PAUL KRUGMAN: The Murdoch Factor

[kevinmc]

In October 2003, the nonpartisan Program on International Policy Attitudes published a study titled “Misperceptions, the media and the Iraq war.” It found that 60 percent of Americans believed at least one of the following: clear evidence had been found of links between Iraq and Al Qaeda; W.M.D. had been found in Iraq; world public opinion favored the U.S. going to war with Iraq.

The prevalence of these misperceptions, however, depended crucially on where people got their news. Only 23 percent of those who got their information mainly from PBS or NPR believed any of these untrue things, but the number was 80 percent among those relying primarily on Fox News. In particular, two-thirds of Fox devotees believed that the U.S. had “found clear evidence in Iraq that Saddam Hussein was working closely with the Al Qaeda terrorist organization.”

So, does anyone think it’s O.K. if Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which owns Fox News, buys The Wall Street Journal?

The problem with Mr. Murdoch isn’t that he’s a right-wing ideologue. If that were all he was, he’d be much less dangerous. What he is, rather, is an opportunist who exploits a rule-free media environment — one created, in part, by conservative political power — by slanting news coverage to favor whoever he thinks will serve his business interests......

http://freedemocracy.blogspot.com/2007/06/paul-krugman-murdoch-factor.html

[Flatulo]

1. I wonder if this says more about Fox or their viewers...

It could be that their viewers come to the table with more biased positions to begin with, and then just get them reinforced there.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread kevinmc.

[Joanne98]

3. k&r

[byronius]

4. Rupert Mesmer Murdoch.

Leadin' sheep to the slaughter.