The Vile Ann Coulter

[Ms. Walsh]

I agree. The only news I watch comes from the BBC and PBS (okay, PBS is probably liberal-skewed, but it doesn't cave in to commercialism). I took a Women's Studies class, and we did a section on the media and it was amazing to see that FOX, CBS, NBC, ABC, and CNN are all owned by big billion-dollar industries. That's why I can't trust a word that comes out of them.

Here's a website that shows who owns everthing: http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/

Disney owns ABC, News Corps owns FOX, Viacom owns CBS, General Electric owns NBC, and Time Warner owns CNN. In addition to that, they all own newspapers, magazines, book publishing, local TV affiliates, radio stations, and other forms of media. When only 6 companies own the majority of the media outlets in this country, that's just scary! Is it any wonder that most people don't trust what the news says?

As for FOX News, that channel has a block on my TV. I don't even want to see it when I'm surfing through channels. It's not even subtle about its bias.

[JERSoapsFan]

With all due respect, Rebecca, (seriously), how can you argue your claim that a network is biased by explaining said claim with a biased report? The link you posted is entirely ineffective due to its heavyhanded, obvious liberal bias.

That said, we jouranlists try to be unbiased, but the truth is that it's literally impossible to be 100 percent fair and balanced. Even the best editors can't do it. Why? Well, viewers, readers, the audience will always hear what they want to hear and read what they want to read out of a news report. Several studies have shown that people hear what they want to hear and filter out what they don't. (See: the famous "All in the Family" study). For that reason, who care's whether something is biased if people just take what they want from it anyway or choose not to watch or read it due to conflicting views?

A liberal bias book, "Bias" is the most famous piece of literature in the industry. Fox's one-network bias is nothing compared to an almost across-the-board liberal agenda.

[Rebecca]

I'm saying that a lot of the reasons Fox is not trusted are described in that article. (Like a lot of reasons why the Bush admin. arent trusted are described in Fahr. 911, if you want to believe the conspiracy theories or not, you cant debate the *footage*) I'm not saying that I agree with all of it.

[Kwing42]

I really was not looking for a fight or argument. The point I was making is I like to hear what both sides have to say. And if it takes me to only watch one network..which is NOT the case, then I would .

I am open. I do not automatically hate an administration because I disagree with some things. I am sorry to say, but I think I am one of the most open minded people here. I do not let hatred skew my thinking.

But I really want to hear ALL sides...even the side I believe is wrong..which is why I watch Fox...they tell me, I decide. And there have been many times when the republican talkers are against the President and the Dem talkers are FOR the pres...that is how the shows should be....in my world, which is based on the WHOLE story. Good and bad.

[DevotedToAMC]

Mann Voltaire Coulter belongs in the same place as Cuckoo for CocoHOA Puffs Tho-Mas Cruise

[Rebecca]

If you weren't in for an argument, that was the wrong thing to say lol. But this is off topic. We were talking about Satan on a stick...or satan AS a stick, it seems.

[Kwing42]

We have alot of those satans on a stick as you like to call them. On both sides.

Who all say things that are out of line, wrong, sick and demeaning...it would be nice to bring them all up instead of a few...but thats my opinion!

[Carolyn1980]

Yes, FOX tells the whole story, lol.

That's why a survey of FOX viewers done just a couple years ago showed that a majority of them are mis-informed.

Here's the article:

Misperceptions, the Media and the Iraq War

Study Finds Widespread Misperceptions on Iraq

Highly Related to Support for War

Full Report

Questionnaire

October 02, 2003

A new study based on a series of seven US polls conducted from January through September of this year reveals that before and after the Iraq war, a majority of Americans have had significant misperceptions and these are highly related to support for the war in Iraq.

The polling, conducted by the Program on International Policy (PIPA) at the University of Maryland and Knowledge Networks, also reveals that the frequency of these misperceptions varies significantly according to individuals’ primary source of news. Those who primarily watch Fox News are significantly more likely to have misperceptions, while those who primarily listen to NPR or watch PBS are significantly less likely.

An in-depth analysis of a series of polls conducted June through September found 48% incorrectly believed that evidence of links between Iraq and al Qaeda have been found, 22% that weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, and 25% that world public opinion favored the US going to war with Iraq. Overall 60% had at least one of these three misperceptions.

