Tingle Up My Leg Award for Cable News
By Pat Racimora on April 30, 2009 at 12:35 PM in CNN, Chris Matthews, Fox News, MSNBC, Media
Fox Cable News reduces its competitors to Lilliputs, who in this reference to Gulliver’s Travels, have been unable to catch Fox sleeping long enough to tie it down.
Instead, Fox is the winner of my Tingle Up My Leg Award, named for MSNBC’s Chris “Tweety” Matthews. Unfortunately for Tweety, his show commands only about a third of the viewers compared to the competitors on Fox during the same time slots.
Fox Cable TV rules the news, second only to the powerhouse, USA, that mostly shows TV drama repeats and made-for-TV movies.
This week Fox again leads by a large margin its competitors. In primetime (8-11 p.m.), Fox News averaged 551,000 viewers in the target 25-54 year-old demographic, with MSNBC finishing a distant second with 271,000, and CNN third with 248,000. If you want to see this weeks cable news ratings, they are all here, but to save you time, Fox is first for every hour of every day.
Fox Cable News takes a lot of hit from critics of course. “Faux News,” as they like to call it, is as “fair and balanced” as a Las Vegas slot machine. Those of us who study the news know that almost every media outlet has its “slant” (translation= rock solid predisposition). So Fox is propably no more, and surely no less, biased than most any other news source.
But why does Fox run so far ahead of the rest of the pack?
I asked some friends, and would be interested in hearing from our readers here as well, whether they like or dislike the way Fox delivers news. Some disagreed with specific hosts and their personalities but liked that viewers get something different than what comes out of the White House spin room. Others noted that Fox is much better at touching on what people care about, like government spending.
Fox may also out-fox its competitors. For example, much of the rest of the media was deriding the anti-tax “tea party” demonstrations as a gimmick, masterminded by corporate Republicans rather than a true grassroots movement. The protesters themselves were re-labeled by smirking commentators as “teabaggers.” (See Larry Johnson’s story if you are unaware of a meaning of that term.) Keith Olbermann and Rachael Maddow of MSNBC suggested that the protestors were either political plants or nut-jobs. Fox, on the other hand, actually promoted the protests, promising beforehand to give the events full coverage and following through.
Well, I watched some of that on Fox, and I didn’t give a rat’s ass whether the demonstrations were organized by pros or not. I wanted to see lots of pissed-off people who feel ripped off like I do, to hear stories expressing their disdain for the runaway spending that seems to have trouble trickling down to those of us who paid for it. That day, Fox definitely worked for me.
(List Price: $27.95 - Your Price: $15.47)
By Sarah Palin (Release date: November 17. 2009)
We now watch Fox because they really do give both sides of a story, and as consumers, that’s what we want.
Greta Van S. and Sean Hannity in particular are pitbulls about not letting go of an issue until it’s resolved….i.e. Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, the blatant and heinous sexism towards both Hillary and Sarah P.
While FOX may lean to the right, they do at least show the other side. When was the last time KO had a guest on with a different opinion ?
I’d also like to add that, other than FOX, the media in this country is the “American Taliban”, as far as my husband and I are concerned.
Nice bait, Cindy.
But I hope it won’t disrupt the thread for Pat.
PM–I’m sorry…I’m not following what you’re saying…That I’m disruptive?
No.. But someone else may. OK, let us just leave it at that.
I think you are OK Cindy. I get what you mean–the media only touts what it wants and punishes any opposing point of view. It’s true.
I agree. Fox also has Democrat, Republican, and Independent commentators. Not just one or the other side pushing their own agenda, but from all sides.
I adore Shep(he always has me laughing) and Meghan Kelly. In fact I enjoy the entire morning/early afternoon crew. In the evening I like Greta. From time to time in the evening I can watch Hannity or O’Reilly, sometimes they make me nuts, but nothing like Olbermann or Matthews. I can’t even stomach listening to those two anymore. Although, I never did like listening to Olbermann. I channel surfed.
When I get my financial news from Rebecca Diamond on Fox Business Channel I almost enjoy being in a recession.
