Bill O'Reilly: Calling Al Franken a satirist is a farce

New York Daily News ^ | August 18, 2003 | Bill O'Reilly

[Sir Valentino]

Calling Al Franken a satirist is a farce

In a few weeks, the Fox News Channel will celebrate its seventh birthday awash in publicity and success. From virtually nothing, the organization that employs me has risen up to become one of the most powerful news agencies in the country. This is a stunning achievement, but it's also one that has engendered bitterness and controversy.

Fox has succeeded by mixing a populist-traditional, pro-American editorial posture with lively debate that includes voices the traditional network news organizations would never allow airtime.

The accusation that Fox is a conservative network is pure propaganda. Poll after poll has demonstrated that Fox's audience is across the board, ideologically and demographically. The latest survey taken by Mediamark Research finds that more ultraconservative viewers watch CNN than Fox.

But facts don't matter to the Fox haters who are, themselves, primarily ultraliberal. The dominance of Fox in the cable news world has shattered the stranglehold the left had on TV news for decades, and that has caused fear and loathing in some political circles.

Using liberal-leaning newspapers and publishing houses, the critics of Fox have unleashed defamatory personal attacks on me and other Fox news analysts and have attempted to denigrate the entire network. If Fox News crashed and burned tomorrow, these people would toast marshmallows in the flames.

Now Fox News is striking back by putting the demonizers on notice that they will be held responsible when they violate trademarks or launch defamatory personal attacks on Fox personnel.

It is simply a sorry joke to see a political activist like Al Franken labeled a satirist by The New York Times. Attempting to smear and destroy the reputations of those with whom you politically disagree is not satire. If that were the case, Richard Nixon's Watergate plumbers would all be writing for "Saturday Night Live."

Fox News has become the highest-rated news network on cable because we feature lively debate and all honest voices are welcome. We don't do drive-by character assassinations, and we don't denigrate opposing points of view by launching gratuitous personal attacks. Fox's presentation is in the tradition of the raucous town meeting where passion and conviction are on display. We challenge people of all political persuasions.

It makes me sick to see intellectually dishonest individuals hide behind the First Amendment to spread propaganda, libel and slander. But this is a growing trend in America, where the exchange of ideas often degenerates into verbal mud wrestling with intent to injure. The poo-bahs at The Times know what a smear campaign is, but apparently, if it's directed at an enterprise the paper disapproves of, it's okay. I wonder how The Times' editorialists would react if their faces graced a book cover accompanied by the word "liar." Oh, right, they'd consider it satire.

This country is a better place because Fox News has succeeded. Now there is a wider range of thought and expression available 2-4/7. But the country is worse off because of the brutal repercussions of that success. A nation that prides itself on diversity of opinion and acceptance of differing political points of view is being subjected to an orgy of media defamation and sometimes outright hatred.

And satire has nothing to do with it.

Originally published on August 18, 2003

[Sir Valentino]

Go, Fox, Go!

Franken is *NOT* a satirist and *NOT* a comedian. This is all about *LIBEL* and *CHARACTER ASSASSINATION*.

Let's stop Franken from spreading his *LIBELOUS LIES*.

[over3Owithabrain]

I think the suit against Franken is ill-advised, chiefly because it will only give his book more attention. Bot BOR makes a good point that Franken's aim is not satire, but political ideology.

[Roscoe]

Calling Al Franken a satirist is satire.

[RDangerfield]

On radio this weekend, a reporter related O'Reilly's most outrageous lie so far. He has been claiming for the past year or two that he has always been a registered independent. A reporter checked the voting rolls and discovered that he registered Republican six years ago. When confronted, Bill claimed it was a mistake at the voters office that he couldn't get cleared up. The reporter went back out again and discovered that Bill had never requested that the registration be changed and in fact had voted three times as a REpublican since then. If he's a Republican, he should be proud, and if he has a brain, he should know that he would be caught if he lied. After claiming a Peabody award several times, and then having to admit that it was a much lesser Polk award, Bill is soon going to have some 'splaining to do, Lucy. His nose is growing. EVen if Franken is a sack of crap, Bill's lies make Franken look correct in this case.
--Raoul

[PianoMan]

A surprisingly eloquent article, I thought, given the source.

[Bluntpoint]

Historically, political ideology has been behind much parody and satire.

O'Reilly is acting like a child here.

[tallhappy]

Franken is a drug addled brain melt.

[.cnI redruM]

Franken and O'Rielly are evil clones. They sue and harass one another to drive up their own ratings. It's not shame, it's publicity. Who would have baught that man's drivel without O'Rielly to flog it for him?

[George Smiley]

Al Franken is to comedy what Michael Moore is to documentary filmmaking.

[CMClay]

Bill O'Reilly:

[Lazamataz]

Let's stop Franken from spreading his *LIBELOUS LIES*.

Well, we cannot quite do that. The First Amendment allows freedom of speech, even if that speech lies (defamation being another matter entirely).

But what we CAN do, is point out his lies and rebut them.

[Scenic Sounds]

Do you really think that just anyone should be able to print the words "fair and balanced" without permission from the Fox network?

[Nonstatist]

the suit against Franken is ill-advised, chiefly because it will only give his book more attention

So what if it does? If he loses the suit, he still loses. And thats the whole idea.

[Bluntpoint]

Ann Coulter refered to that witch Katie Couric as "Eva Braun."

Katie is not Eva.

Should Ann be sued?

No!

O'Reilly is abusing the process to stroke his own fragile ego.

[luckydevi]

Fox is a conservative network, which I have no problem with. It is not conservative as many claim it is, but it does lean right.

I think the lawsuit is a joke. This is clearly fueled by O'Reilly

[Born Conservative]

Franken can't make money by himself; he needs to ride the coattails of others (Rush, BOR) to sell books. The fact that he has to resort to wisecracks whenever he debates shows that he is incapable of any intellectual thought.

[GSWarrior]

Franken is a dork....what difference does it make if he is referred to as a satirist or a comedian? If he were witty and charming with an incisive wit would that make him any more palatable?

[Bluntpoint]

"Fair use" allows such use in parody and satire.

Watch SNL or Mad TV. Do you think they need permission from the very people they are making fun of?

[jjbrouwer]

What's new?

It's funny that the Daily News is being used by O'Reilly to promote the Murdoch media. It's former owner - the old crook, Robert Maxwell - would turn in his grave - if he wasn't so fat.

[Lazamataz]

Do you really think that just anyone should be able to print the words "fair and balanced" without permission from the Fox network?

Depends. Does the party intend to use it as a tag phrase to sell something?

Do you think New Balance sneakers would go very far if they started advertising their product with the phrase "Just Do It."?