Obama vs. Fox News
November 5, 2009 • By Tony Spadaccia, The Breeze
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In the last few weeks, Americans have witnessed something never seen before in our history; the President of the United States has declared war on…a news network.
It’s nothing out of the ordinary for a president to complain about media treatment, every president since George Washington has done it. But what makes this instance unique is that President Obama has specifically singled out the Fox News Channel, and his administration seems totally committed to its marginalization and destruction.
To justify such an action, the White House has argued that Fox News operates as nothing more than “a wing of the Republican Party,” pandering to a demographic sliver of conservative ideologues, and thus it doesn’t behave “the way that legitimate news organizations behave”.
Unfortunately for the President though, the numbers don’t support those claims.
In the 13 years of Fox News’ existence, it has become the dominant cable news channel. Fox beats CNN and MSNBC so thoroughly that, according to Nielson, Fox programming wins its time slot for almost every hour of every day both in terms of total viewers and those within the critically important adult demographic aged 25 to 54.
Last August, the Pew Research Center released a study showing that while 39 percent of Fox News viewers are Republicans, 33 percent are Democrats. By comparison, according to the same study, only 18 percent of CNN and MSNBC viewers are Republicans while 51 percent and 45 percent respectively are Democrats. This demonstrates that Fox maintains the broadest appeal across party lines among the three major cable news networks, as Fox easily attracts more Democrats than CNN and MSNBC attract Republicans.
The White House argues their fight is solely against bias. But bias exists everywhere in the media; it’s a fact of life when reporting the news. The fact that administration officials are quick to accuse Fox News of bias for its conservative leanings, yet are unwilling to admit that any exists on liberal networks like MSNBC, reveals their position to be rife with intellectual dishonesty.
Instead, the true goal of the White House assault on Fox News can be summed up by only one word: control.
Of all the TV news networks, Fox has been the toughest on the Obama administration. MSNBC, CNN and the network channels all clearly favored Obama to John McCain and, since the election, continue to give him favorable coverage. CNN even went so far as fact-checking “Saturday Night Live” for a skit criticizing his lack of accomplishments.
However, Fox has consistently challenged the administration and has not shied away from investigating powerful figures and organizations tied to Obama or the Democratic Party.
But what has really drawn the ire of the White House is that other news organizations have become more aggressive in covering the administration’s actions after they were embarrassed by either missing or ignoring major stories that Fox uncovered, such as ACORN’s massive fraud and Van Jones’s radical history.
Administration officials have quickly warned other networks not to follow Fox’s lead and only report “important stories” in what amounts to a blatant attempt to scare reporters away from negative coverage.
From an administration openly bragging that “very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn’t absolutely control” during the presidential campaign, the thought of the White House determining what constitutes an important story or a legitimate news network is a scary one indeed.
Americans don’t want to see journalists cheerlead for elected officials. In fact, the very idea of the press obediently following government orders is an abomination to America’s founding principles.
The reason we have a constitutional right to a press free to investigate and criticize the government is because our Founding Fathers knew that it would be impossible to prevent tyranny without it. To make that point, Thomas Jefferson once wrote that “our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it”.
President Obama must understand that as President of the United States he is not immune from criticism, nor is he exempt from questioning. His fight with Fox News has introduced a new level of pettiness to the Presidency, demeaning both his office and the great men who served before him.
For the good of the country, the time has come for the President to grow up and end this disgraceful fight.
Tony Spadaccia is a junior political science and business management major.
Contact Tony Spadaccia at spadacav@jmu.edu
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12 Responses to “Obama vs. Fox News”
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Very well versed !! First cabin, Top drawer, I hope this reaches the masses. Definitions seem to change fast but my knowledge of The Presidents Promised “Transparency” appears to have no need of investigation. Maybe He meant Translucent ? Im glad for the internet and to be able to cruise the news of the world before even trying to come to some conclusion. Bravo Thomas Jefferson and Tony Spadaccia
seems fox set out with an agenda to see if they couldn’t get the WH to get down and *roll around in the mud with them.when it didn’t go that way,faux continued with the *stories,half truths and flat out lies.their Opinion bleeding heavily into the news-where it doesn’t belong.that opinion-slant-bias belongs with the limbaughs,becks-hannity type programing,as we all know.*to say in defense that the other networks do that same type reporting only brings up another point.these networks have Dumbed down their reporting to compete with fox and that’s a sad state in itself.WHAT HAPPENED TO HONEST REPORTING???when the WH called faux out on this-when the WH called Foul in the press room-fox resorted to Name calling and a wide assortment of tactics to make the WH look like the problem.AT THE END OF THE DAY……marching orders,as fox put it, were..opinion is to be left to the opinion progaming such as hannity-beck and that type the WH refused to respond to their behaviors and showed quite a lot of restraint not to mention wit in their response to fox’s so Juvenile behavior. SOMEONE HAS TO BE THE ADULT. GOOD JOB–WH!
you must write for fox…what a crap article
Just because you agree with what they report on, doesnt mean Fox News isnt biased. I bet you didnt think Palin was being petty with her parinoia regarding the “main stream media”.
I personaly can not stand to watch FN because of the way they skew information and sometimes just out right lie. Why shouldnt the administration speak up when a media outlet is feeding misinformation to a large portion of Americans about their policies. See “Death Panels” and “Beck”.