But would you consider the media to be the “moderate” part of the Taliban?:)
Amen to all of the above!! Yes, Fox leans right, but they at least give the other side a fighting chance. Forget “other side” with MSNBO and CNN is almost as bad.
Hannity in particular still gets to me with his blatant criticism of Hillary and Bill just out of the blue with no relavance to anything. But somebody has got to hold 0ero and team’s feet directly ON the fire. As long as that is necessary, I’ll keep watching.
No ONE source should ever be used as the gospel truth about anything. All of us must pay close attention in many areas to get to the truth. That’s why the writers and commenters on this site know as much as they know - we are like our own investigators, depending on no one to be the all to end all!
The Obams have one or two sources FIRST READ (assuming that rag is still there) and MSNBO.
I don’t care for Hannity, he seems like a nice guy, but I really don’t care for his style of reporting on camera. He’s rude, constantly interrupting people. I have this urge to pop him in the back of his head and ask if his mother taught him any manners. He’s almost totally different though on the radio. I do like listening to him when I’m in the car. I don’t know what the difference is, if he projects himself different in front of the camera??
O’Reilly…I hate/loathe/detest that finger pointing, did I mention hate? He can’t talk without pointing his finger. I can’t get over the, “When you point your finger at someone to remember you have three more pointed right back at yourself.” So unless someone is giving directions I always have to ponder just what those fingers pointing back at themselves are saying.
Tricia, you’re right about Fox outfoxing others wrt teaparty protests.
It was natural for the Republicans to jump on the bandwagon of the teaparty protests (whatever party persuasion the protesters may have been) because they are in opposition. They were trying to use this forum for their selfish agenda (Dems would have done the same thing if roles were reversed. On second thoughts probably not, they are never that well organized.)
Here is a clip of SC Repub getting booed through out his speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QsY2r7HbTM
I heard a similar story out of Sacramento teaparty where the organizer took a Republican politician (who was obviously trying to take advantage of the moment) to task. I bet he didn’t see that coming.
Apparently there was a liberal teaparty too: take a look at DC’s event, if you can call it that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR8l0YET668
At the protest they were protesting both, not just one or the other. Both, President Bush and President Obama’s spending.
They were protesting both Republican and Democrat Politicians. It wasn’t a let’s just blame/go after the Democrats, or the Republicans. That’s why these news organizations like CNN, MSNBC looked like damn fools. Irresponsible in their reporting.
People who were there, who have watched the videos know the truth…It was not a partisan, as far as pitting one party against the other protest.
pm317—Thanks for that video of the “liberal tea party”! What a scream! I hadn’t heard about it.
Did you see how that ‘famous’ blogger slipped away without answering? Pathetic.
“Pathetic” is the perfect word.
I can’t believe that the left-wing party is nothing but a “sheep farm” now. And I was devoted to them for 40 yrs, until May 31, 2008. Unbelievable.
i never watched fox until msnbc and cnn turned rabid against hillary clinton. particularly olbermann, mathews and cafferty. also they never have guests with opposing views (god forbid anyone should say something negative about their messiah.) it just seemed so unfair and so misognistic that i tuned them out and never watched them again..which left only fox. i was thus surprised to hear them reporting actual things about 0bama that the msm wasnt. o’reilly actually bent over backwords to be fair to him. i do watch hannity even tho he spouts “liberal’…er..dislike. maybe he doesnt realize how many democrats and former democrats watch his show. i emailed to tell him that and to change his “liberal translation” segement to W.O.R.M.and explained what it means. so far no answer but i didnt really expect one.
I also stopped watching MSNBC and CNN after the Democratic primary. Never went back. I just don’t trust them.
I watch Fox News all the time. I can’t stomach the other news stations as they are so biased. At least with Fox they give you the facts and let you make up your own mind. Especially during the election. None of the other stations were reporting on Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, etc. The other stations are so in the tank for Obama it’s sickening. And their treatment of Sarah Palin during the election was beyond disgusting and still goes on today.
I started watching FOX news over a year ago, because CNN and MSNBC were obviously “in the tank” for Obama. FOX started becoming more even handed than they have been in the past. It was the only network that gave Hillary a fair shake, so I started watching them exclusively.
