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May 01 2007

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Fox News Has a Long History of Reporting Bias

If you enjoyed watching Robert Greenwald’s blistering documentary, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices, you’ll probably also want to set aside some time to review his earlier film, Outfoxed: Rupert Murdock’s War on Journalism.

This 78-minute documentary takes on Rupert Murdock, most widely known as the owner of the controversial Fox News Channel, a cable outlet that, more often than not, promotes a right-wing political bias.

The more interesting theme, however, is how the opinions of one Australian man influence the day-to-day operations of some 100 cable networks besides Fox News, 40 TV stations and book imprints, nine satellite TV networks and 175 newspapers, skewing public discourse all over the world, and especially in America .




Dr. Mercola''s Comments Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Some might think that I am a left-wing liberal for posting this article because Fox is the only "balance" to the traditional left-wing media. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. I recognize that nearly all media has bias and is not fair at times.

However, after personally experiencing how they distorted the truth when they interviewed me a few weeks ago, I am convinced that they need to replace their slogan "fair and balanced" with "deception and distortion."

I am not a Democrat and I am not a Republican, but I am an advocate of the truth. If you take the time to actually view this video and NOT comment on the headline, then you will likely reach the conclusion that Fox has really stepped over the line in their behavior, so much so that some people actually call them "Fix"  of "Faux" News.

Again, avoid focusing on the partisan politics but view it to see how they clearly manipulate and distort the facts.
Regarding my political associations though, just so we set the record straight, I firmly believe in Libertarianism, which is why I am strongly in favor of Dr. Ron Paul running for president. He is a strong advocate for minimal government intervention and decreasing government interference in health care.

Interestingly, a recent survey showed that for those who watch TV (I don’t), viewers of the Daily Show and Colbert on Comedy Central were the smartest and those who watched Fox were the least knowledgeable.



Related Links:

  The Doors Of Perception: Why Americans Will Believe Almost Anything

  How the Media Deceives You About Health Issues

  World’s Largest Media Source Controlled by World’s Largest Drug Company




Comment on This Article
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Posted On Apr 16, 2007
FOX news is pretty much the lone representative of the right and necessary to bring some sort of balance to the primarily liberal media outlets.

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rundiddy
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Posted On Apr 16, 2007
 Funny how much they whine, isn't it!
I keep giving you points and they keep taking them away!

(snif) I'm gonna go eat worms! Nobody loves me!

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Posted On Apr 18, 2007
rundiddy
Can you prove that all the other media outlets are primarily liberal?  Most of the media is owned by 5 very large corporations.  I don't think corporate America has ever been accused of being too liberal.

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Posted On Apr 22, 2007
All TV News IS a Farce - Don't waste your time being brainwashed by the all the LIES.

Fox is starting to go to the left anyway, and they will soon join the rest of them.

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oscar
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Posted On May 01, 2007
For hundreds of years if not more the establishment and vested interests have attempted to prevent change. They now attempt to infiltrate and use the regulatory structures to change things to their benefit.

To do so they seek to influence people from medical college throughout their careers. The only way to challenge these people is through facts: to illustrate how their claims are weak, that medical knowledge has massive limitations, the clinical trial and approval process is based upon inaccurate assumptions, and that their products have inherent dangers and that the dangers outweigh the benefits.

At this time their appears to be the beginning of a co-ordinated attempt to counter the advances being made by complementary health and the anti-pharmaceuticals lobby.

The work that you do to challenge their claims is invaluable. If it was not for people like you they would not be held accountable for their actions.
Keep up the good work.

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PillowsForSoldiers
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Posted On May 01, 2007
Have to be careful about saying Fox News is "right winged biased" The propoganda and liesi n the report about you is "left wing". Conservatives and Libertarians have their eyes open and will wholeheartedly listen to you Dr. Mercola. It is the left that is brainwashed, full of hate and so afriad of the truth, because they are invested in lies and deception.

To all . . . remember the beauty of the constitution . . . you have INDIVIDUAL, INALIENABLE, rights. Use them. Use your head, educate yourself and make your own health decisions. If you want to put your health in the hands of the allopathic medical industry, MD's, the AMA and the FDA. etc., be prepared for the consequences. Ultimately it is your choice what you put in your mouth and swallow. And that is why I like the education Dr. Mercola invests in us, for free no less. I personally would chose Dr. Mercola's advice over any prescription writing MD.

