Why do we boycott Fox News and not the other Fox TV channels?

[LynneSin]

Seriously?

I'm reading the thread about how Fox News is tanking and yet on any given day, if American Idol is on Fox that topic is all the rage in the DU lounge.

As long as Fox and Rupert Murdoch are making a killing with his other news channels, I don't think Murdoch is going to care one-iota if Fox News becomes a money pit.

Perhaps if we really want to protest Fox then we should protest ALL of their channels, not just the ones we find offensive. Fox TV has been nothing but programming to dumb down the masses (outside of a few shining stars like the Simpsons or 24). Their reality shows have been exploitive (Marry a Millionaire, Joe Millionaire and Temptation Island to name a few) and then you have American Idol, which makes a mockery of both voting AND the music industry by creating what I feel is nothing more than American Karaoke Hour.

I say just turn off Fox channels all together. We will continue to have Fox News as long as Murdoch makes up the money on his other channels

[bryant69]

1. It's a good point

If you believe that we have the power and the duty to silence FoxNews.

I don't hold that belief personally.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[liberaldemocrat7]

29. I do not watch CNN, nor MSNBC.

I have not watched these for over 9 months now.

I want to ask why people won't demand progressive legislation of a small well known set of GOP donors and force them to get it enacted or lose our business in a purchasing strike where we create an ad hoc union?

[Buzz Clik]

2. I don't boycott any of these -- not even PigBoy Limbaugh

If you don't pay attention to the opposition, they'll cut your throat.

[LynneSin]

5. You have a stronger stomach that I do

FOr me, I rely on Media Matters to keep me informed.

Just because I know it's raining outside doesn't mean I have to go outside and actually get wet to confirm it's raining. Media Matters is my 'weather' report.

:shrug:

[Initech]

51. That's what Mediamatters is for!

They pay attention to the opposition so you dont have to.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Three words: "Simpsons" and "Family Guy."

I'm sorry, but there really aren't too many culturally relevant comedies on TV anymore. The rest of Fox is shit, but I live for these two shows.

[okieinpain]

12. you beat me to it.

[meegbear]

13. That's four words

[Cooley Hurd]

17. Nitpicker!

:D

[Initech]

50. I completely agree.

If it wasnt for the Simpsons and Family Guy, I would not watch Fox at all. The rest of the network (like all the major ones) is total horseshit.

[RedStateShame]

4. The real power is in what you buy, seriously

The networks aren't worried so much as the viewers' money as they are the sponsors' money. So, what to do is watch said Fox programming, or FX programming(be damned if I miss Nip/Tuck!), and be sure to see the commercials that air, and if you're really against Uber Ailes and company, don't buy those brands. It speaks volumes more than just not watching something on TV.

[LynneSin]

10. But it's the ratings that TV stations use to entice people to buy time

So that goes back to watching the shows in the first place.

If shows have horible viewership especially in the prime ages of 25-55 market, then they won't by ads for that show

[MyNameGoesHere]

6. Because the Simpsons

still make me laugh. I need a good laugh from time to time in this messed up world.

[melissinha]

7. Cause they have good comedy

I watched it for "That 70s Show" and watch "Family Guy" and "American Dad" with my boyfriend.....


But it is true, it still is the network... I guess we are TV addicts.......

[The2ndWheel]

Murdoch doesn't care

He has shows like 30 Days, and like you said The Simpsons and Family Guy that take shots at Republicans every episode. Sure, I;d like to kick some Fox ass for canceling Arrested Development, but like protests, boycotts may have had their day, but they just don't have "it" anymore. Murdoch will find a way to make money and consolidate power no matter what anyone does.

[LynneSin]

16. Perhaps he has those shows to lull people into thinking Fox is unbias'd

I mean, I had no idea how conservative Fox News was until I started reading about it here at DU. I wasn't a big watcher of Cable News but just assumed that anyone who created shows like the Simpsons or Married with Children must have a pretty 'fair & balanced' outlook when it comes to news.

[The2ndWheel]

24. Fox is, Fox News isn't

The company Fox just wants to make money, they don't care if it comes from men, women, democrats, republicans.

We live in a specialized world. FX, Fox, Fox News, they're all different. How many people even watch Fox News at any one time? A couple million? Is that even worth getting upset over? The RW machine is far larger than just Fox News. Boycott the entire company, and the message will still find its way out. Watch what you want to watch, skip the stuff you don't. I'll watch Fox News on occasion, just to see what kind of crazy stuff they're talking about. I wouldn't tell anyone not to watch it, but if you wanted to organize a massive boycott of Fox, nobody can stop you. Go for it.

[LynneSin]

26. They're all owned by Rupert Murdoch

So to me, they're all the same

[The2ndWheel]

30. Fair enough

No matter how big a boycott though, Fox News isn't going to change, and it won't go anywhere. So I don't see what the goal of boycotting Fox would be. Murdoch has all the wealth in the world, and he'll find a way to keep making it. It's obviously an individual choice. If you like some of the shows on Fox or FX, but are willing to not watch for a stand against Fox News, more power to you. Plenty of other ways someone can find entertainment and kill a few hours out of the day, probably in a more productive way.