FOX news has always had really good coverage of certain news events and natural disasters like floods or hurricanes. It was just a shame that they leaned so far to the right, politically, for all those years. They are starting to go back to their old ways a bit, now, so I hope they don’t too far, or there won’t be any news network I can watch.
I watch Fox News because it at least gives differing opinions or mentions news not even noted by other news organizations. I also don’t appreciate turning to Olbermann or Tingle Matthes or even Maddow and seeing the majority of their shows consist of slamming Bush, the GOP, conservatives, Palin, Cheney, Limbaugh, anyone who doesn’t agree with Obama OR gives a differing opinion. I don’t love Bush and his group, but come on. I’m tired of hearing about how every problem in this country is Bushs fault. I’m also tired of how MSNBC ignores any news that is negative to Obama and/or just makes fun of it as if those who are unhappy are stupid and irrelevant.
For example, it irked me when Olberman talked about problems with dishonest administration officals and who does he concentrate on? Not those in the Obama Administration (so far) who haven’t paid their taxes or have conflicts of interest, other shady dealings, or have had to withdraw because of scandal. Not those from past Democratic Administrations. No, he chose to point to Bushs’ appointees as an example of the dishonesty in government and named a whole list of them and their sins. How come the emphasis on Bush as the primary and only President who has appointed shady people? Bias much? There is no fairness there in regards to the Democratic side so that’s why I don’t want the majority of MSNBC shows after Morning Joe.
Hear! Hear! Tango. I agree 100%
Then you may be happy to hear that Rachel Maddows ratings are likewise in the toilet. Deservedly so. She is so biased and was so hateful towards Hillary it was ridiculous. These people don’t even make a pretense of reporting the news anymore. It’s all their own opinion as the day is long.
I wonder if Tweety, Maddow or any of them are connecting the dots as to why their ratings are so bad. Joe S. is about the only one on that network not drinking the koolaid.
Fun fact: The non-Fox prime time numbers equal 52% of the audience, the same as Obama’s approval rating.
That may be the approval rate among Republicans, but not the general public. Where did you get your numbers from?
Rich
My mistake, Rich. I was misremembering the figure cited in Amy’s post, which links to this article: http://www.newsweek.com/id/188002
Rasmussen has had Obama’s favorables between 52-55% for weeks. Today it is at 54%:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
The unspoken truth about all of these polls is that they are oversampling Dems. The difference in the parties is approximately 5%. Gallup is sampling with a 16% Dem advantage. Even with that bias, he is still polling at the same rate W and other presidents did at this point. Big Whoop. Just like the primaries–even with the media working overtime for him, people see the truth.
I don’t trust polls. You always need to look at the underlying sampling population, how the poll is conducted, and how the question is phrased. Without those information, only citing the poll is meaningless.
Anyway, one thing nobody touches is the racial disparity regarding Obama. I bet he gets really high approval rating among African Americans. Judging from the Dem primary, I dare say 90%. That will skew the result to his favor depending on how many AA are sampled.
Nice cartoon asking a good question. I watch Fox news mostly now, when I used to watch mostly MSNBC. I changed because I like balance and during the presidential race and even now I do not see any balance or in depth reporting on the other news channels. I and many Americans want to know the truth, not just what the government wants us to know. The other news channels to me are more like advertising arms of the government agenda, and Fox news represents the transparency Obama talks about.
Just like now, with the flue, what ever the current name is. You would think there is nothing else worth reporting or paying attention to. Even though for years in the United States alone, there have been 100 deaths a day during the flue season, now with not that number of deaths, they are treating it like it is worse then the bird flue, SARS, or the black plague. What is going on in government and around the world that we are not being told about? Do you hear much in the last week about Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, or the nuclear power state of Turnkey and their failing government? What is happening with the spending bill, how much money the government actually spent and how versus what they talk about? What about all of those big bonuses that were big news, trade, and our deficit? If you have heard anything, then you probably heard it on Fox.
Rich
I haven’t opened a newspaper in almost a year, and I haven’t watched network news, CNN or MSNBC in about the same amount of time. Fox at least tells the truth, and if the jerks who voted for the Fraud would have watched it during the GE maybe they would have voted like adults.
