My LTTE on the Fox News flap

[Clark4Prez]

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo pissed about the Fox News BS, that I decided to write the editor, for the first time in my life.

Here is the letter I just emailed off:

On Friday October 1, Fox News posted a false story on its website. This story was filled with fabricated quotes from Senator John Kerry’s appearance in Tampa. The point of the story was to make Senator Kerry appear vapid.

It is an unforgivable act in journalism to produce a false story, one that over the years, cost many their careers. Fox News statement on their website as of Saturday, said this:

“Earlier Friday, FOXNews.com posted an item purporting to contain quotations from Kerry. The item was based on a reporter’s partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. We regret the error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice.”

The New York Times and USA Today both experienced journalistic fraud and both the reporter and some editors resigned over the matter. For Fox News to maintain any semblance of journalistic integrity, they must do likewise.

Some have attempted to draw a line between Dan Rather's National Guard papers story and this event. However, they cannot be less similar. CBS ran a story as news something the reporter believed to be true; Fox News reported something the reporter knew to be false.

If Fox News chooses against holding anyone accountable, they should, at the very least, change their slogan to “We distort, you decide.” That would be more credible than their so-called “apology”.

[KharmaTrain]

1. Let Us Recount the ways...

Wasn't there a Faux reporter/producer who got nailed with trying to sneak in goodies from Iraq following the invasion. If I'm not mistaken he's still employed.

There's Geraldo who gave out the position of troops live on the air...endangering forces in the middle of a military action. And he's still doing his shtick there.

Then there's good old Ollie...a paragon of truth and integrity (especially when teamed with Chuck Colson & The "G" Man).

And lest we forget the Bushie relative who just happened to be producing on Election night 2000.

The good thing is Faux is dismissed as a credible news source. The sad thing is, people still watch.

[IdaBriggs]

2. Well said. nt

[Tamyrlin79]

3. Your letter's key assumption is false:

For Fox News to maintain any semblance of journalistic integrity, they must do likewise.

You assume that they have some semblance of journalistic integrity left to maintain. I would argue that that disappeared a long time ago.

[Eric J in MN]

4. well done (nt)

nt