REPORT: Fox News' town hall coverage amplifies opponents of health care reform, ignores supporters

[Triana]

YES. I know - hardly news to anyone here. BUT - it's nice to see a PICTURE of it:





A Media Matters for America review found that, during the week of August 24, Fox News aired 22 clips of town hall meeting attendees expressing an opinion or asking a question that opposed progressive health care reform efforts but aired zero clips of town hall attendees expressing an opinion or asking a question supporting reform.

Dionne: Media "went out of their way to cover the noise" at town halls, highlighted "fringe right-wing view." Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne wrote: "There is an overwhelming case that the electronic media went out of their way to cover the noise and ignored the calmer (and from television's point of view 'boring') encounters between elected representatives and their constituents. It's also clear that the anger that got so much attention largely reflects a fringe right-wing view opposed to all sorts of government programs most Americans support." (The Washington Post, 9/03/09)

Kurtz: "Anger at town-hall meetings ... became an endless loop on television." Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz wrote: "The eruption of anger at town-hall meetings on health care, while real and palpable, became an endless loop on television. The louder the voices, the fiercer the confrontation, the more it became video wallpaper, obscuring the substantive arguments in favor of what producers love most: conflict." Kurtz added: "Twenty members of Congress might have held calm and collected town meetings on any given day, but only the one with raucous exchanges would make it on the air." (The Washington Post, 8/24/09)

Fox News only interested in covering "yelling" and "contentious questions." As Kurtz reported: "In fact, after the president convened a low-key town hall in New Hampshire, press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters: 'I think some of you were disappointed yesterday that the president didn't get yelled at.' There was a grain of truth in that. As Fox broke away from the meeting, anchor Trace Gallagher said, 'Any contentious questions, anybody yelling, we'll bring it to you.' " (The Washington Post, 8/24/09)

MORE...


http://mediamatters.org/research/200909080004

[librechik]

1. not just Fox. They're all doing it

http://mediamatters.org/research/200907220012

[Triana]

2. Yep. I know. Fux is probably one of the worst - but yea they're all doing it. n/t

[pinto]

6. Good point. A lot of the TV media latched on to the fringe shouters.

> One liners needed no editing for TV.
> Simple visuals.
> None of that tiresome "discussion of the topic" required.

:eyes:

[Triana]

7. It's harder to sensationalize honest discussion of the topic, whereas

rabid foaming-at-the-mouth shouters are instant sensationalism - just add cameras.

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. FAUX News is the crack cocaine of news for stupid people

I wonder if we could get 100k people to march on FAUX News headquarters.

[bushisanidiot]

4. What??! BIASED reporting from Fox "news"?? I'm shocked..

SHOCKED!!!

[Triana]

8. I know - but pretty charts say it all so nicely. ;) n/t

[KharmaTrain]

5. Breaking News: Pope Is Catholic

Those who watch Faux willfully want to be lied and decieved. They expect that anything President Obama stands for will be portrayed as bad and evil. They don't care if its based on lies and distortions, they tune in for their affirmation of hate and alienation.

Faux has mastered talking points to the simple and stupid. It's soundbites and bumper sticker slogans that don't need to be explained but are worshiped as gospel. It's a security blanket for the dead-enders who want to live in fear and hate and Faux takes it to the bank.