I was just entering my teens and not paying much attention when Clinton first started so I can’t compare that era to Bush/Obama. The Bush/Obama era seem to be more about media shows than substance for debates AND pressers. There are vague promises with few details and many strawman arguments used to make one look good.
I almost feel stupider after seeing these events. If I wanted feel good (or bad depending on the leader) lectures I’d go to church. I personally see the “Mission Accomplished” fiasco as a larger metaphor than just the Bush presidency failures. Its emblematic of how these media driven events are less about reality than trying to score political points. Even regular news turns stories that should be about facts into how so-and-so will be received by the people or how so-and-so is trying to garner support and from whom.
To me this type of journalism kept us in prolonged support/acceptance of failing Bush policies just as it is keeping us in prologed support/acceptance of failing Obama policies, particularly on the economy. They have such high approval ratings, they *must* be doing things right.
I should add that I don’t think Fox News is any better than the other outlets. I feel stupider after watching Fox just as much as I do after watching MSNBC.
CMartin–BINGO!!!
I agree with all of the above. Ive watched FOX for quite awhile now and am pleased with the knowledge of the interviewers. They seem to do their homework and if they see something that is being reported badley they say so. Since the other stations dont let us know the whole story why bother watching. Its a waste of time.
News and analysis from MSNBC and CNN seem to come directly from the current occupant of the White House.
I believe that it is the responsibility of those who voted for the Pres to be critical of him.
Remember the Third Reich and Joseph Goebbel?
Count me in with the majority of the comments here…complete and utter disgust with the others from the primaries; I’m like the proverbial Pavlov’s dog…I am now trained to change the channel at the sight or sound of Mathews, Olbermann, Cafferty, Brazille, Rollins, et al. It’s like nails on a chalkboard.
Some of the Fox people have some slightly obnoxious gimmicks (Beck), but overall, I find I like a lot of what he says. I don’t even go near network news…please, talk about your fluff pieces.
Love, love love Bill and Megyn in the mornings and have a ginormous crush on Shep! I also think Major Garret is very good and he seems very fair. I absolutely cannot stand the daytime chicks on MSNBC anymore. I kinda liked Tamron Hall but she’s too in the tank for BO and they do that weird rotating around thing between like three or four of them. And that Contessa Brewer? Eeech! Her mouth is distracting, and not in a good way. Does anyone know if she married to or doing someone at MSNBC? I don’t know how else she has this job! They added Carlos whatshisname and he’s just boring and like Tamron, black, so their allegiance is auto-bama no matter the net. I generally wake up to Joe then I can’t switch over to FOX quick enough for rest of day. I click over to the other news channels thruout day but if they’re talking anything BO/MO I don’t stay because they coddle him too much. Bottom line is MSNBC is just predictable Obama cheerleading anymore. I don’t even know why they bother with guests to voice the left side, every anchor “mediating” jumps in to defend BO, always two against one, always and predictable so. Guess all those new voters who went in and just filled the bubble with O’s name did not translate to new viewers for ‘the one’. Oh and vile, disgusting and immature = oberman and madow. EEEEECH!!!
I like Lou Dobbs on CNN.
I really miss watching Lou Dobbs, but now I get to hear him on the radio. You can listen to his radio show online also.
http://loudobbsradio.com/
I don’t watch Fox News all day, only the Greta Van Sustren (sp?) show. She’s always balanced and I like her style. I still can’t stand Hannity or O’Reilly or Beck. I can’t stand ANYONE on MSNBC and only watch Lou Dobbs on CNN. I like Lou because he feels the same way I do…they’re all a bunch of corrupt assholes in Washington (my words, not Lou’s) and until we get some real election reform and get rid of the lobbyists (not just say we are and then hire an administration full of them, like Obama has done).
I also stopped watching MSNBC, CNN and NBC. I Like Bret Baer on Fox, he is very informative. I sometimes think that ABC is OK.
FOX “Lie to me” tops Obama news conference.
“Just In: FOX, the only one of the Big Four networks that did not carry Pres. Obama’s news conference last night, finished first in the 8pmET hour with a new episode of “Lie to Me.” The drama averaged 7.9 million Total Viewers, according to Nielsen overnights.”
