The Fox Nutwork

I have never found a more succinct explanation of why Fox News is not a legitimate news organization than this one:

Here’s the Fox Nutwork playbook in all its glory.

When attempting to defend itself, Fox insists that the most egregious examples of bias pointed to by its attackers are from its “opinion journalists” (which they are), who are an operation separate from its “news” division (which they most decidedly are not).

In fact, Fox is designed and built to exploit the traditional expectation of such divides at the other networks, but instead regularly uses its opinion shows as a vector to whitewash their bullshit for the “news” side, turning even of the most outlandish and idiotic ultra-right talking points into something that wears the disguise of news. In the evening hour opinion shows (which, poisonous though they are, Fox is perfectly entitled to broadcast), you have your Hannity types spouting their wingnut applause lines unchecked, because gosh, it’s just “opinion journalism.” So it’s all fair game when they come right out and claim Obama’s a socialist, or communist, or fascist, or whatever the flavor of the day is.

But lo and behold, come next morning, the “news” side anchors pull out the infamous “Fox Question Mark” construction, dutifully delivering their line to the audience: “Is Obama a socialist? That’s what some in Washington are saying…” Nevermind that both the “some” who are saying it and the talking heads “reporting” it take their morning memos and their paychecks from the same source.

The previous evening’s attack memes, Fox folks will tell you, are supposedly this morning’s “news,” because, well, people are saying it, and they as “journalists” have a responsibility to cover that. And in their view of it nobody’s culpable, because Hannity’s a commentator, and the “news” division is just noting that “some” are saying it. Clean hands all around!

In reality, of course, it simply cannot be considered fair game to plant memes with the opinion side so that the “news” side can claim, “Hey, it’s out there and we have a responsibility to report it” the next day.

And that, if you ask me, is one of the key difference between the Fox Nutwork and everybody else.

Via The Fox Nutwork’s coy game