made them seem human, and not aloof!

Thirdly, CNN continually took the low ground. They continually charged the admin with not only not knowing what they were doing, but they also claimed that we were, so to speak, way beyond our capability.

After hearing about Jordan's confession - and realizing how cold and calculated CNN is - I believe CNN will continue to go down the tube and FOX will only continue to get better and better. Why? Because people are fed up with the left-wing drivel.

Rosenstiel, the Project for Excellence in Journalism director, noted that more people watch CNN each day.

That is because they are in 3 times the outlets then Fox news. When Fox News catches up to CNN in outlets there will be NO comparison and hopefully CNN will be thrown into the trash heap of cable news history.

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