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/politics/lie_to_me_tops_obama_news_conference_115408.asp
hehehehehehe
The press events are all planned and staged as are all the Obama media events. The first time a reporter asks a question other than the one that has been pre-answered and fed into TOTUS… that will be the last time they are ever called on.
Obama made the peevish comment last night about “the network that doesn’t like him” (ie: FOX), and then called on every other network reporter, except FOX during the presser. He’s such a baby.
When there is breaking news, FOX has the best camera shots. I like Greta. She seems the most fair. I will sometimes watch O’Reilly and Hannity, but I really don’t like their style. CNN has gone downhill in their fair journalism. MSNBC is a joke. I watch Morning Joe and that is it. Every commentator on MSNBC is sooooo biased and think Obama is the messiah. If anyone has a differing opinion, they vilify them. Look what they did to Sarah Palin and Miss California.
I wish Morning Joe without Mika (she bugs me and I don’t like her daddy) would head over to FOX. Glenn Beck left CNN. As a matter of fact when they heard he was going to FOX, he was asked to leave immediately. I do like Joe. He doesn’t deserve to be on the comedy news network or militant stupid news biased comedy channel.
I love your design for the “tingle up the leg” award, Pat. But don’t you think, if it had a lamp and lampshade on top, to commemorate the “best and the brightest,” it would have a little more class, and be more fitting for display in the front window as a “major award”?
LOL–I will think about that.
I still think instead of Chris feeling a warm tingle going up his leg, it was warm pee running down his leg!
Oowawa - I was thinking exactly the same thing! I immediately flashed back to Darren McGavin as Ralphie’s dad in that funny Christmas movie with his leg lamp in the window. Remember it got sabotaged and ended up with prickly heat instead of a tingle, going up in flames!
I believe we’d all be wise if we looked at television news as purely entertainment rather than truth or pure facts, doesn’t matter what channel…
Yes, I watch FOX and none of the other U.S. Networks. But if I really want to watch the news for news alone, then I watch BBC World. I suppose if they turn, then it’s time to get a shortwave radio.
I would have to say that prior to the 2008 primaries Fox news was very hard to digest. During that time I came to realize that many of my preferred news outlets where not reporting the news they were providing opinions as cold hard facts. After listening to many rants I realized my opinions where being swayed by the likes of MSNBC and CNN. As I became more and more involved in the primaries I realized that I could no longer support the views of these networks and started to watch Fox more and more.
O’Reilly and Hannity get under my skin sometimes, but at least they allow people with different opinions on their show. Bill has the tendency to talk-over his guest which bothers me because I want to hear the answer then drill down. Sean does call his guests to task, but they know that they can get their talking points out. Greta has been interesting her show On the Record has definitely morphed in the past 16 months. In the beginning I could not tell what her political convictions are, but she definitely stayed on top of the PUMA organization and you can see she is a Sarah Palin fan.
So why do I still watch Fox, because the other networks will not report anything that might make you think the POTUS is anything but great. So when they happen to report something that might be construed as bad they slant it to say the right wing nut jobs are lying to everyone and want you to believe. Things like the tea parties, MSNBC and CNN do not want their viewers to believe that American’s could do this without the support of the ring wing extremist that they blatantly lied about what was going on. I attended a tea party and saw first hand what it was about. At the end of the day I have learned that when I watch Fox I listen to what they say look up other points see if there are other view points and draw my own conclusion.
Lastly Obama must be worried that Fox’s ratings are so much better other wise he wouldn’t have brought them up at his town hall meeting yesterday.
Great toon, Pat, as usual. I don’t watch Fox news enough to comment. I take everything I see on TV in the way of news or commentary with a grain of salt. I watch CNBC most if the time for business news and news highlights and commentaries. They have their people with strong biases, but they usually get some people with opposing views and often have heated arguments. You can watch Congressional hearings, speeches by the the anointed one, and special programs like Trish Regan’s story about marijuana growing in California. I don’t care for the Larry Kudlow’s diehard Republican bias, but at least he gets a panel or a pair of people who can argue both sides of issues.