[KurtNYC]

46. Murdoch is the CEO of News Corp which is publicly traded

He doesn't own Fox, News Corp does.

IMHO our efforts would be far better spent helping more people find alternative news sources. You can't silence the opposition but you can make people aware of alternatives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Corporation

[RufusEarl]

8. I don't watch any Fox channels,

just my little protest. But i come to DU to find out what they've been up to, and i'm thankful that someone keeps an eye on them.

[mcscajun]

9. I agree completely. I have never seen American Idol, and never will.

I won't even watch the Fox Movie Channel. Yet, I don't look upon it as a "boycott", as no one at Fox knows (or would care if they did) that I'm not watching.

Fox News is just the worst of Murdoch's American onslaught, but you're right, it's all part of the same package, and while there is a legitimate argument to be made that Someone has to keep an eye on what Fox is up to, there's no such argument on the rest of his "entertainment".

[DeSwiss]

11. LynneSin, I agree...

...which is partly why I boycott TV period. As has been cited in the past by early TV pioneer Newton Minnow: "television is a vast wasteland."

Well, except football of course.... tee hee

[TheFriedPiper]

14. America Idol is almost as offensive as Fox News Channel

It is representative of the dumbing down of our culture.

Just the fact that there are enough stupid people in the country to keep American Idol on the air is a sad comentary on how far our culture has fallen.

[NYCGirl]

15. Simpsons, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me — all great TV. NT

[LynneSin]

19. I'm not questioning the quality of the programs they have

I'm questioning the fact that Murdoch can use his other channels to help sell the brandname "FOX". And it's the fact that people are willing to watch shows on other Fox Channels and help provide ratings giants (which means large advertising revenues) to shows like American Idol, well that will allow him to subsidize Fox News and keep pushing the propaganda

[NYCGirl]

27. Unless you're a Nielsen family, it makes no difference. NT

[flyarm]

18. i boycott them all and have now for almost 4 yrs..i have

all fox on child block in my house on all TV's..

my friends all watch american idol..i have never seen it..and many of my friends watch 24 ..again i have not seen it..if you have never seen it..you miss nothing!!

fly

[LynneSin]

20. I think the only thing I watch on Fox might be some stuff on FX

but even then I have no regular viewing guide of "I must watch this now".

Only excpetion - Football

So perhaps I'm just as guilty

[Bluzmann57]

21. You may have a point

But they do have NFL Football and millions of us out here love it. So football on Fox is never going to be boycotted in my house.

[spanone]

22. My local foxnews reports are just as pathetic as the national.

[cboy4]

23. I've always thought FOX entertainment programming is very

progressive, which of course, is the exact opposite of its news division.

It makes no sense to me!

[LynneSin]

25. Don't think of it as progressive - think of it as branding

You enjoy Fox TV why not come watch Fox News

:shrug:

[cboy4]

33. But see, I don't think the people who like FOX TV shows like

FOX News.

FOX News....conservative....pro USA.....pro war....pro family value/flag waving christian shit. (no offense to the good christians) ;)

FOX TV takes chances, it's edgy, it's interesting, it's often controversial.

The FOX News commentators would probably voice outrage at some of it, but they can't because it's part of the company.

I wonder how many complaints the entertainment division receives from it's news viewers? I bet quite a few.

[LynneSin]

39. You're thinking like a progressive - shut down a few brain cells first

You're average Joe American loving AMerican Idol, getting kicks off of the Simpsons and you think "Gee Fox is a Great Network". That positive branding of Fox through their non-news channels is how to give Fox a positive rating in hopes that American Idol viewers will then tune into Fox News.

These viewers may not be politically astute beyond what they see on the evening news. Fox is a brand, whether it's TV shows, News, Sports, Radio, Movies or American Idol - it's a brand name and it's all owned by Rupert Murdoch. What better way to sell the brand then with some catch shows that lure American audiences into their brand creating a sense of "If Fox could create AMerican Idol then how bad could their news channel" be mentality.

[cboy4]

43. Yes, I do see your point. I wonder if it really works? I think the Faux

Network gets a lot more NFL on FOX and MLB on FOX viewers to tune in to FOX News than its prime time programming which is geared toward a younger demographic......which doesn't really watch news of any kind. (so I've read in the trades).

[CBGLuthier]

28. Movie studio too?

Hope you are not a Star Wars fan.

We boycott Fox News because it is shit. It is designed with a purpose and panders to those we consider political and literal enemies.

Fox the TV channel is not much different from ABC, NBC, CBS, and whoever else is still out there.

[LynneSin]

31. Fortunately for me there are no more star wars movies

but you have a valid point there and an area where we can make more impact by not buying tickets for their movies

[CBGLuthier]

41. New set of DVDs coming out

Best not buy any DVDs from them either.

That also means no MASH. Movie or TV show and thousands of other TV and movies. Fox has been around for a very long time. Long enough to have to change their name because it became dated.

If I truly thought that Fox as a whole had an agenda I would support this. But the truth is I don't even think Fox News has a real agenda. They are as authentic as Rush Limbaugh.

