Comments on: Why Wasn’t There More Coverage Of Tea Parties?

By: Kevin Jackson

Kevin Jackson — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:03:37 +0000

Sorry but comparing MSNBC to Fox rings hollow to me. When the identifying factor of an MSNBC viewer is that their opinions are wholly without factual basis as the majority of people who thought (and probably still do) that Iraq attacked us on 9/11, we can talk. Networks have to be licensed as operating for the public good.

In Fox’s case, the fact that most people who thought that Iraq attacked us were Fox viewers should have been a reason to dismiss their licenses. It’s the equivalent of a hospital saying that germs are a liberal conspiracy and we don’t have our surgeons wash their hands. There are many commentators I disagree with (the idiot from CNN who went after the Tea Party protester would be an example) but there is a willful disregard of facts on that channel that is without parallel by any stretch of the imagination that is on MSNBC. Commentators can have their opinions, thats the idea. That so many of Fox viewers are factually misled is inexcusable. They repeat discredited information as if it is true routinely. Cavuto lied on camera the other day and he still has a job? There is IMO no comparison and to my eyes it is the moral equivalency argument that Conservatives usually decry as bogus. Your comparing apples and rotten eggs.

By: Justin Gardner

Justin Gardner — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:26:19 +0000

Jason,

First off, the narrative isn’t “1000 reasons conservatives suck,” but I am questioning Fox News’ continued promotion of these events because now they’re tainted by partisan media and lose authenticity as a result. Just go back and look at my posts about Ron Paul from last year. I was genuinely excited by that movement and I urged Paulites to drop the craziness. I even called upon Paul himself to go 3rd party and challenge the establishment. Neither happened and so it all fizzled.

Second, blogs aren’t Fox News. As a cable news network, they have a much more powerful platform to broadcast their message, and, as such, they have a responsibility to not be partisan because they’re using the public’s airwaves. Blogs don’t have that responsibility. Love it or hate it, that’s the reality.

To Jimmy,

If it were just the editorial folks, I may be with you, but Fox News made a concerted effort in all of their channels to promote the Tea Parties. I haven’t seen that same effort from MSNBC yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did it when a liberal cause came up. Trust me, I’m no fan of their nonsense either. This whole trend towards partisan news really sickens me, but I see no workable solution on the horizon.

By: Azhrie139

Azhrie139 — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:53:29 +0000

“Only CNN is providing news shows without some readily apparent bias anymore” BWHAHAHA, maybe if you consider he said she said stenography as unbiased. Frankly, if one is going to cable new for actual information, chances are they are idiots. Last I checked all three cable networks were clocking at a lie, factual misstatement, or gross journalistic negligence (e.g. sweeping generalizations) every five minutes. I am not usually one for violence, but I seriously would burn down every CNN, MSNBC, and FOX building if I could be a 100% sure no one would get hurt. I would even take the jail sentence and happily do so knowing I have made the world a better place. This isn’t to say that the rest of our media landscape is significantly better, but the cable networks are especially bad and have no redeeming value whatsoever.

By: Jimmy the Dhimmi

Jimmy the Dhimmi — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:09:30 +0000

Its just cable news. It is what it is – a forum for editorial/opinion and analysis. Matthews, Maddow & Olbermann do their thing, Beck, O’Reilly, and Cavuto do theirs. Whats the big deal?

By: Jason Arvak

Jason Arvak — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:22:39 +0000

All the attention on FoxNews’ complicity with the “tea parties” seems to me to obscure another relevant question. Why is it that left-leaning blogs consistently bash the “tea party” movement as a collection of wackos and dullards but consistently lionized the anti-war protesters as “speaking truth to power”? Can we afford just a LITTLE time to call out the left on its hypocrisy? Or must the narrative remain 100% “1000 reasons conservatives suck” even months after conservatives have lost almost all political power????

By: karlub

karlub — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:19:30 +0000

Summary:

Q: Why was coverage of the tea parties virtually non-existent in many major newspapers, and mainstream local news outlets?

A: Because Fox is stupid!

300k+ people show up on one day, people who’ve largely never done a protest of any sort at all, people who are not associated with any particular political campaign, union, or pre-existing interest group, and you’re thinking this does not merit significant coverage?

I am detecting some real personal animosity from you for the grassroots organizers that went out of their way to try and have a bunch of formally non-partisan rallies against debt and bailouts. I seriously can’t imagine why.

You might think they weren’t grassroots activists, or that these rallies were just GOP affairs, in which case your animosity would make sense. In that case, though, you would also be wrong.