Fox News Turns On Researcher They Repeatedly Relied On Re Media Bias

[Median Democrat]

We all recall the publication of a report by a relatively conservative group confirming that McCain, not Obama, tended to receive favorable coverage from the Media. Robert Lichter, director of the Center for Media and Politics, which published the report has been frequently cited by Bill O'Reilly in support of claims that the media has a liberal bias.:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-onthemedia27-2008jul27,0,6802141.story

Well, apparently, Fox News now thinks that Robert Lichter is a quack and have been in all out attack mode seeking to undermine the conclusions of the latest report by Lichter.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/07/media-bias-repo.html

/snip

Robert Lichter, director of the Center for Media and Politics, has been scrambling from interview to interview to explain and defend his research, which showed that the three broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- and the Fox Special Report made more negative statements about Obama than about McCain from June 8 through July 21.

Bill O’Reilly was among many who wanted to talk to Lichter about his research. And the Fox News Channel host did not seem embarrassed about a change in his attitude toward the media analyst.

In the past, O'Reilly embraced Lichter's research showing a liberal bias by network news programs. He welcomed Lichter as a truth-teller, for instance, when the communications professor at Virginia's George Mason University -- using the same methodology -- said Democrats were getting more favorable network TV coverage than Republicans in the walk-up to the 2006 midterm election.

But Monday, after The Times reported Lichter’s latest findings and the apparent tilt against Obama, O’Reilly told his radio listeners the research was “misleading” and an “enormous mistake.”

/snip

[jefferson_dem]

1. Make no mistake about it. Robert Lichter is a conservative media researcher.

I wouldn't quite say Bozell with academic credentials but some might.

It's funny to see FauxNews turn on him after they used him for so long. Glenn Beck had Lichter on today and was also disputing his findings. Like "No way the media are not not pro Obama 'cause everyone knows the media are pro Obama."

[Median Democrat]

3. Big Media - Kind of Like McCain The Foreign Policy Expert

If you suggest otherwise, Big Media just shouts you down the way they shouted down Wesley Clark in interview after interview. Heck, even McCain himself can't disprove this notion, because Big Media either edits him (CBS) or corrects him (George S. on NBC).

[scheming daemons]

2. He committed the ultimate sin on the right.... he told the truth.