They are panderers. They offer a product that sells. When it stops selling they will sell something else.

[Initech]

52. Fox Searchlight puts out some great movies

Hell, they may be the only studio that actually puts out movies worth watching lately. A good example is the recent dark comedy Little Miss Sunshine.

[Ian David]

32. The same people that love Fox "News" hate Fox TV

Family Guy.
The Simpsons.
American Dad.
That 70's Show.

The Talibornagain hate everything Fox makes except for American Idol and Faux "News."

Simply boycotting Fox won't hurt them.

Boycotting the advertisers on Faux "News" and having a massive campaign to call the advertisers and complain, however, will have an impact.

The same goes for the Murdoch-owned newspapers

Remember: It's not the boycott of the advertisers that has the impact-- it's the flood of calls to the advertisers threatening boycott that gets them to throw-up their hands in frustration and cancel their ads.

I suggest we start small Geraldo-- who is the least popular television personality in America.

[cboy4]

35. Eaxctly my point. The people that love FOX News hate FOX TV.

[Ian David]

36. We need an organized campaign to get the word "Fuck" on live Fox TV News

...and then report them to the FCC.

I don't mean on their cable news-- I mean on their local broadcast stations.

Live news and sports broadcasts-- find them, infiltrate them, and swear like a sailor at them-- and then go home and report it to the FCC.

[cboy4]

44. Oh fuck that shit

:)

[ProfessorGAC]

34. Define Boycott, Lynn!

I don't watch Faux News and haven't for at least 5 years, probably more. But, that's not a boycott. I don't watch it because i don't feel i benefit in any way by doing so. It's not an economic action on my part. Just a matter of personal choice.

So, my other personal choice is to still watch football on Fox.
The Professor

[sinkingfeeling]

37. I will not allow my TV's to pause on any channel that has Fox in its

name....including their sports channel!

[Neecy]

38. it's an interesting issue...

I don't watch any FOX network programming - most of it is crude, dumb, or trashy - but FOX has their oily tentacles everywhere and they're hard to avoid.

Almost all baseball programming is now on FOX Sports Net - not all, but most - and it's the only way to watch most teams (I subscribe to a premium baseball package, and about 80% of the coverage is FSN).

Most of FSN's sports programming, btw, is as puerile as their network programming.

[Texasgal]

40. Who cares?

I mean seriously.. If I lived my life only watching lefty stations, only going to lefty stores, only associating with lefty people.... I would be one lonely person. I really don't care who owns the station I am watching.

[drbtg1]

42. I guess you don't have DirecTV or a Star Wars DVD either

Murdoch has a hand in those as well. News Corp. is pretty big.

[KurtNYC]

45. Networks answer to advertisers -- NOT to viewers

Advertisers are the customer of networks -- NOT viewers.

Therefore only advertisers could truly boycott a network. If you turn off The Simpsons it doesn't hurt Murdoch one iota. The Christian Right, whom we often claim to be smarter than, addresses their political complaints to advertisers, the FCC and local station managers.

[Blue_Tires]

47. i try to avoid fox whenever possible

but even i confess i need my baseball, football, and Fox Soccer Channel--no getting around it

[onenote]

48. National Geographic Channel?

The problem is that Fox has a piece of a lot of different media outlets and voices. Movies, like the Devil Wears Prada, Thank You For Smoking, LIttle Miss Sunshine; cable channels like Nat Geo, Speed, FX and the various Fox regional sports channels; TV Guide; HarperCollins book publishing (publishers of current bestsellers Marley and Me, Freakonomics, Dispatches From the Edge, as well as, among other books, John Edwards' book "Home: The Blueprints of our Lives".

If someone wants to try to boycott all Fox-related products or just some, that's fine. HOwever, I suspect that most people already "boycott" the Fox related products that they don't like and a boycott is unlikely to have much impact.

[boolean]

49. Because they have the Simpsons!!!

Well, OK. The Simpsons sucks now. But it was great back in the day...

[Odin2005]

53. I can't live without Fox Sports, need it for thr Minnesota Twins.

[Swamp Rat]

54. What do you mean 'we?'

:D

I do not watch ANYTHING hosted by FUX, even "The Simpsons" (though, I do like Matt Groening).



Most of what is programmed and created for FUX is for 'Morans.' :D

[CBGLuthier]

55. And ABC, NBC, and CBS are programming for Einstein?

All network and most cable TV is garbage with the occasional bit of quality somehow managing to squeak through.

[Swamp Rat]

56. I did not know that "ABC, NBC, and CBS are programming for Einstein,"

since I do not watch those stations.

Thank you for the info. Say 'hello' to Einstein for me. :hi:

[LTR]

57. You can have my NFL on FOX...

...when you pry it from my cold dead hands!!!

My favorite team plays in the NFC, so they're most likely on my local FOX station.

Also like FOX Sports Radio and there's some good shows on FX.

The rest? Who cares?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

58. Fox 5 Is One Of Our Most Watched Stations Though. Can't Help Ya.

Not to mention, once again, as always, unless you have a friggin nielson's rating box your presence to their stations is completely insignificant and irrelevant.