In recent weeks the White House has begun firing back at Fox News for its biased broadcasting of current events. The White House communications director stated Fox News works as either the research arm or the communication arm of the Republican Party, as stated in the New York Daily News. Being an occasional Fox News viewer, I could understand these complaints.
However, these allegations are mostly aimed at opinion-oriented broadcasts such as Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly. If you haven’t seen these shows, you are certainly missing out on some politically biased entertainment. Although they bring up some very interesting points to stir a conservative point of view, I do not think independent thinkers should be deeply moved by their commentary.
These programs follow very similar tactics used by CNN commentator Nancy Grace. By that I mean if the people being interviewed do not agree with the host of the show, their ideas will be confronted, scrutinized and forced into altering to promote the message the host wants to address. Of course this isn’t what the White House wants to see; a conservative network only interviewing people that support its ideas without having open discussion of other points of view.
Fox News rarely interviews any Democrats or any other people who may raise interests in opinions other than that of Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch. This is why those in the White House urge viewers not to watch this network and not consider them a “real” news network. If you want to hear about current news events without a biased opinion, Fox News is not for you.
However, if you would like to hear a conservative point of view on current events, Fox News is right up your alley. Most viewers know exactly what to expect when they turn to Fox News network. That is why they watch it. They want to hear the news from a Republican standpoint.
The Obama administration is putting fuel on the fire by taking shots back at Fox News. For an administration that wants to promote bipartisanship and transparency, denying interviews for the conservative network is not a very good start. Much of the current rift between the White House personnel and Fox News is stemmed from the criticism of Obama’s position appointments (as well as constant criticism in general).
Many people appointed by Obama have, in the past, had very questionable ideas and opinions on the United States’ future. Fox News has done a very extensive job in identifying the flaws in his appointments. Using video clips and drawing excerpts from past interviews given by some of the people Obama has appointed is mostly what Fox News has done to upset the administration.
Most of the things Fox News broadcasts are biased in favor of the Republican Party, yes.
But that is what their viewers (and network) want. They want someone to interpret a speech or bill with Republican criticism. They do not want to hear the Democrats CNN interviews further promote the president and his administration. Is that too much negative press for one news station to oppose some of the ideas of the Obama administration?
Even though Fox News is more extreme right wing than CNN is left, they do so with some quality right-wing entertainment — Dennis Miller with O’Reilly isn’t a bad combination.
Regular followers do not watch to hear about current events — they already know about what is going on in the news. They want to hear what the host thinks.
White House personnel shouldn’t get so worked up over the Republicans’ conservative entertainment. Anyone in the White House who thinks criticizing the network is going to change it obviously doesn’t know Murdoch.
