FOX NEWS INSIDER: “Stuff Is Just Made Up”

Fox learned several years ago, 'they are not legally obligated to be honesty', so why bother. From 2004, http://www.organicconsumers.org/rbgh/fox-news.cfm . and Fox News gets okay to misinform public, court ruling

http://ceasespin.org/ceasespin_blog/ceasespin_blogger_files/fox_news_gets_okay_t...
Appellate Court Rules Media Can Legally Lie.
By Mike Gaddy. Published Feb. 28, 2003
On February 14, a Florida Appeals court ruled there is absolutely nothing illegal about lying, concealing or distorting information by a major press organization. The court reversed the $425,000 jury verdict in favor of journalist Jane Akre who charged she was pressured by Fox Television management and lawyers to air what she knew and documented to be false information. The ruling basically declares it is technically not against any law, rule, or regulation to deliberately lie or distort the news on a television broadcast.

Fox news is biased and opinionated? get outta here, thats all real news, Glenn Beck is a truther..... lol, just kidding, this is far from shocking though. Newsflash, all news has an agenda, even current, it just boils down to what you want to hear, got truth?

First, thank you for your kind words.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit I began as s a right winger myself - born and raised Republican. I grew up completely CLUELESS about why Richard Nixon had resigned.

And with everything that is right and good I believed. (Meaning, I didn't consciously decide to spread lies or propaganda). The people on the left infuriated me because they demanded SOURCES. I didn't purposely repeat falsehoods. I recall watching the movie "Missing" not UNDERSTANDING IT. Literally. I could not believe the US would knowingly prop up right wing dictators. Those claims had to be made by communists, by America haters. I truly believed Reagan when he spoke about defending human rights and liberties.

Iran-gate? Ollie North a criminal? That sailed over my head. I was a typical middle class, white college kid., concentrating on hard sciences like physics, biology, p-chem. I did everything I could to AVOID anything resembling world or American history: YAWN. I couldn't care less about politics. The popular refrain among the young: I'll never use it in the real world.

When I stepped out of my cocoon into health care, I worked with the poor and homeless. Contrary to right wing mythology, there are few to no supports out there. We'd work our tails off to improve their health only to discharge them to home: a tent under a bridge or a box in a subway station. The poor do not have it easy, no matter how many young republicans believe that.

I thought I could make more of a difference as a lawyer. Back to school I went. But it is very hard to get a law degree with no background in American history. I designed a crash course to educate myself about law, economics, politics, the media, etc. Was I in for an awakening!!! Anyone who believes our government is operated by, for, and about the people is deluded.

Caselaw taught me a heck of a lot about America's caste system. I had to memorize America's journey from pre-revolution to where we are now. I learned how we secured resources - making nice with some of the most ruthless dictators. Talk about human rights and dignity by politicians was empty rhetoric. The biggest impediment to democracy? We no longer have a free, open and independent media.

Luckily - I am not stupid: the one common factor between politicians on the right and those on the left is that they are human. Flawed and too readily corruptible.

On one of my first days in law school, in an attempt to introduce ourselves to each other a bunch of us sat around a table in the lunch room to introduce ourselves. One young man's statement is indelibly imprinted on my soul: He told us he had worked very hard to get to law school and he was very willing to do anything to succeed. If that meant stepping on the throats of fellow students to succeed, then so be it. If that meant stepping on the bodies of friends, he would do that, too. He noted that he didn't consider anyone his friend. (All I could do is sit with my jaw on the floor).

Until graduation, he never changed that philosophy. He became a very prominent leader among conservative students. Other people heard him express that sentiment and seemed to have no problem with it. Perhaps bc I was still stupid, or naive, or arrogant... I objected, voicing my disgust with his arrogance. (Remember, I still thought myself a conservative republican). He replied that I was no different than the rest of my liberal cohorts - willing to give away the hard earned resources of the American people to people who are too lazy to go out and earn their own way. He felt it was his personal mission to obstruct anyone like me to protect the American tax payer. (Yet, he had no problem with the billions of dollars being given away to corporations in corporate entitlements).

I'd never before been called a liberal. It was not until later that I realized I was supposed to be ashamed of that label. (I was not ashamed. Liberal, to me, meant tolerant, concerned about the environment and fundamental fairness. It implied a contempt for systemic corruption... Now, these were always my values. I just never realized that these were seen as "liberal" values).

