What I’ve Learned From Dropping Fox News

The Federalist ^ | 01/07/2015 | By Greg Scandlen

[SeekAndFind]

I switched to Dish from Comcast about three months ago. Dumb. I was hoping to save some money and don’t care for Comcast’s politics. I knew satellites have some reception problems during storms, but was willing to live with that. I had no idea they would drop the only channel worth watching on television.

Now, I don’t like everything about Fox. Sean Hannity is too strident for my tastes, and Bill O’Reilly is a blowhard bully, but I’m less interested in the prime-time programming than in the daytime news, now that I’m retired and at home most days.

Of course, being retired means I’m far from the “key demographic” advertisers crave, so no one really cares what I think. The advertisers are right: I don’t spend much money these days. I have all the clothes and furniture I will ever need, we mostly eat at home, I’m not a drinker, and I’m certainly not buying expensive gifts to impress a love interest—we’ve been together long enough that she is beyond being impressed by anything I might do.

But I am, and have always been, a news junkie. Even in elementary school my favorite topic was “current events,” and I’ve been active in politics my whole life. So, unlike most of the public, I relish the “24-hour news cycle.” So, life without Fox News has been educational.

This is what I have learned so far.

The Other Outlets Are Shallow and One-Sided

Both MSNBC and CNN are far more one-sided than I ever realized.

[posterchild]

I learned that insipid mortgage commercials interspersed with nothing but gary condit updates told me nothing about the state of the world.

[sauropod]

.

[BenLurkin]

CNN ran a feature about the ten biggest stories of 2014, and didn’t even mention the midterm elections. Like it never even happened.

Memory Hole.

[SevenofNine]

I was going back forth between BBC world news and Al Jazeera today CNN interniaotnal okay sometime they are good lately they being doing reality show on CNN international got tired of it

I remember when KCET oh man back in da day used to have BBC world news back to back in the morning and afternoon when I got home from school that was in the 1980s back in da day

For while KLCS Los Angeles was showing ITN world news in 1980s that was good

[Doug Loss]

So no one is aware of One America News Network?

[zerosix]

This guy finds Hannity "too strident" and O'Reilly a "blowhard bully," humm.

I can agree with him on the "blowhard" but without totally understand his definition of "strident," I'm hard pressed to understand his reasoning there.

I find someone speaking for the Federalist, who can't understand the line-up on a satellite dish a bit "low information" to be taken seriously.

[KoRn]

I haven’t watched cable news for nearly two years. I get all of my news from the internet or radio.

I’ve turned increasingly apathetic and cynical over time, so I really don’t give a damn about it all much anymore. The bought-off crooked bastards are gonna do what they are gonna do. (see yesterday’s House Speaker election as the perfect example)

I just turned all the crap off and decided to enjoy life as much as I can. To think I used to follow this stuff like a cliffhanger movie just kills me. That’s time out of my lide I’ll never get back. lol

[Washi]

I have Dish.
It’s actually been refreshing to have a break from the Karl Rove channel’s endless campaigning for Jeb Bush.

[sarasmom]

Really?

Greta and Megan are “all emotion and no facts”?
ROTFLMAO!
I wonder how Sharyl (not technically an official “FOX” female reporter...yet) rates in your opinion?

I agree you do need an outlet that feeds you some logic.
Balance of post self redacted...due to posting rules.

[Whenifhow]

here’s the thread
One America News Network ( I found this and so far love it!)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3244556/posts

[corbe]

Mainly I listen to Americana Music on my local Radio station all day.

BUT-I’m turning DISH off next week, paid my last payment last year. I only watched FOX/Special Report anyway.

Now I stream it off the NET, I don’t get the full hour and it doesn’t stream till an hour or two after the program airs, but it’s enough for me considering I’m saving $120 a month.

Just streamed American Sniper, great movie. Got more things to watch now than I’ll ever have time to watch-all commercial free. Adding an HD antenna next week for locals because my girl likes that sitcom crap they offer.

[TBP]

Try The Blaze TV.

[The Duke]

I can’t speak for all the other males out there, but one reason I watch FOX is because I wanna watch the pretty girls.... (shallow but true ).

When my 3 boys were younger they used to enjoy watching FOX News, but always with the sound turned off. It made me smile inside. :)

[minnesota_bound]

There is the Fox News women. I think that is the main reason my 92 year old uncle watched!! : )

[SeekAndFind]

One name says it all:
Andrea Tantaros

Just following the rules...

[Captainpaintball]

I wonder what the author would think of The Blaze if he realized it is available on Dish as a free trial during the Fox blackout.

Next M/T/W GB is going to air a special on Russia. Just like his caliphate work on Fox, it promises to be ahead of the curve.

[Vision Thing]

“The females talk too fast and, really, they are all emotion and no facts.”

Megyn may talk too fast and be emotional on occasion, but she only becomes emotional, mainly angry, when someone argues against the facts.

[gwgn02]

Photoshopped more?

[353FMG]

OAN, in my opinion, is an excellent news network.

[dandiegirl]

Every program on FOX all day has at least one segment on Jeb. I turn it off immediately.