By the right, Fox in step with brass

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | April 8, 2003 | Tom Allard, Herald Correspondent in Kuwait City

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Not for the first time, the most spectacular images of the United States armoured advance to Baghdad have come from Rupert Murdoch's Fox Network.

After scooping its cable news rivals CNN and MSNBC with footage of troops entering Baghdad and then later storming Saddam International Airport, a Fox reporter, Greg Kelly, and his cameraman had the dress circle view yesterday as a column of US 3rd Infantry division tanks took a tour of Baghdad landmarks.

Starting at Saddam Hussein's main presidential palace, viewers were afforded footage of gold-plated wash basins and waterfalls, and a US soldier hoisting a Georgia University pennant.

Then onto Baghdad's parade grounds and their giant crossed sabres commemorating the Iraq-Iran war. US soldiers mugged for the camera and held up the stars and stripes while Kelly did live crosses with Fox anchors in Washington.

Then came the coup de grace: the destruction of the iconic statue of Saddam astride a steed to cheers from the US soldiers.

Meanwhile, Fox's rivals were shut out of town. CNN had to make do with distant shots of smoke-filled Baghdad and retold wire service stories from reporters with troops.

A US military spokesman, Max Blumenfeld, denied that Fox - with its racy but unashamedly patriotic and unquestioning coverage of the war - was being openly favoured. However, he did say enigmatically that public affairs officers such as him were paid to "know your enemy".

"Fox may well have more access. They have good contacts and they asked the right questions in the pre-planning."

Fox is now the most watched cable news network, introducing a right-wing tabloid ethos to the staid 24-hour news industry.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Sounds like an editorial to me.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Starting at Saddam Hussein's main presidential palace, viewers were afforded footage of gold-plated wash basins and waterfalls, and a US soldier hoisting a Georgia University pennant.

This Aussie reporter doesn't understand that it's UGa, not GU. ;-)

[Hugin]

Yes, they knew last December when the reporters were embedded in the various units that the one Greg Kelly was in would be the unit that took Saddam's palace.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

What a plan.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Well, it is down under. Even the Moon looks different from there.

[Keith in Iowa]

A US military spokesman, Max Blumenfeld, denied that Fox - with its racy but unashamedly patriotic and unquestioning coverage of the war - was being openly favoured. However, he did say enigmatically that public affairs officers such as him were paid to "know your enemy".

Ain't that the truth...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Meanwhile, Fox's rivals were shut out of town. CNN had to make do with distant shots of smoke-filled Baghdad and retold wire service stories from reporters with troops.

CNN has a news bureau in Havana. Not much but the commie, Castro line is reported. They've decided, you can turn the channel to Fox.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Oh, but... but they aren't biased. Really they're not.

Boo-hoo, Fox is ruining all our beautiful propaganda. Boo-hoo.

[truth_seeker]

"Fox may well have more access. They have good contacts and they asked the right questions in the pre-planning."

Whatever this comment means, I find the military commentators on Fox to be the most believable, knowledgable and interesting.

Fox viewership lead indicates the customer likes their version of the undertakings. Maybe they please people, with more military analysis, and less bogging down in quagmires.

For video, each network has had good episodes, and most of the time equality.

[Mustang]

Agree. Truth trumps spin....everytime.

[Tamzee]

Another hitpiece masquarading as "reporting"... and yet they say they aren't biased LOL Denial or out-and-out fraud? The liberals report, we decide ;-)

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bumps!

[fightinJAG]

"tabloid ethos"

HAHAHAHAHHHAAAA

[dennisw]

Fox is now the most watched cable news network, introducing a right-wing tabloid ethos to the staid 24-hour news industry.

This and Rush Limbaugh style talk radio is what has the liberals whining about being the media being biased. Liberal control over our universities, over major newspapers and editorial pages doesn't count. Neither does liberal control over ABCNBCCBSCNNPBS which is where far more Americans get their news than Fox.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Fact: Greg Kelly served in the Marines.
Fact: Greg Kelly is now in the Marine Reserves.
Fact: Greg Kelly works for Fox News.
Fact: The Pentagon assigned reporters to specific units.
Fact: The Pentagon knew the battle plan.

Opinion: It's more likely that Greg Kelly was assigned to the 3rd ID because he served in the Marines and NOT because he works for Fox News Channel.

Opinion: This reporter either left out Greg Kellys military record on purpose to make a political statement, or did pathetic research before writing this article, or both.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They're green with envy.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

They want to own it all. Schools of education, journalism and government train LIBERALS of yesterday, today and tomorrow. We need to crack that mold.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Both.

[Beck_isright]

Let's review the competition's checkered history with the current administration:

"He was selected not elected"...Everyone said this but Fox. Yes, I would say that puts everyone else off to a bad start with W's first four years. If we do recover Sadamn's body, you can count on FOX to cover it live.

V

[DainBramage]

CNN is bogged down.