I don't ever presume to speak for those on the left. I can only reflect the concerns of those people I do know personally. All make a point of fact-checking and following up on statements made regardless of whether they lean left, right, or center. When I see someone cite a source I will diligently check and cross check it.

That having been said, I can say that I am not contemptuous of those who disagree with me, but, rather, of those who fail to respect others and fail to provide any credible sources. That drives me insane about fringe-dwellers. On either pole.

Perhaps I never want to be thought a fool. Maybe it is my own ego. I research my own claims to the point of obsession. I don't like being thought wrong any more than the next person. Right or wrong, left, right, or center, we should all respect the dignity of others. I think you will see that in most reasonable persons, no matter what they call themselves politically.

FOX, Number One in CABAL News™

A photoshopped fake sign is news to you? I have read many of the posts here before commenting. I thought being a middle of the road type of guy I would find less hate on a left leaning website. No wonder the pendulum is swinging away from Democrats and Liberals or Progressives. I might as well join the KKK. There time is up and so is yours. I don't hear the same from the majority of right wing websites. Sure there are some. But this is ridiculous. You can';t argue with the volume of viewers at Fox compared to CNN or MSNBC. It is like asking why Chocolate ice cream is more popular than Cauliflower.
Your message is "WE HATE EVERYONE THAT DISAGREES WITH US!"
I should want to join you? Seriously? .

TV shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's just a box that spurts out data. People have to use their own brain and look at it objectively.

- Who is broadcasting

- Do they have an agenda

- Do they need "lack-of-ideas filler" (Bog or Putty)

- Is there anything of value that can be sifted from it

- Should you just take the TV outside and hit it with a sledgehammer

"Fox News represents itself as _news_. The article above is not about Beck et al. It's about the news organization. Comparing self-professed news anchors to commentators is apples to oranges."

I haven't been trying to compare anchors to commentators. I've been commenting on how many people in this thread think Olbermann and Maddow are the news. Comparing MSNBC and Fox, Sheppard Smith does the news. Everything thing else is commentary. I can't remember the name of the guy who did the news on MSNBC. I just tried to look it up and couldn't find his name or anything pointing to evening news anymore. Brian Williams did at some point in the past. But everyone else is commentary. I understand the difference. I believe there are people in this thread (not you) who don't. I also believe there are people who are Fox junkies who don't know the difference either.

Whenever I've watched any of the editorial shows I'll comment "Hannity thinks/said" or "Maddow thinks/said." I don't take it verbatim as news. I take it as their slant on the news which it is intended to be. Thank you for your articulate response.

" Facepunch said:

I do not think that the AZ shooting is connected to the Tea Party. I have yet to hear any credible evidence to the contrary. I do not give much credence to the Tea Party, I have lived near DC my entire life, and have seen much worse. Most of the Tea Party are old people. I have never felt threatened by the Tea Party. There is a faction within the Tea Party I feel is troubling IE the birthers and the racists, but for the most part ,I am not sure I have ever seen any violence from them.

a comment (You can paste links too)"
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SO you are going to say the rhetoric and gun slinging did nothing to spur that murder spree in AZ? RIGHT!

Warren_Merrill ... There are some basic categories here you are confounding.
Olbermann and Maddow are commentators. It's not their job to report the news. It is a provable point of pride that when they do their job - COMMENT ON the news - they represent the news accurately. They simply do. Their commentary is absolutely partisan - that's what they're PAID TO DO! - but they represent reality accurately.

Fox News represents itself as _news_. The article above is not about Beck et al. It's about the news organization. Comparing self-professed news anchors to commentators is apples to oranges.

When you complicate this by the fact that the lefty *commentators* represent reality more accurately than the righty *anchors* do ... Well, I for one find it compelling and fascinating.

It's ... uh ... lovely that you want to "make people here think." Really. It's not condescending at all. But some of us are fairly good at doing that on our own. Hope you'll consider being a bit more rigorous in your own logic.

