The Gung-Ho Morning Gang (Wash. Post Slags Fox & Friends, FR Mentioned)

The Washington Post ^ | Friday, April 4, 2003 | Paul Farhi

[kristinn]

"Good Morning America" it isn't. Nor is it the "Today" show or CBS's "Early Show." This is not your everyday feel-good, rise-and-shine TV show by any means.

On Fox News Channel's weekday morning show, "Fox & Friends," they start out swinging. Just after coming on the air at 7 a.m. on Monday, for example, co-hosts E.D. Hill and Brian Kilmeade were off and galloping before the coffee was cold.

SNIP

The audience for "Fox & Friends" has grown so large of late that it has begun to rival the broadcast networks' venerable morning shows. Its war-spiked Nielsens are now almost identical to what those of CBS's "Early Show" -- the No. 3 wake-up program -- were in the week before the war started.

SNIP

In any case, Hill, Doocy and Kilmeade have solicited viewers to send in "patriotic" photos. They have given plugs for conservative organizations such as Free Republic.com, but none for any moderate or left-of-center outfits. Their guest list has ranged from those supportive of the war (think tankers Peter Brookes and Michael O'Hanlon) to those who are aggressively promoting it (Randy Scheunemann of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq).

SNIP

[kristinn]

The libs are beside themselves. American viewers have made FOX News Channel number one in cable and their ratings are closing in on the Big Three.

The Post ignores the blatant liberal bias of every other show mentioned in the article. The Post even ignores all the liberal guests on Fox & Friends. The Janeane Garafalo-Brian Kilmeade interview is a classic, yet somehow it's not included here. Nope no liberal bias at The Post, no sir.

[RepubMommy]

The libs are beside themselves. American viewers have made FOX News Channel number one in cable and their ratings are closing in on the Big Three.

That's right, I will take this show over the Kathy Gifford replacement anyday.

[Gefreiter]

I watch this show because, contrary to what the Post intimates, they do have top-flight guests: ambassadors, authors, and members of the seemingly inexhaustible pool of retired Army field grade officers.

I don't find ED Hill particularly bright, or Kilmeade for that matter...I've heard both of them say alot of pretty dumb things with some frequency. But Kilmeade's funny, and Doocy's funny, and the show works.

Now, why they have to talk to that j--koff DJ from Chicago every morning I have no idea.

[txradioguy]

Question: How can you tell that the war is going well?

Answer: By the depressed looks on the news anchor's faces.


I LOVE Fox and Friends. They certainly are a change of pace and a refreshing change from the retreads on CBS and ABC, and Matt and the Perky One on NBC. I'm also amused how apoplectic the RATS and their scribes in the media the more successful FNC gets. And besides, I'm a member of the media and I do NOT see anything wrong with the patriotic things that FNC is doing. I think it's GREAT!

[RepubMommy]

ping

[YaYa123]

This morning Brian Lamb showed an anti FOX News demonstration that happened yesterday in front of the FOXNews/C-Span building. It looked pretty ragged, one of the signs and chanters called for FOXNews to lose it's license. Brian informed viewers that only the affiliates, not FOXNews, has to be licensed.

Of course we know what's happened. The anti-Bush, anti-America, anti-war crowd has been dealt a mortal blow. President Bush's poll numbers are high and the war is going well. They can't logically expect to win friends and influence people by protesting against the USA while soldiers are at war, so they've shifted their target to FOXNews.

God Bless America...our soldiers....and FOXNews.

[Amore]

I love Fox & Friends! They have a great camaraderie, and I love all 3 of them. For that matter, I love all 10 or so of them. I.e., whenever they plug in a substitute, the sub fits in very well. Finally us "Silent Majority" types have a voice!

[YaYa123]

Brian also read from an article (or editorial), in today's Wall Street Journal that I can't access. It describes the cable competition of war coverage. If it gets posted, I hope someone will ping me.

[philman_36]

Now, why they have to talk to that j--koff DJ from Chicago every morning I have no idea.
Hey now!...lay off the Mancow. I find him very funny and "in your face" blunt when necessary.
I watched/watch F&F just for Mancow when I was/am able to...45 minutes after the hour, like clockwork (generally).
loved the Captain Kirk paintball one!

[7thson]

I do not like the show on the weekends. They have a black guy now that is so liberal - more so IMO than Juan Williams.

[ErnBatavia]

That article sounds like one of those Saddam "speeches"....

[ReleaseTheHounds]

I'm tempted to respond to this article: "The Today Show?" "The Early Show?" "Good Morning America?" ABC, NBC, CBS? .... OH! Old Television! Yeah, I remember.

[McGruff]

All Your TVs Are Belong To Us.

[kristinn]

I don't suppose Brian Lamb mentioned the "pro-FOX" demonstrators across the street.

Unreported in the 'old media' is the FOX News-Opinion Dynamics poll that showed 63% of the public have an unfavorable opinion of anti-war protesters, while only 23% have a favorable opinion of them.

[PGalt]

The Information Age (access and rebuttal by ANY individual currently on the internet) forces the truth. The former "elite propagandists" are not responding to our rebuttals which are being mainstreamed by the likes of FOX and radio outlets. They run from a rebuttal. Their arguments become irrational in the marketplace of ideas. Their world is being turned upside down. They can't handle the truth.

[Amore]

Do you mean Julian?

[lodwick]

Fox bttt

[cynicom]

Perhaps a majority of the viewers would rather not have "bright" media people as displayed by the major networks. Just perhaps many Americans would prefer people that are honest, with integrity, instead of "bright" condescending people with a socialist agenda.

[kristinn]

I am so glad to have Fox & Friends in the morning. Washington Journal, which I used to watch regularly, got taken over by liberal producers and is overrun with liberal callers who lie so as to dominate the phone lines.

[milagro]

I have gotten into the habit of getting up at 4:30 PST to watch F&F because they are, unlike Peter Arnett, unashamedly PROUD of our troops, which includes my son! Even the anti-war types claim to support our troops--why should the author of the article be so critical of F&F's "gung ho" support.

His article makes all three of the F&F hosts sound "mean"--but E.D. asked "what's up with the hair" about the war protestor because her hair was BLUE! Of course, that was not mentioned.

It just infuriates me that the left in this country think that "news analysts" expressing support for our troops is being biased--but George Stephanapolous and his ilk supporting Bill Clinton and his "offal" office antics was "fair and balanced." It delights me--OTOH--that the left has gotten it's collective panties twisted in such tight little wads over the success of Fox and Friends!

Go Fox!