Great article Tony. You’re absolutely right. I’m a hardcore conservative and yet I find myself throwing things at the TV when watching Fox News because they always have or invite liberals on the show to debate. Even when liberals decide not to come on, you’ll always see an anchormen playing the devils advocate. That’s why they’ve been so successful. Compare that to CNN or MSNBC where they bring on republican light weights who don’t even understand conservatism. Its ridiculous.
Jason, this article mentions that Fox is biased too; every media outlet is biased! However, other news channels are so in love with our president that they refuse to report on anything that might tarnish his reputation. Obviously a lot more people are realizing this, otherwise the program would not be so popular. Many people are disenfranchised for this excuse of an administration, and for the White House to try to destroy Fox News instead of standing up and explaining their actions is not only cowardly, it’s slimy. If they didn’t have something to hide, they would reveal their actions with dignity and attempt to overthrow the news channel with the “Transparency” they promised. Their unwillingness to do so further hurts the administration’s reputation.
These leaders work for US. If they don’t clean up their act, we will throw them out of office. The results of Tuesday’s election already proves that.
Great article Tony.
By the way, I don’t recall any other presidents persecuting a news channel because they disliked the bad light the president was cast in. Hell, they made a full-blown MOVIE about President Bush, but I never heard any criticism from him or whining about libel.
Obama is president. The American people possess the rights of the First Amendment, freedom of speech. Unless he wants to change the Constitution, he needs to suck it up and do his job. His inability to take criticism simply highlights the fact that he lacks the experience and the backbone for politics.
As a Fox News fan, I’m fully aware that the station has bias. However, I think almost every Fox News fan will admit to this, unlike CNN and MSNBC viewers who live in their liberal-elitist bubble and cannot fathom that they are receiving anything other than the God-honest truth. Wake up, people–every human being has a bias and it inevitably affects their reporting. Smart people don’t try and avoid all bias, they just know how to recognize it. True, there are some who believe every word that comes out of Beck’s mouth is completely objective, but most people recognize where he and other Foxers are coming from. And they appreciate it. Why? Because it’s better than the kiss-@$$ crap we hear from Olberman, Matthews & Co. We’re sick of the bromance between “objective” cable networks and their beloved savior of a president who can do nothing wrong in their eyes. Fact-checking a comedy sketch? Wow, can you say “desperate?” No one “fact-checked” the racist comments that were incorrectly attributed to Rush Limbaugh during the St. Louis Rams debacle. I guess Obama is the only one who deserves a “fair trial” in the media.
Obama did nothing but point out (and exaggerate) the obvious. He drew attention to, and thus increasingly legitimized, a news organization that millions of people watch everyday. I’m sure they’re thanking him for the ratings boost. If Fox is so messed up, why not just let them disintegrate into a puddle of ineffectiveness? He’s a moron if he thinks Fox News is actually an “arm” of the Republican Party, and he’s even more of a moron if he thinks the other cable networks aren’t eating out of his liberal little hand. He’s also a moron for looking like a baby who can’t handle criticism. Yeah, Fox News doesn’t like you, Obama. Deal with it. Declaring war on a news network just makes you look like the ugly kid who picks a fight with the bully on the playground.
I guess Obama’s idea of change also includes total government control of the media. I was mad when it was said the constitution was just a piece of paper and I’m mad about this and just about everything that has come from this administration. One of the things that keeps our citizens a bit more free then many in the world is our guarantee of freedom of the press, our right to free speech. I don’t understand how anyone with a brain, regardless of their political affiliation could not be offended by this WH move. I guess it’s welcome to the hive. Think what your told to think, say only what is approved and do as your told. Great- it’s a brave new world- or should I say globe?
Tony, good job on the article. It’s actually refreshing to see a young/college age person who thinks more along the lines of the founding fathers of our Republic. Anyone who studies the principles that guided them in forming our Constitution realizes the importance of free speech, reporting on ALL sides, and offering all information to the public, not just the “popular” voice.
I will be the first to admit that FOX News sometimes offers a little more opinion than I care to hear, but they offer it clearly as opinion. Adults with intelligence can certainly recognize the difference. But what is MOST important, is that they also offer all of the news, whether “popular” or not. I find it most interesting that much of the news reported on FOX is nowhere to be found on the other stations. How can the public feel comfortable in watching a channel that only reports what it feels is “pertinent” to the interests of the viewers? Thanks, but I will watch FOX to get all the news.
All media is biased, as all humans are biased. That is how freedom of press work.
If all media where in favor of one political party, it will not cover any of the flaws of the political party, while focusing on the flaws of other political parties. CNN, MS-NBC focused on helping the Democrat party. Without FOX, and its bias, there would be NO balance.
The truth always lies in some point of the middle. If you are just given one side of the story, then chances are you will believe it.
Government must STOP trying to manipulate the press. Democracy only works when the people are informed. If the people are misguided into seeing only one side, this will lead to Tyranny, with a disguise of democracy.
Its said that freedom of speech does not gives you the right of yelling fire on a theater full of people. But what if there is a fire, should you just leave without saying anything and let the people to burn. NO! And this is precisely why freedom of speech and freedom of press must not be tampered by the government or any other.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/11/12/sean-hannity-jon-stewart-was-right-about-swapped-video/?hpid=artslot
Proof…