CNN accuses Fox News viewers of being brain-washed

[AirPo]

Judging by MSNBC's and CNN's ratings ... brainwashing has the opposite effect. It's an encouraging sign.

Oh the irony.

 

[whatbogsends]

Depending on your views you can find like views on the stations - if you are liberal progressive and agree with the way the alphabet stations cover up the corruption then you will not be happy with Fox News.

Fox has both sides and tells the whole story - like it or not. Myself I cannot understand the thinking of the liberals and progressives. Do not understand why people are so willing to give up their freedoms and let a 'dictator minded' person take our country into destruction. But to each his own.

Fox generally puts for the conservative side of the story and a strawman parody of the liberal side of the story (i know it's just Hannity now, but when it was "Hannity and Colmes", the entire purpose of Colmes was to be a liberal punching bag, who was treated as badly as liberal guests are on Fox talking heads shows. He was selected for that role primarily based on his lack of charisma and inability to make a coherent argument, while letting the Fox viewers claim that "both sides" were being represented). They are certainly no more "fair" or "balanced" than the alphabet stations.

CNN, MSNBC, and Fox are all pretty bad. Fox, however, has managed to convince a large segment of its viewers that it's "fair and balanced". when the reality is it's anything but.

 

[Supreme]

I don't mind biased news sources, and Fox definitely has an important role to play in society. However, I prefer to get my news from the BBC, which is unbiased, and has no stake in either the right or the left.

That said, I do think liberals are just as bad as conservatives when it comes to excluding news sources that don't agree with their worldview.

 

[RhaegarTargaryen]

I don't mind biased news sources, and Fox definitely has an important role to play in society. However, I prefer to get my news from the BBC, which is unbiased, and has no stake in either the right or the left.

(bolding mine)
Ahem.....carry on

 

[whatbogsends]

I don't mind biased news sources, and Fox definitely has an important role to play in society. However, I prefer to get my news from the BBC, which is unbiased, and has no stake in either the right or the left.

That said, I do think liberals are just as bad as conservatives when it comes to excluding news sources that don't agree with their worldview.

FYI, the BBC is also biased, it's just not in lock step with either of the American political parties as are the larger US media outlets. That being said, i think they are are indeed a better news source than any of CNN, MSNBC, or Fox by a decent margin.

 

[OGM]

Who would you all rate as the least biased in the World?

 

[NightHawkeye]

Who would you all rate as the least biased in the World?

Here's the best such data I've seen ...

The Wall Street Journal is the only source consistently trusted across demographic groups. The Economist and BBC scored well overall though.​

 

[iluvatar5150]

Judging by MSNBC's and CNN's ratings ... brainwashing has the opposite effect. It's an encouraging sign.

Or they're just not as good at it.

 

[Supreme]

FYI, the BBC is also biased, it's just not in lock step with either of the American political parties as are the larger US media outlets. That being said, i think they are are indeed a better news source than any of CNN, MSNBC, or Fox by a decent margin.

I honestly don't think the BBC is biased. At times, it can almost seem boring how unbiased it is.

Of course, by bias, I'm referring to politics. As the BBC is publically funded, it cannot endorse any specific political party in the UK.

 

[OGM]

Looks like the consistently conservatives have more issues with more networks.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Looks like the consistently conservatives have more issues with more networks.

It's a problem which is resolving itself as the die-hard liberal organizations increasingly lose viewers and readers.

 

[cow451]

I'd say they are correct.

And you are as well.

 

[Cearbhall]

Depending on your views you can find like views on the stations - if you are liberal progressive and agree with the way the alphabet stations cover up the corruption then you will not be happy with Fox News.

Fox has both sides and tells the whole story - like it or not.

No, I'm sorry, this is not a fact, and saying that you can't argue against it is not an argument.

 

[Maren]

Here's the best such data I've seen ...

The Wall Street Journal is the only source consistently trusted across demographic groups. The Economist and BBC scored well overall though.​

Actually, the Wall Street Journal WAS the only source until they sold out to Fox News. They've taken a hard turn to the right since then and have lost much of their credibility. Most people's opinions of the credibility of the WSJ is based on when they were still independent, before Fox bought them. If you want a good example why they are now less trusted, during the last presidential election they had nine different editorial writers who were actually employed by Mitt Romney's campaign, without the WSJ acknowledging the person worked for Romney.