Now Dr. Mercola, be careful not to alienate your conservative friends here and get a little more educated on the difference between liberals and conservatives. Conservatives strive for the truth. Your insinuations that we don't are offensive and I want the truth and most thinking conservatives are very aware of the lies and deceit the come from the medical, drug therapy industry. We are on your side. Keep us there.

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Posted On May 01, 2007
larry - there are numerous studies that show the mainstream press leans significantly to the left....and votes that way.  You have to be blind, deaf, or both not to see it, as well.  Plus, where do all the major networks get their news stories???  Mostly from the New York Times.  If you think they are unbiased, I've got some beach front property in Arkansas for a really good price.  It's funny how everyone that claims Fox is right leaning (and they are), don't see that same bias for ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, etc.  I guess they've been that way for so long, it's considered "the center".

Also, stop the canard about corporations.  Yes, big companies own most major networks, but they are not running them.  Mainly, elitist New Yorker's are running them...many with Democrat ties and mighty proud to say so.  Does Mark Halperin ring a bell?  How bout Ted Turner? (granted, he's not at CNN anymore, but I'm sure some of his minions are).  Shall we talk about Russert (Dem activist), Stephanopolus (I'm sure you know where he came from), Dan Rather, etc., etc.  And it "ain't" called 60 "Liberal" Minutes because they lean to the right.

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Posted On May 02, 2007
I think it sounds pretty much like all the rest of the news organizations.  ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN all pushed the anthrax and dirty bomb stories.  I remember them all tellng us to put plastic on our windows.  I don't have cable tv and remember  a tremendous amount of footage regarding homosexual, Mel Gibsons "Passion." More recently, all the networks went way overboard with the VA Tech shootings.  There's no difference in my mind. 

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Posted On May 05, 2007
Right now I don't have time to watch this whole video (even though it seems interesting), but I do know that all the major networks (Fox included) are very bias and their news is slanted to make you believe what they want you to hear and not the TRUTH!  Aaron Russo (who made the famous online video that was posted on Dr. Mercola about taxes, our government, etc) just reported in his May 3rd newsletter that Fox newsbroadcasting would not let Rep. Ron Paul debate at the South Carolina Presidential Debate to be held on May 15, saying he wasn't a recognized, major candidate which is a bunch of hogwash!  He's running on the Republican ticket and has paid his the $25,000  registration fee to be on SC Ballot.  Fox new is definitely biased!

I hope you sue these guys Dr. Mercola!

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Posted On May 17, 2007
I think Fox is poor representation of conservative thinking.  Heavy on supporting Pharmekia they simply can not be unbias.  I don't think TV is a good place to get any kind of information personally. 

Not all liberalism is bad, not all conservativism is bad and Libertarians arn't harmless, but if you follow the money you will usually find a chemical company pulling the strings of deception.  I just hope and pray the next election gives us a candidate with guts to fight for our freedoms in the US.

JMO

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Posted On Apr 18, 2007
  Our health concerns brought us all here, now politics is going to drive people away?  You have to know Mercola is not a perfect being who will say and think everything as we would like, he is only human with his own bias as well, just like every media outlet and person you'll ever meet.  Personally I think Fox being bias is pretty obvious, just like other outlets are the exact opposite bias.

You don't have to follow or agree with his every belief like sheep :) he is putting the information out there that he feels is important, take from it what you need, disregard the stuff you don't.

It is interesting though, in all my life I've never seen such a strong division between republicans and democrats until Bush came into power. The country truly seems divided on that for sure! But let's all allow everyone to have their opinions, then get back to our health, the REALLY important thing in life :)

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Posted On Apr 18, 2007
ScaredStiff,

Did you sleep through the 8 year Clinton disaster,  Bush #1, and  Reagan's 2 terms?  The political  left/right divide goes  back much further. If you really want a defining moment  in recent presidential history, Jimmy Carter had a huge negative impact on widening the left/right schism.

You could go back further still to Richard Nixon, and the cover up of Watergate. The cover up was of a political dirty trick that went awry for the republicans. The democrats also were involved in political dirty trickiness, but did not get caught. That was the political way of the day, and both sides played dirty.

Political espionage still takes place today…stolen computers, intercepted emails, spam-blasting, you name it… both sides do it. One  solution to the problem is to do away with incumbency. No more re-election of anybody.

Lengthen the terms a bit, but ban re-election for all politicians. Allow them to run for another office, or the same office after sitting out a term, but no more back-to-back terms. Incumbents are killing our system of government. Re-election breeds corruption on both sides of the aisle.

