CABLE NEWS RACE - as of MONDAY, AUG. 24, 2009 (as listed on Drudge Report.com)
1. FOXNEWS - O'REILLY 3,440,000
2. FOXNEWS - HANNITY 2,937,000
3. FOXNEWS - BECK 2,810,000
4. FOXNEWS - GRETA 2,450,000
5. FOXNEWS - BAIER 2,066,000
6. FOXNEWS - SHEP 1,860,000
7. MSNBC - OLBERMANN 1,114,000
8. CNN - KING 1,063,000
9. MSNBC - MADDOW 885,000
10. CNN - COOPER 827,000
11. MSNBC - HARDBALL 640,000
I didn't realize how popular FoxNews is... makes me wonder how much their "spin" on things is affecting the current political discourse right now. Is FoxNews closer to the truth on things, and that is why so many people spend so much time watching them broadcast?
Having watched FoxNews and CNN, and noting the obvious difference in how they present the news, I wonder what is appealing about FoxNews. I never get the sense from watching CNN that Americans should be afraid of "XYZ" politician or "MNO" policy. Rather, there is an emphasis on presenting both sides of an issue in balanced way, without the hint of "conspiracy" or "suspicion". But maybe I'm missing something, or misinterpreting the insights presented by FoxNews.
I'm not a Republican or a Democrat, I don't care about particular politicians. When I watch the news, I want the truth, or the facts - not opinions. But alas, no matter how "fair and balanced" a newsbroadcast corporation is, the broadcast corporation is still a "for-profit" entity that pre-judges what will be shown (or not shown) and how it will be presented. Everything is spun before it gets spoken.
Why must it be so hard to know the truth?
1 comment:
The first three are commentators, not "deliverers" of the news (although people on both sides take it that way). It's very obvious where their loyalties lie, but at the same time, it's very obvious where Keith Olbermann's loyalties lie. Essentially, most of the people listed on Drudge's site are editorialists who happen to talk on t.v.
There is fear mongering on both sides, which is one of the reasons I can't stand the current political climate.
If you're wondering how much Fox's "spin" on things has an impact on current political discourse, it didn't seem to have much impact on the '06 and '08 election (or so that's how people stereotype Fox News).
Bernie Goldberg said something to the effect of it's not that Fox News is really a conservative news station - it's just that they happen to have more conservatives in their operation than what is "normal".
But you hit the nail on the head - they're all "for-profit" entities.
Most "news" anymore isn't so much news because of what they OMIT rather than what they do show.
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