Additionally, if you look deeper into the numbers, many of those numbers don't mean what you think they mean. The Pew Research Center broke the numbers down and actually showed different ways the numbers should be considered, rather than just look at the "rankings" by group. For example, they found that the Economist was the most trusted, that it had a 5.7 to 1 Trust/Distrust ratio. The BBC came in at 4.8:1 and NPR at 3.2:1. The WSJ was below all of those, at 3.1:1. It is an interesting analysis of the poll and shows some of the pitfalls of attempting to use the numbers as you do; particularly, in terms of Raw numbers CNN was the most trusted news organization and Fox was the trusted of TV News organizations.

 

[dgiharris]

I feel I have a pretty good handle on this issue as I have voted both Democrat and Republican in more or less equal measures.

When I watched the News I watched both Fox News, Orielly, Hannity and Colmes, CNN, MSNBC, and then ended my day with the Daily Show and the Colbert Report.

Believe it or not, I'm the most impressed with the Daily Show and Colbert Report for their ability to cut through the BS and get to the real truth of the matter. Obviously those shows were biased but biased doesn't necessarily mean untrue.

IN terms of bias, yes, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News are biased. I felt CNN's biased wasn't that severe though whereas MSNBC and Fox News were equally biased in their respective directions. HOwever, imo, in terms of dishonesty, I have to give the blue ribbon to Fox News.

Fox News reports incorrect facts or "spins" a story such that the viewer can reach an incorrect conclusion while Fox can hide behind a "we didn't say anything wrong..." technicality. I also have to Give Fox News the blue ribbon for "appearing" non-bias while being incredibly biased.

In terms of real journalism though, I've found that the Wall Street Journal and Forbes magazine are pretty good.

 

[dgiharris]

Actually, the Wall Street Journal WAS the only source until they sold out to Fox News. ....

Wow, didn't know this. Makes me sad

I stopped watching the news about 6 years ago. I just snapped and couldn't take it anymore.

Occassionally I'll see something on TV or follow a link on here to a story...

That is a shame, can't believe the WSJ got bought out...

 

[HannahT]

Networks today love to use big words when the reality doesn't really line up. For example, Brainwashed by a network? I highly doubt it. Influenced is the better word. Yet, being melodramatic about everything is the 'in' thing to do.

I have a tendency to go to a couple of news sources so I can put the piece together all by myself. I'll watch BBC among other channels when I'm sick and tired of the rinse and repeat news stories that all the popular networks love to talk to death. You'd think there was no other news on the planet the way they act. Its very disheartening.

I do some caregiving, and there are certain programs on Fox they like to watch. I can't stand Hannity personally. Way to extreme for me, and he reminds me the extremists on the other side...they follow the same tactics. Thankfully, I can gear them to other channels when he is on. lol! O'Reilly I may not always agree with, but he doesn't seem to be Satan in disguise either. What I have found in regards to Fox when I read comments about them - normally the night before I had been caregiving - they do get misquoted and misrepresented at times. I have seen the same for other networks.

I think MSNBC is the only channel I don't watch - except for Lockup. They bring in to many nutters to often - or extremists for my taste. That's not to say other networks don't - they just tend to use them regularly. I would watch anything over them personally.

 

[OGM]

Looks like only 8 out of 36 news sources are considered "more trusted than distrusted" by those that called themselves consistently conservatives.

I tend to watch BBC and Al Jazeera. I hate liberal/conservative "yelling shows" on any network.

 

[dgiharris]

I think the problem on both sides is that it is human nature to be biased and being objective and having the ability to assimilate information that you don't agree with is something most people cannot do.

Everyone thinks they are objective when the reality is we are not. And I would hazard a guess that easily 90% of people have never had any formal training or education in basic psychology.

I took a psych 101 course and it is just amazing how horrifically awful the human brain is when it comes to memory and bias.