I flip through screens for Fox, CNN and MSNBC. As others have pointed out, they all have their biases. Hannity turns me off. Olberman’s rants range from good to awful. Anderson Cooper is a favorite. Some commentators are more blatantly biased than others, and I mostly watch these when I want a laugh at absurd comments.
I think we have to take all these “news” outlets with a grain of salt. They all have their own spin and slants, some more than others.
I started watching Fox during the primaries because it was the only place I could get anything approaching balanced reporting on Hillary Clinton. MSNBC was disgusting in its sexist attacks and CNN wasn’t much better [beyond Lou Dobbs].
Once the GE started, the same attacks, just a variation on a theme, started against Sarah Palin. I don’t share Palin’s political views but I absolutely refused to listen to demeaning comments that were hurled her way.
I listen to Neil Cavuto because I’m basically a fiscal moderate/conservative. I often pop up Lou Dobbs on CNN and Greta Van S. because I think they’re basically fair-minded. But O’Reilly, Hannity and Glenn? For me there’s a saturation point for blowhards. Doesn’t mean they don’t occasionally have some relevant comments to make. But I can only take so much hot air entertainment.
I think the Dems are making a serious error in judgment when they group the 300,000 tea party people as a bunch of whack jobs. I expect the numbers will grow as this administration moves forward if for no other reason that the economy is going in the toilet with all this crazed spending.
So, that’s where I stand–still teetering center left but appalled by the party I always voted with. Until 2008, that is.
They have mastered the craft. It’s the same with radio. Liberal radio is boring. I stopped listening during the primaries. The liberal hosts always complained about Rush and right-wing programs. How it’s unfair that they have more syndication. Well, that’s about the ratings too.
A bit of a disconnect here: Just what accomplishment by a cable news network is the “Tingle up my leg” award awarded for? Most viewers?
Oh, no. It’s just an award that I have enjoyed using. It’a actually a compliment to Fox News for doing so well against its competitors.
Fox may have more average viewers because it is the only right-wing network. All the people from the right go there. Whereas moderates and lefties split their viewing with the rest of the channels.
“Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Fox News viewers say they are likely to vote for John McCain, while those who watch CNN and MSNBC plan to support Barack Obama in November by more than two to one. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of CNN voters plan to vote for the Democratic candidate versus 26% who intend to go for the Republican. Similarly, MSNBC watchers plan to vote for Obama over McCain 63% to 30%. Only nine percent of those who watch Fox News say they will vote for Obama (Premium Members can review crosstabs here and here.”
This tells you that right-wing/Republican viewers dominate FOX viewership. Since it has cornered the market on right-wing news then it should get more viewers, as the moderates and lefties are more dispersed among the other networks.
A few other interesting facts:
(1) Average age of an O’Reilly show viewer is 71. Fox has a much older demographic than the rest. A lot of gray hair watching Fox. John Stewarts average viewer age is 35.
(2) Also a lot of dumb people watching Fox. Recent Pew study showed that the average Fox viewer is about the least knowledgeable than every other network or news source viewer/user.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/16/daily-show-fox-knowledge/
(3) Another important fact, is comparing Fox to CNN for example is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.
“Conventional industry wisdom is that CNN viewers tune in briefly to catch up on news and headlines, while Fox viewers watch longer for the opinion and personality-driven programming. Because the smaller total number of Fox viewers are watching more hours, they show up in the ratings as a higher average number of viewers.”
What is important is cumulative viewers or those that watch at least 6 minutes or more. CNN may have 20% more cumulative viewers than FOX. Advertisers also like cumulative viewers better, so CNN is likely making more money than FOX.
So there you have it; typical FOX viewer watches the channel longer because they like the wacky right-wing personalities, and viewers are also very gray and pretty ignorant of the facts. However, although FOX seems to have more average viewers, it has less cumulative viewers, or the total number of people who watch the channel, and therefore likely makes less money than the other networks. And the only reason that FOX has more average viewers is because it has the monopoly on right-wing news, where as all the other networks divide up the larger moderate and lefty audience. Net-net FOX has been successful at carving out a right-wing niche for itself of the truly committed right-wing nuts, which is likely shrinking.