Cyber ... I have never said I "never" watch them. I've said I don't make a habit of watching any television pundit on a regular basis. I'm aware Olbermann and Maddow are commentators, not anchors. I've been trying to make this point none of tv commentators are delivering the news. They opine on the news and each other. Many of Olbermann's followers on this site believe he is delivering the news. From what I have watched of Fox or MSNBC I would argue both sides do what you praise the left for and comdemn the right for doing. I'm don't fall into a particular all or nothing doctrine. It's why I can see the world both ways. Those on the far right and far left (most of the Olbermann lovers) see thing through their own colored glasses and believe what they wish rather than the truth.

If I can make some people think on this board that's great. I appreciate a response from an articulate person such as yourself. I don't expect anyone on this board to change their ideas based on anything I post. No one on either extreme is going to change their values unless something drastic occurs in their life to help them see the truth.

An unnamed source is no source to me...besides even if this source had a name...it would matter little as anyone who watches this network for 5 minutes knows just by exercising some common sense...that the content of the "NEWS" programing is made up.

"Moral equivalence? There are right and left talkers, but right has a bigger megaphone. The right intentionally sow false stories, Obama is not American, Obama is muslim, etc. Olbermann and Maddow make corrections, present facts openly; they have opinions, but are not making it all up"

I beg to differ. Both sides create their own version of the truth. Both sides take bits and pieces of the truth that properly presents their personal view and presents it as news. Olbermann and Maddow are no more honest than the other side of the political spectrum. You think Olbermann and Maddow are telling the truth since it's the truth as you wish to hear it and believe it.

I once saw an article online on how Olbermann edited one of Limbaugh's diatribes in mid sentence and connected two separate thoughts together to create a statement Limbaugh never made. The article showed the complete text of what Limbaugh said and the text of how Olbermann edited to make an entirely different conclusion to the story. Then Olbermann went on a rant on his edited version condemning Limbaugh for something he never said.

It's show business. Don't trust any of them on either side. Gather information from both sides of the fence and draw your own conclusions. The sides of the fence I would gather information from is the written media not tv and radio editorialists doing a ratings grab. Anyone who takes these people on tv and radio from either side, at face value are foolish.

Really? Anyone who has a brain knows that FOX programming is filled with people, hosts and guests alike, who twist the truth or outright make things up, and who are anything but fair or balanced. The channel is designed as a safe haven for Republicans who want to make wild claims without being questioned. Anyone who takes them for their word on the other hand, without weighing their actions or even their previous statements, is just plain stupid. However it is very harmful for those Republicans who are being sincere because it muddles everything together.

I will say in FOX's defense that generally during the day and in the 6-8 hour, FOX reports the general news the same as all the other news channels do. And sometimes they're on events before anyone else is. So I guess that's what they mean by "fair and balanced."

But especially in the evening, starting with Neil Cavuto, followed by Glenn Beck, then later O'Reilly and Hannity, none of them are reporting news in any kind of honest way. Or in Beck's case hardly at all. They just allow people they agree with to come on and say what they want, and then generally agree with them or don't question them in any serious way. That's not news. Especially in O'Reilly and Hannity's case, they occasionally have guests on that they disagree with, and then either constantly interrupt them or shout them down. That's not news either. In Beck's case, he just constantly makes stuff up, followed by, "I'm just presenting the facts here. You have to decide." That's definitely not news. They're obviously banking on the fact that their base viewers either can't think for themselves or have an altered view of reality.

Some of the folks who appear on FOX talk as though having a black president is Armageddon. Literally. Just short of calling him the anti-christ. As if it must be a sign of end times that we have a black president. But I blame that as much on believers of mythology, among whom, ironically, includes the president.

But in a way, I'm glad we have FOX news because it makes it easier to identify who the phonies are. They appear right on there. All you have to do is watch. And they contradict themselves all the time. I've never seen anyone contradict himself as much as John McCain. I think he holds the record. That's why, although I may not agree with much of anything Michael Steele has to say, and he makes a lot of excuses for the Republican Party, at least I know he has appeared on other channels and appears to be sincere. Whereas FOX is the only channel where Sarah Palin will appear. She is obviously not sincere and only cares about herself and her own image. Anyone who takes her at her word, or thinks she is talking about reality, is living in la-la land. But you really can't blame FOX for that, any more than you can blame the religious channels for preying on the believers who tune in and send in their money.

A lot of stuff is just made up. I can't find a better example than the Bible. FOX News comes in a distant second.