We did an experiment in class (unbeknownst at the time) where a guy ran into class and stole a purse on the teacher's desk and ran out. All in literally 2 seconds. We then broke up into groups and were asked to describe the guy, what he was wearing, ethnicity, height, etc. After 15 minutes the guy came back and the disparity between our descriptions and reality was huge. Everyone was so "sure" he had a beard, was Hispanic, was 6'0" tall, had brown hair, etc etc but then when he came back the descriptions were way way off...

As relates to this whole news thing and liberal vs conservatives... that whole mess is like my above example but on steroids. It's why companies spend billions a year on marketing and why campaign managers for elections make so much money.

There is a lot of interesting psych 101 experiments out there on the web. I would encourage everyone to peruse them and take some tests, you'd be amazed at discovering how fallible you are, it is enlightening. Once you see how easy it is to be manipulated it will increase your ability to be objective and to recognize situations where you may be influenced by bias or subjectivity...

here is an example of bias and subjectivity

http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2005/Whites-Find-Blacks-Loot30aug05.htm

imagine hundreds if not thousands of these subtle influences over the course of dozens of stories and how that would impact how you see a certain group or topic or event...

 

[Gadarene]

Whenever I've argued with extreme conservatives, I am always impressed at their ability to refuse to acknowledge truths or admit they are wrong about something. It's like a kind of truth immunity, that is, they have a system of beliefs that are immune to any fact, argument, evidence, or data that disproves their beliefs.

But it goes further than that.... its hard to explain. Conservatives have done a great job demonizing and sabotaging opposing views. In fact, it's like there is a systematic campaign to not only demonize the other side but to ensure that no matter what, opposing viewpoints cannot get through the brainwashing. For instance, Take the word "liberal". Conservatives have actually turned that word into a serious negative over the past two decades. But it goes further than that... Man it's so hard to explain....

I remember arguing once with a conservative about XYZ and the conservative was just flat out wrong. The conservative then puts the onus on me to "Prove my argument". So, I submit 4 links to studies that refute XYZ with data and evidence. The conservative then counters with "Well, those are liberal sites and those universities that did the study were Liberal universities!"

and that was his refutation. That was why I was wrong. Not because the data was wrong, not because the evidence was false, not because my arguments were not logical. No. I was wrong simply because my studies came from "liberal universities and sites". So I then asked him to find any studies from "conservative sites and universities" that refute my links and studies. His reply was simply that he didn't have to, that there was no need. Why? Because unless I could find the evidence and data on one of his "approved" universities list (which he refused to provide) then it wasn't worth believing. Nevermind that one of the colleges was Harvard.

But it's more than that. Having watched Fox News for years and listened to Rush Limbaugh for years, I honestly have to give them credit for the level of brainwashing, spin, obfuscation, quibbling, twisting, and downright lies they spew. They have created an impressive paradigm in which it is impossible to disprove them. Trying to disprove them is akin to trying to catch a fish swimming in a vat a vegetable oil with your bare hands. And truth be told, I am impressed by the brainwashing paradigm conservatives have created.

#1) Turning "liberal" into a bad word.
#2) Associating "liberal" with all things evil.
#3) Deifying Reagan to a Conservative God while simultaneously forgetting "liberal" actions Reagan championed
#4) Rewriting , Revising, and Spinning History
#5) Keeping the fight alive for legal issues that have long been decided by the Supreme Court and American Public
#6) Creating a list of "enemies" of the conservative party and thus enemies of America
#7) Creating a state of mind where only Conservatives love and protect America while everyone else is hell bent on destroying the country (this is absolute genius and deserves a tip of the hat)
#8) Creating a false dichotomy to where opposition to Conservative ideals and principles is synonymous with destroying America

I could go on.

FWIW, you could accuse liberals of similar actions but truth be told, liberals just are not as good as conservatives with the above. Liberals are in elementary school with the above actions whereas Conservatives are finishing up their PhDs

This is absolute piffle from start to finish. Everything you've listed here I've seen liberals do in one form or another. I'm still happy to identify as liberal, but the sanctimony on our side really has to end. Pretending that liberals don't resort to tribalism and faith-based beliefs in exactly the same way as conservatives do is completely wrongheaded.