What is also important is the change in ratings and CNBC has come out of no where to grow its viewership substantially over the last couple of years?
bone said,
I do know that a LOT of moderates, progressive, and liberals, especially those who were for Hillary Clinton, now watch Fox and have nothing to do with the other cable stations. We are unforgiving! They trashed Hillary (and sometimes Bill) and did not vet Obama–that was not OK and never will be.
See many of the comments here to help prove my point.
So, Bones….an April 2007 poll, as per your link, qualifies as “a recent Pew Study”? Totally laughable!
You might wish to consider the fact that, first of all, a 2year old poll is not recent. ……
And secondly, that that poll was conducted long before we relatively informed, non-Fox watching, former Democrats, made the transition.
I think if you conducted it today, you would find No Quarter commenters and readers alone, plus all other liked-minded, newly awakened voters, have long since changed that statistic.
Lastly, your statement re O’Reillys viewers avg age being 71, that is not just a lie, it is a damn lie. do the stats before coming here with utter BS.
I used to hate fox - for the way they went after the Clintons and loved Bush, but after our own democratic party and MSNBC and CNN with fat pig Brazille turned viciously on Hillary, I switched to Fox. I am still watching. The others are still on their knees worshiping Barack. They are pathetic.
I’m going to the next tea party!
I cannot watch FOX News. I’ve tried. It just puts me off. I watch a little CNN, a little CNBC–with the sound muted–and Joe Scarborough on MSNBC for about an hour–that’s all I can take.
The rest of my news I get online. Or I catch BBC World News–and I do not get World Focus unfortunately on PBS–I can’t believe my local PBS stations don’t carry it!
Occasionally, I’ll catch Moyers’ Journal.
But, basically…
Cable News Sucks. The Toobz Rock.
If you haven’t already tried, you might want to give Special Report with Bret Baier a try at Fox. I find his news hour interesting because he at least mentions items not covered by the rest of the networks. And it’s not full of personal opinions (until the All Star panel the last 15 minutes) or an occasional commentary by Brit Hume.
I often watch Bret Baier, and I especially like his panel, I think Krauthammer is sharp. I don’t care for Juan Williams usually. Bone where did you get those stats?
I stopped watching MSNBC and CNN during the race in Feb ‘08 because they were (and still are, no doubt) Oblow propagandists without a shred of journalistic integrity.
Then I started watching Fox. Now, I only get my news from online, but if I ever watch TV news, it will be Fox.
Ditto. I haven’t watched any MSM news since last spring. Now, if I’m passing a TV or in a waiting room or something, I have to leave if it’s on. Once you get away from it, the vapid bias is unbearable. It all sounds like People Magazine or ET to me now. I get my news online.
I agree with so many of the ideas mentioned above. I too used to watch MSNBC (Keith Olbermann in particular was a favotire) but during election 2008 the network became so biased in favor of Obama, and so anit-Hillary there was nothing else to do but turn to Fox News. CNN also was “in the tank” for Obama (except Lou Dobbs) who has a good show and I watch him on occasion. I do respect him and often email him since I feel he and his staff will listen to both sides of an issue.
I actually did enjoy Sean Hannity during election 2008 as he was not afraid to tell us the truth about Obama. You could not get the information about Obama’s radical associates anywhere else than FOX News. I still listen to him now and then and do not miss Alan Colmes one bit. Ocassionally I watch Bill O’Reilly but cannot stand Dick Morris who both Bill and Sean like to have on. I emailed both of them and told them as long as you have Dick Morris on your show (an avowed Clinton hater), neither one of you can consider your shows “Fair and Balanced”. Greta Van is a lovely lady and does try to be fair and balanced. Her husband was a big supporter of Hillary Clinton. Joe Scarborough was fair during the campaign to Hillary and he had some good shows. If I want to listen to a cable news station, the only one I will turn on now is FOX News. It’s no wonder the others are tanking every day. Especially Chris Matthews who I used to enjoy - haven’t heard him either since he was so blatantly against Hillary and seems to hate the Clintons so much (not sure why however). But he does.
Sorry I am late to the discussion.
Better or worse I see simple raw numbers. These are rounded and exaggerated for an example.