(couldn't get a "reply" to appear)

Mr_Brainwash

Warren_Merrill:
Cool Story. Of course objectivity is very different for everyone. I find neither the right or the left amusing, as an American, I believe journalism is essential to an effective democracy, and as science and research has born out, some of us are actually telling the truth not simply our ideological beliefs.

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I believe in journalism. I just don't much of it from television. The last place I would go for the truth is Olberman and Beck. They are the two most politically biased people on television. I have eight news websites marked. I look at at least four each day. The primary four include two from the right and two from the left. I always consider the political leanings of the writer while processing the information. Then I decide for myself. I lean center-right. I know that's how I will interpret opinion.

Facts are facts. But it's amazing how these guys on television (on all political shows and columns) twist the facts or avoid the facts that would not aid their stance. One time I called a radio talk show. The person didn't know what she was talking about. I called in armed with facts. I had inside information from contacts. She never let me finish a sentence and called me names. My facts would have blown up the stance she had held for the first two hours of the show. She would have looked foolish.

Another time a radio talk show host didn't know what he was talking about I emailed him with accurate information on the top. The next day he used everything that helped his stance, twisted some of it into the truth he was looking for (he wasn't lying) and avoided the information that would have been against his arguement.

As soon as viewers, listeners and readers come to understand how all media people work the truth to fit their agenda (or raise their ratings) there will be less blind faith lemmings in the world and more people who think for themselves. And too many people don't know the difference between news and editorial. Olbermann, Beck, Hannity, Matthews, Maddow, O'Reilly, etc are editorial shows, not news. News is stating the chicken crossed the road. Once someone states why, unless they got it from the chicken it's editorial.

yeah and the sky is blue and water is wet... I thought this was common knowledge.

It's not that FOX lies. It's the far left sees a truth that is so far in a different direction from their belief system they believe FOX to be lying. People on the far right see networks like MSNBC and NPR as off base. People on the far left take Olbermann as the truth. People on the right take Beck as the truth. The truth they tell is through their own jaded viewpoint and idealogy.

I'm happy to be a center-right moderate who doesn't take any editoriaist at face value. I ask myself if I believe what they are saying based on my beliefs, not theirs. I'm not angry at the world. If I see an obstacle I look for a way over or around it. Obstacles are just speed bumps on the way to happiness and success.

I put myself through college. I got trained in the corporate world and rose through it's ranks. I started my own company with two partners and grew it to over one hundred employeesd. We eventually sold the company to a major corporation for a lot of money. I've always taken control of my life. I've been in control of my success. I've been in control of my happiness.

To not be in control leads to anger. Anger is exhausting and self defeating. If more people focused on how they could be the best they could be rather than thinking somone else is depriving them or stealing from them, the country would have more happy people. Then you would laugh at Olbermann and Beck. I find both of them amusing when I bother to watch. Afterall, they are television entertainers with the primary goal of developing and maintaining an audience.

Olbermann and Beck are shining examples of the free market system. Both have made themselves very wealthy offering their services to the highest bidder. They are both skilled entertainers.

I guess even reality seems left-wing to nazi fascists and their propaganda

you were thinking this will be a riot.....and then it ruined ur buzz

And this is a surprise ?

And this is a surprise ?

I once had the brilliant idea to record Glen Beck, Sean Hannity and Billo the Clown on the same day and write about the BS they spew. With pen in hand I turned on Beck... What was I thinking??? I couldn't get through five minutes. I immediately deleted all three shows. It absolutely astounds me why anyone with a functioning brain would listen to these idiots. I had thoughts of going postal after five minutes.

All one needs do is watch Fox "News" for a short period of time. Anyone watching how they behave can see, Fox "News" contradicts *themselves* over and over on the "facts." It is a self-evident truth. No insider info is needed.

Fox ridicules NPR, but even there the biases are supported by facts. Facts and simple questions are Fox's biggest threats. Research surveys are consistent Fox viewers are the most misinformed. NPR listeners get the highest scores for accurate answers. This is like telling me the tides come in, the tides go out. I knew that. I supposes it proves Fox has their own news god, facts come in propaganda goes out

I hope there wasn't a great deal of resources expended on a story that divulged no new information.
Quoting an 'insider' without attribution is so tabloid.

Was the "insider" fired? Or did the person leave by choice? I mean, was revenge an issue? Because trusting the words of someone who admits to partaking in lying on a regular basis... who knows what to believe now...

hmmm, so it's just "officially" bullshit now. good to know.