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Posted On Apr 18, 2007
  My point exactly, they are all crooked when it comes down to certain things, so why fight amongst ourselves ?
  I am saying I have never noticed such a distinct divide before..it has always been there, but perhaps because of more use of the internet and the how open radio shows and tv shows are nowadays it is so blatantly obvious the schizm and its really getting open and nasty with some people.

It really just boils down to whomever is in power is going to do what they want anyway. Why let it rip us all apart, we are all the victims here watching our world rot and fall apart.  So let's all just get along when we do find something in common ie. our health issues on this site :)  *munching happily on a Cassava bar*

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Posted On Apr 19, 2007
Why were my posts deleted? Especially the one that had the quotes that showed the "survey" wasn't as it seems?


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Posted On Apr 19, 2007
MagWheelz - can you repost what you had to say about the survey?  Thanks!  Duane

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Posted On Apr 19, 2007
I am also interested in Magwheel's post.  The statement that people watching the Daily Show or the Colbert Report are more informed than
people who watch a cable news network struck me as odd.

The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are comedy/spoof/fake news
shows ala Saturday Night Live newsdesk with Chevy Chase.
In order to get the jokes, you have to know what they are spoofing.

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Posted On Apr 16, 2007
So, you are telling me that CNN and MSNBC aren't bias? What is the purpose of posting an article like this?

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Posted On Apr 16, 2007

I don't watch any of them, TV is a waist of time and pure spin, whatever the bias.

The take away message is go for a nice walk, improve you health and turn off or rarely watch your television.

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Posted On Apr 17, 2007
It appears that everyone that posts on Dr. Mercola's site is a right-wing Republican!  The mainstream media led us into the Iraq quagmire which resulted in over a half a million Iraqis killed, a nation in ruins, and over 3,000 U.S. servicemen killed.  All for nothing, other than making Iran the dominant nation in that region.  Fox News led the charge for that war.

See Greenwald's film, then decide.  Thank you, Dr. Mercola, for your site, and for all the great information you give us.

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Posted On May 01, 2007
Don - Put down the Kool-Aid for a minute.  Yes, the mainstream media and Fox trumpeted the war...makes for a great story, unfortunately.  Your other points are...well, only off by about 400k, tell that to the Kurds, and in war, people die...again unfortunately.  I don't want to sound callous, but we lost about 3000 heroes in about a day in any other war.  I'm not a big fan of the whole Iraq thing either, but it is not an easy decision to stay or to just pull out.  My guess is that if the Generals were ACTUALLY running the war, it would have been over in about 3 weeks.  Unfortunately, we have politicians to screw it all up.

And Greenwald is about as unbiased as Fox.  The Wal-Mart piece could have been written by the AFL-CIO, so I'm not real confident I'll see any "fairness" in the Fox piece.  Just my opinion, however.

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Posted On Apr 16, 2007
The media has always been biased – it’s the nature of the beast. Anyone silly enough to believe that any "news" served up on mainstream TV is anything but propaganda needs a check-up from the neck-up. People need to learn to think for themselves, stop being sheep, and QUESTION everything!

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Posted On May 01, 2007
AMEN

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Posted On May 03, 2007
thank you for making this point , when the "spotted owl " issues among other things came out in the pacific northwest you could not get anything but extreme bias from the media . they didn't care about the truth just selling more ******** and the federal & state forestry workers who know better said they couldn't tell anyone the truth because it was "political"  ( and they wanted to keep thier jobs)well I had to vent a little about our media propagandists

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Posted On Apr 16, 2007
 

I am a true conservative!

As far as I am concerned, Bush is a liberal weenie (and a pharmaceutical promoter too) 

I would like to hear that on FOX!

Fox needs to get much more to the right as far as I am concerned and dare to tell the whole truth about Big Pharma!

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Posted On Apr 16, 2007
 If I thought it would do any good, I would jump over to Libertarianism with Dr. Mercola, It sounds like fun! 


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Posted On May 02, 2007
Dr. Gussa, I agree. I am neither Liberal or Conservative so to speak - it depends on the issue.  Sentator Biden was blasted by the AFA, they said he's an "election day christian". I believe that's exactly what Bush is. He got the conservatives behind him during election times and has been absent all others.  He is definatly an advocate for Big Pharma, everything I have seen about him is all about the $$$$$. As far as our environment goes, he basically flipped the bird to the world - jeez, I hope the rest of the world understands that most of this nation is not in agreement with our 6-shootin' administration.

I don't care who - preferably all the networks would get the truth about Big Pharma. If everyone got in there and put as many FACTS as they can get their hands on in each livingroom, at least the general public would start asking questions - which is what we need to do on  a grand scale!!

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