52% of the kids like strawberry ice cream.
48% like chocolate.
There are 3 brands of strawberry to choose from, so the strawberry vendors (Headline News, CNN and MSNBC) split those kiddies’ business.
There is only one chocolate vendor, FOX. They get all the chocolate lovers.
I don’t know if that makes Fox better. It makes them smart for targeting an audience that nobody else would go after, and taking all the nickels on the counter.
Eastan, CNN, HLN, and MSNBC did all “go for US”, and still try to.
It is not a case of they are not still try to sell US. It is case of our not buying what they are selling, following their betrayal of fairness, and the fact that we woke up!
I started watching Fox when the other networks trashed Hillary.
I watch Fox News from 3:00 to 8:00. O’Reilly isn’t such a villian he seems a little too accepting in giving Obama a pass. I love Hannity now that the wuss Colmes isn’t on with him. Greta is good too.
Fox and MSNBC are mirror images of each other.
Hannity and O’Reilly cheerleaded and propped up Bush on evry single mistep and wrong policy of the last 8 years.
They both suck.
On the night that Hannity first showed the Reverend Wright tapes I turned over to CNN to see what they were reporting. They showed a few of the tapes, and then Anderson Cooper came on, apologizing that they “had to” show the tapes, but considered them “less than newsworthy”. I have not watched CNN since that night. I have not watched ABC News since the edited Sarah Palin interviews with a Charlie Gibson I never knew existed, stopped watching MSNBC as soon as KO turned his pompous rantings toward Hillary, and, like most of you, have found a home at Fox, a fact that would have been beyond my comprehension just 2 short years ago. Fox is far from perfect, but in my mind they are certainly far ahead of the disingenuous, worshiping, slanted coverage from the other channels.
I’m like lots of the people who already commented: Used to watch MSNBC, stopped during the primaries; switched to Fox until November. I enjoyed Fox until then but I’m so fed up with all of them.
So I turned off the news. What a bunch of sycophants. Our own Pravda.
I’ve started watching Jon Stewart and Colbert again. (I had stopped watching them, too).
But for news I read 2 local papers and the NYT on the weekend (can’t really stand them, either but I need the Sunday crossword). I can’t even bear the local tv news.
And I’m grateful to the links I find here to the important stories I can find on-line. Thank you to all of you who read and watch stuff so
I don’t have to!
Love the cartoon. I have to say it warms my cold heart to see Olbermann lose to Fox.
That cartoon is FANTASTIC!
Great cartoon, as always, Tricia.
Have to say I agree with the majority here on the FOX/CNN/MSNBC commentaries. I too, started seriously watching FOX during the primaries and mostly because they were the only ones who gave Hillary a fair chance. After watching for quite some time, I realized that the other networks were FAUX, not FOX.
Olbermann and Matthews and Maddow are so in the tank for “O” and CNN carries water for him, as well. I just love when Blitzer feigns “balance” in his journalism, but then, in the end, falls into line with the rest. Anderson Cooper makes me ill and I haven’t enjoyed that time slot since he stole it from Aaron Brown, anyway. And then there is Campbell Brown and her sorry replacement who, during the primaries even stood up for good ole Jeremiah Wright. Give me a break! Candy Crowley, Ed Henry, sometimes John King, and mostly Lou Dobbs are the only palatable ones there. Not much to choose from, huh?
So. all-in-all, not surprising that so many of the American public is watching FOX. They earned some respect…..and now I too, bristle a bit when the less than favorables make fun of them.
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Hey if you want to make your life better stop watching all of the phony cable news— If Bill O’Reilly is the best this country has to offer our Country is in sorry ass shape— Republican philosophy suck and the democrats have lost their Fu minds— As for me I continue to work my ass off and have nothing to show for it but 1000 dollar a month health insurance
[...] are dropping like a stone. If you missed it, be sure to check out PatRacimora’s “Tingle Up My Leg Award for Cable News“: This week Fox again leads by a large margin its competitors. In primetime (8-11 p.m.), Fox [...]
An illustration of TOTUS would be hilarious. BO head replaced by a teleprompter and the two teleprompters replaced by BO head and big ears.