August 24, 2004
Fox News outspokenly critical; networks go with sources
While media criticism of John Kerry‘s military service far outweighed his positive coverage, ABC, CBS and NBC and the Fox News Channel differed in how they voiced their criticism. On Fox’s Special Report with Brit Hume, journalists were openly critical of John Kerry, the network reporters went for critical quotes from third parties in their account of the controversy.
On Fox, the largest share of criticism of Kerry came from the show‘s journalists, who were responsible for 63% of the negative statements on Kerry’s military service. Interviews with voters and experts only served as a secondary source of criticism on the show.
In the network's evening news broadcasts, the most frequent source of criticism of Kerry were interviews with individual voters, which accounted for 65% of the negative statements on Kerry’s military service. Journalists here were more reserved in tone, contributing only 27% of the total of negative statements.
Making frequent use of the "man on the street" as a source may well have a greater impact on the audience, since such quotes may appear more genuinely representative of the electorate. Similarly, a comment by an ordinary individual may also be perceived as more credible than open criticism from a reporter.
You can find the report with graphics at: http://www.mediatenor.com/US-Election_040823.htm
Posted by Isadora Badi at August 24, 2004 05:23 PMI watched a roundtable with Brit Hume on this subject and came away with a view that it was a reasonably balanced discussion of the subject.
Fox is clearly tilted toward the Republican agenda in general, but does offer some balanced and credible news reporting. If it is all you watch or read then your view of the world will be a bit tilted, but I cannot say Fox is completely irresponsible, they do offer some balance.
Posted by: Greg at August 25, 2004 12:39 AMI tuned into Hannity and Combes last night, you know just to get a little fair and balanced perspective on the issue, and there was Hannity asking Michael Dobbs why he didn’t ask Kerry the tough questions like did he inflict his own wound in order to receive his purple hearts. Ho where was there a discussion of Bush’s status during the war and the fact that he was AWOL for almost four months. Where O’ where was the fair and balanced reporting?
Posted by: V. Edward Martin at August 25, 2004 09:25 AMUmm I thought Hannity and Colmbes was editorial in nature, not news.
Posted by: Greg at August 25, 2004 12:05 PMWell some people say that HANNITY and combs represents hard hitting news.
Posted by: Michael at August 25, 2004 12:54 PMThose people would be commonly called morons.
Hannity and Colmes is news analysis. Both have their point of view on opposing sides. They are not journalists. If people can’t understand that then there is little hope for them.
Posted by: Aldaron at August 25, 2004 01:41 PMAldaron, we must ask that you dispense with the character assasinations and name calling. Critique the Message, Not the Messenger - that includes castigating groups of folks of which visitors here may be members of. This will be the only request made for your cooperation. Your assistance in this matter will be appreciated. Thank you.
You’re right and I’ll rectify it.
I’m sorry if I offended any morons.
Posted by: Aldaron at August 25, 2004 07:54 PMWhen did the news on any network become journalism? Is this a new development?
Posted by: Rocky at August 25, 2004 11:30 PMHannity and Colmes is news analysis.
People who analyze the news are supposed to, well, analyze actual events, not make crap up and then analyze it. Here is the kind of thing a left-wing version of Hannity would say, “Condi Rice slipped and called George Bush her husband. People are really wondering about that. Why don’t you wimpy right-wing journalists ask Bush if he was having sex with her? Thank God the Xof News Network is here to ask these important questions!”
Posted by: Woody Mena at August 26, 2004 01:08 PMLOL, well I didn’t say Hannity made intelligent commentary, just commentary.
Posted by: Greg at August 27, 2004 06:59 AMIrish Catholic Hannity is openly Republican, Jewish Colmes is openly a Democrat. How could you possibly have more balance with two individuals in an entertainment debate format?
Posted by: RLC at August 28, 2004 09:43 AMIsadora,
One thing I have noticed about the first couple of days of Fox News Channel’s GOP Convention, is the almost complete non-coverage of the many large protests that have taken place. At one point, a CNN reporter was interviewing live an articulate young female protester, while Fox was interviewing a guy from Tickets.com about how New Yorkers were getting out of town.
I’m guessing that, not until there is protester violence Fox can paint as ‘radical Liberal Bush haters/Kerry supporters’, and garner sympathy for Bush, their cameras will not stray far from the Garden.
Posted by: Bert M. Caradine at August 29, 2004 06:27 PMI’ve watched Alan a couple of weeks now and he’s got this in common with all the other lefty’s who warship Clinton. If their god beat his wife, raped his daughter, and blew his mother away for his inheritance; they’d all still be fighting for first in line to kiss his bare butt on national TV. Oh yes, they are also a waste of good oxygen. They actually believe we can believe the liberal junk they spew out of their mouthes. Thank you for your time, have a good day.
Posted by: John Galer at September 21, 2004 09:32 PMWhy didn’t Bush bring up the fact that Germany and France would never have joined an alliance agaisnt Hussein because they had their hand in the Food for Oil pot? I thought he missed a great opportunity to explain why unilateral action sometimes is just the only way to do it.
Posted by: Sandra Boynton at October 2, 2004 12:45 AMSean Hannity is so rude that he should be removed from “Hannity and Combes” because all he does is run on and on for Bush. He tries to make those who are not Bush followers answer with a yes or no so he can use up their time praising Bush. I guess he wants a job with the administration.
Posted by: Joan Ferko at October 4, 2004 09:23 PMWhy can’t Hannity point out the obvious: That the Democrats claim to be the champions of the poor, the downtrodden, and the homosexuals…… so why does John Kerry make a negative example of Dick Cheney’s daughter!??
Posted by: Bill Murdock at October 21, 2004 06:37 PM
