The White House has found at least one defender in its war against Fox News; while the rest of her media colleagues pounced on the administration's gall in attacking the organization, Politics Daily Editor in Chief Melinda Hennenberger writes:
My own reaction, on the other hand, was: Finally! And: How about saying some more true things, now that you're on such a roll?
Of course, the rest of the media hasn't shared this reaction--which, in some ways, has been surprising. A significant chunk of the media itself has been known, from time to time, to complain about Fox: people who work in the media share most of the complaints everyone else has about the industry's own tics and tendencies--including the often vapidity of the 24-hour news cycle and, yes, the conservative leanings of Fox News, though most of the criticism is aimed at Fox's pundits, not its straight-style reporters.
But those who work in the media are also media apologists, and, if there's one thing they dislike more than a perceived ideological slant, it's the threat of a freeze-out and the leveraging of public office's powers--e.g., the White House's bully pulpit--against a news outlet.
More media figures probably shared Hennenberger's opinion of Fox before all this started. A lot of them probably still do, even as they criticize the White House.
Good post. Two thoughts:
First, the perception that Fox is not much of a news organization and comically biased is widespread--until the White House says it and then we're treated to "Golly gosh gee whiz it's like claiming there is no Santa! The White House can't do that!"
Second, the fear of being frozen out is precisely backwards--news organizations are supposed to not want to be so cozy with the people they cover and keep in check. You'd think Fox would be bragging to the hills that the administration didn't trust them, not sobbing that if they weren't taken seriously by the people they covered democracy would fall. This is why White House scandals are never broken by reporters in the White House.
There's a lot of criticism of their news judgment and biases. I haven't heard too much criticism of their actual reporting and facts, which is a bit different. Biased people can break true news.
However, bias can lead people to believe false stories:
Limbaugh and the fake Obama thesis. CNN and others with the fake US Chamber of Commerce news conference and press release. Newsweek and their defaced Koran story (that's still a sensation around the globe.) Dan Rather and the fake Texas National Guard memo. CNN and Operation Tailwind. NBC Dateline and igniting a model rocket engine near a truck gas tank. ABC Primetime Live and ABC employees taking undercover jobs at Food Lion and violating safety policies, and then not broadcasting the footage of Food Lion employees and supervisors telling them to stop.
Bias does make people want to believe.
Don't ever wonder again why people call you Villagers.
And, importantly, FOX News broke the Bush DUI story in November 2000 right before the election. Most people are in agreement that that story, right before the election, cost GWB several points of support.
FOX News uncovered the most damaging news story about George W. Bush before the election, and nearly swung the election to Vice President Gore.