View from the UK - Fox News' rabid propagandist Glenn Beck has lured me to America

[Lucy Goosey]

Fox News' rabid propagandist Glenn Beck has lured me to America
He wants to recreate the spirit shown the day after 9/11. But it's a worrying kind of patriotism he's whipping up

Hadley Freeman, The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/16/hadley-freeman-glenn-beck

<snip>

He is one of the stars of Fox News, thanks partly to his fondness for using phrases such as "you are not alone" and "we surround them" on his weekday news talkshow, mixing the cheesy simplicity of a Michael Jackson ballad with a creepy cult leader sensibility to find favour among a certain American audience. Beck recently gave a hint as to who this audience might be when he felt the need to remind them that it wasn't the done thing "to turn violent", even though they might think it "a good idea".

Despite having accused President Obama of possessing "a deep-seated hatred of white people" and being "a racist" – which one might think would contravene Beck's much-vaunted "patriotism" – he remains employed by Fox News. Of course, seeing as the channel seems to have confused the words "news" and "propaganda", it's perhaps not that surprising that it might also mix up "talkshow" and "excuse for wackiness". That 50 advertisers have pulled out of his show has not dimmed Fox's love for its self-described "rodeo clown" because, as the channel pointed out, the advertisers have simply moved to different time slots, not other stations – so, as long as the hate speech doesn't cost them, meh.

<snip>

[get the red out]

1. Why do the British see through this and we don't?

And the British are able to write about it and tell the truth? But in the US we seem to be required to take Fox News seriously. I can't understand why Europe is so ahead of our country in reasoning ability. We have people walking around pretending that Fox News makes sense!

[Uncle Joe]

2. Because they're aren't living in the U.S. corporate media propaganda bubble and

because it's easier to see the full mural from a distance rather than standing too close.

[Ghost Dog]

5. Bingo.

(It's even easier viewed from outside both US and UK, as long as your non-propagandised lines of communication are good).

[Mark Baker]

6. Actually Hadley Freeman is American

though she's been living in the UK for a long time and writes for the Guardian (mostly about fashion)

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Don't put yourselves down too much - Colbert has captured Beck perfectly

I turned to the 912project.com for answers, but when I clicked on the link to take me to "Principles", a "Not Found, Error" page flashed up. Possibly not all that surprising, seeing as American satirist Stephen Colbert pointed out that in 2005 Beck announced that "It took me about a year to start hating the 9/11 victims' families . . . When I see a 9/11 victim family on television or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up!' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."

So, Colbert concluded, "The 9/12 project is not for families directly affected by 9/11, just people building their careers on it."

[Prophet 451]

11. Our media laws have teeth

Our five terrestrial (network) channels aren't owned by corporations who own other things (although some publish spin-off magazines). The one that's state-owned has a global reputation for scrupulous objectivity. We have ten competing daily national newspapers aimed at different political views and IQ levels, including one aimed at the brain-dead right-fringe (the Daily Mail). More to the point, Brits read more. Americans read, on average and not counting work, 99 hours a year. The British and European total is, on average, about four times that.

[ShortnFiery]

16. We do but our corrupt M$M allows VILLAGE IDIOTS, the likes of Glenn Beck to

spew their hate speech across the television and radio. They also give these CRAZIES an equal seat at the table during debate. Why? The corporations couldn't DUPE the unwashed masses without these morAns. :(

[tomm2thumbs]

3. 'the channel seems to have confused the words ''news'' and ''propaganda''...'

Of course, seeing as the channel seems to have confused the words "news" and "propaganda", it's perhaps not that surprising that it might also mix up "talkshow" and "excuse for wackiness".

[chazndav]

4. I read the BBC daily

and the reader comments are refreshing, informed and articulate. After health care reform, America needs major EDUCATION REFORM!!!

[Mark Baker]

8. If you think the BBC reader comments are informed and articulate

then things in America must be even worth than I'd realised.

BBC Have Your Say is famous for the stupid comments.

[Zoeisright]

9. Yes, they are 'worth'.

Or 'worse'.

[Prophet 451]

10. Seconded

HYS (especially where the unemployed, sick or the enviroment are concerned) is the biggest collection of frothing right-fringe, knuckle-dragging hatred, bile and viciousness seen in one place since Nuremburg.

[T_i_B]

20. Actually, comments on the Daily Mail website are even worse!

And on that point, an article from today's Grauniad.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/18/daily-mail-glenn-beck

The right wing in Britain doesn't need to take to the streets waving placards depicting their most hated public figure as Adolf Hitler or the Joker. We have the Daily Mail, Fleet Street's answer to Glenn Beck.

[Prophet 451]

12. Another view from the UK: We're wondering if you've gone nuts

Death panels? Secession? Socialist/communist/fascist used as synonyms? Used for the centre-right Obama? Glenn Beck? Conservatives lost the election in crushing fashion and they're still running the debate?

WTF?

[Denzil_DC]

13. In the UK we've had Rupert Murdoch interfering with our democracy

through his newspapers for years, but Fox's output is off the scale in terms of constant bias and frenzy.

From here, his conduct looks little short of treasonous. And while Beck et al. bloviate about "socialism," Murdoch's in for the long haul of accommodating the Chinese government - as usual, to further his own media imperialism.

[Prophet 451]

15. It's a difference of degree

Yeah, Murdoch's newspapers slant right to a greater or lesser extent (The Times seems to be trying to fight him) but no more so than the rest of our papers. I read the Indie and their open, unapologetic liberal slant can be just as in-your-face as the conservative slant of, say, The Sun. And Sky News has won awards for the objectivity of their coverage.

It seems that Murdoch will push things as far as the law will let him.

[AusDem]

14. im really sorry about Rupert Murdoch, I really am

but he basically didn't fit in here, and seems to have found a more.....receptive environment in the states

i only moved back to Aus recently after 10 years in New York, and nobody here particularly likes the Murdoch empire.

[Skittles]

19. we don't think of Murdoch as Aussie, Ausdem

we think of him as Asshole

[shotten99]

17. They have Sky News which is another Murdoch outlet.

It's not as obnoxious as Faux, but it's no BBC

[hay rick]

18. kick