CNN makes up a ton of crap... how can you tell? When any commentator is talking consider it crap.

Is there some reason why I am UNABLE to reply to people's comments? Has this been Huffpoized as well?

The brainwashing effect of the constant scroll at the bottom of fox "news"es screen is very powerful because most of their viewers are illiterate.

Fox news is biased, but every time I see GE stock being pumped up on CNBC or by Jim Cramer, my head wants to explode. Have you ever seen an objective report on the Tea Party by MSNBC? The answer is no. Half of you guys are pleased as punch that Keith Olbermann is coming to Current. I am sure that he will report the news as it is, and not put a left wing spin on it.

Please , your hypocrisy is laughable.

Even this site, that I have been a member of for less than a week, seems to have an overtly Left Wing spin. Watching the network, it is subtle but here with the Anti FOX stories every day, and pounding the drum against FOX and in favor of guys like Olbermann without a hint of irony.

If you don't know, every Main Stream News Network is owned at least partly by multinational corporations, they are among the largest campaign contributors , and all have axes to grind. All hire partisan think tanks, and all have absolutely no credibility. I feel like I have been duped in the past by thinking that Current was any different.

When a conservative lies he gets mad, when a liberal lies he believes it. Just saying you guys here are very uneducated I know why you stay here and believe your bull hockey. Get out in the real world and see you might just find out that fact based is far more telling then lies. Do your own research.

"Water is wet!": News at eleven.

“It is their M.O. to undermine the administration and to undermine Democrats,” says the source. “They’re a propaganda outfit but they call themselves news.”

Shocking, simply shocking. And I thought they were legit...... On a serious note folks who did not know this and find this shocking or unbelievable I have a bridge and few prime property for sale. Located in the Los Angeles and NY area: (200 acres plus houses in Beverly Hills and the entire strip of Wall Street including the buildings and the BQE. Asking price $10 Million. I will pay the closing and taxes for a few years.

Now, can we just get this information to some of the
Fox viewers that are not yet zombies?

If one believes that there is good in this world, then one must believe that there is also evil. Fox & Friends are evil and should constantly be exposed of its deceptions and wicked ways.

This is not news, because they didn't release it on the fox news yet. Duh. This just in! "Pet dog saves family of 9" awwwww.

If your neighbor watches Fox News.
Watch your neighbor

The funny thing is you can watch any of the other national news, then turn on foux and automatically you have that WTF? are they talking about moment.

FOx News is as biased as Pravda and the North Korean state channel is... So I don't doubt that Fox News concocts news when it serves their (and the Republicans) purpose..

Fox News lies, exaggerates, concocts & favors an ultra-conservative, right-wing Republican agenda that wishes the Nation could go back to the good old days (the Dubya years?)?????

Whoa!!! who would have believed that!?

Now, what are those millions of loyal but now betrayed Fox-viewers to do? will they be outraged and demand from Fox a real Fair & Balanced perspective on the (mostly political) issues of the day? or will they abandon it en masse to look elsewhere a place where facts & figures are offered that can be independently checked & confirmed, thus enabling them, after penetrating analysis, form their own fair and unbiased opinions on current events?

Absolutely not
Because Fox preaches to the choir
And pigs are the happiest in mud
and they know it
and they love it!

Now, trolls, go ahead and bash to your heart’s content!

;)

Kind of like that time dan rather made up that story about bush being AWOL ya know?

i don't think that all of what fox news is putting out are ALL lies but everything is like news on steroids. the shit they put out gets exaggerated 'til something gooey comes out.

I read with interest the following quote:

"The fact of the matter is that a majority of us feed into this bullshit version of the news. Whether its Fox or Msnbc it seems every cable news outlet has an agenda they try to get across with their viewers"

This is also fed to you by Fox, They would love you to believe there is some equivalency. There isn't. MSNBC may have been a reaction to Fox, but not a purveyor of false news. Just had to say I'm really tired of hearing that nonsense. The jury is now out on what will become of MSNBC since the big takeover. That network could very well become of bastion of lunacy like Fox.

Is anyone surprised? Anyone with a shred of intelligence understands that Fox News just concocts crap out of crap. They just spin it enough to play to those who're weak minded and believe what they're told. Sadly that's half of America