Such misperceptions are highly related to support for the war. Among those with none of the misperceptions listed above, only 23% support the war. Among those with one of these misperceptions, 53% support the war, rising to 78% for those who have two of the misperceptions, and to 86% for those with all 3 misperceptions. Steven Kull, director of PIPA, comments, “While we cannot assert that these misperceptions created the support for going to war with Iraq, it does appear likely that support for the war would be substantially lower if fewer members of the public had these misperceptions.”

The frequency of Americans’ misperceptions varies significantly depending on their source of news. The percentage of respondents who had one or more of the three misperceptions listed above is shown below.

<img src="http://65.109.167.118/pipa/images/oct03/Table%201.gif">

Variations in misperceptions according to news source cannot simply be explained as a result of differences in the demographics of each audience, because these variations can also be found when comparing the rate of misperceptions within demographic subgroups of each audience.

Another key perception—one that US intelligence agencies regard as unfounded—is that Iraq was directly involved in September 11. Before the war approximately one in five believed this and 13% even said they believed that they had seen conclusive evidence of it. Polled June through September, the percentage saying that Iraq was directly involved in 9/11 continued to be in the 20-25% range, while another 33-36% said they believed that Iraq gave al-Qaeda substantial support. [Note: An August Washington Post poll found that 69% thought it was at least “somewhat likely” that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in 9/11—a different question than the PIPA/KN question that asked respondents to come to a conclusion.]

In the run-up to the war misperceptions were also highly related to support for going to war. In February, among those who believed that Iraq was directly involved in September 11, 58% said they would agree with the President’s decision to go to war without UN approval. Among those who believed that Iraq had given al Qaeda substantial support, but was not involved in September 11, approval dropped to 37%. Among those who believed that a few al Qaeda individuals had contact with Iraqi officials 32% were supportive, while among those who believed that there was no connection at all just 25% felt that way. Polled during the war, among those who incorrectly believed that world public opinion favored going to the war, 81% agreed with the President’s decision to do so, while among those who knew that the world public opinion was opposed only 28% agreed.

While it would seem that misperceptions are derived from a failure to pay attention to the news, in fact, overall, those who pay greater attention to the news are no less likely to have misperceptions. Among those who primarily watch Fox, those who pay more attention are more likely to have misperceptions. Only those who mostly get their news from print media have fewer misperceptions as they pay more attention.

The level of misperceptions varies according to Americans’ political positions. Supporters of President Bush and Republicans are more likely to have misperceptions. However, misperceptions do not appear to only be the result of bias, because a significant number of people who do not have such political positions also have misperceptions.

For the entire study of seven polls the total sample was 9,611 respondents, and for the in-depth analysis for the polls conducted June through September the sample was 3,334 respondents. The polls were fielded by Knowledge Networks using its nationwide panel, which is randomly selected from the entire adult population and subsequently provided Internet access. For more information about this methodology, go to www.knowledgenetworks.com/ganp. Funding for this research was provided by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Ford Foundation.

[Rebecca]

Thanks for the article Carolyn!

[Kwing42]

Ya, I guess hearing both sides makes one misinformed...from a liberal perspective.

Thankfully I watch a variety of channels, not just one, but overall Fox tells me both sides, both views, the complete story. If I were to just watch CNN..I would assume every soilder died in the war and no schools reopened, no one voted in the elections, no government had been installed and that Libya never gave up their nuclear weapons program.

[Alan]

My main problem with Fox News and the other 24/7 "news" channels is the amount of commentary that is dressed up as news.

BBC is known for its neutrality and is the best source for TV news, IMO. I also like PBS and NPR.

[Rebecca]

I watch CNN (or did when I had TV access... I havent for almost a month!) and I know damn well that all that happened. Also the fact that I had 2 very good friends go over there (one went back just last month) and told me lots of stories of what they saw.

Ooo... this is the arguement that shall never end! And its not even on topic...eek! Bad me.

[Kwing42]

I know what you mean Rebecca. My brother has been there three times, a friend is going back in a month, my boses son is going back again and my friends husband was killed over there last September. Brian MOrris for those that will dispute me.

Everyone of them have come back 1) upset at the stance many have taken regarding the war 2) upset that the good is never talked about...schools opening, new government formes, trainging of police and army, etc

and all of the hatred that is spread regarding the war.

They know of the problems, the mistakes and the sacrifices. BUt this is their job. They understand it.

At least the above mentioned ones and the ones that I correspond with over the net in the pal program.

Isn't NPR a liberal only station? Or liberal leaning station?