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Academic

: Essentially Contested America

Has American Democracy Finally Put Fox News in its Place?

By Robert Justin Lipkin

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Why is Fox-News in a blue funk? Salon..com's answer is instructive. "My guess is that Fox News guru Roger Ailes has been reaching for the Tums more often than usual early in the New Year, and there are lots of reasons for the hovering angst. . . . Let's take an extended multiple choice quiz. Right now, which of the following topics is likely causing the discomfort inside Ailes' Fox News fn:

empire? A) CNN's resurgence as the go-to cable destination for election coverage. B) The unmistakably sunken candidacy of Fox News' favored son, Rudy Giuliani. C) The still-standing candidacy of Fox News nemesis and well-funded antiwar GOP candidate Rep. Ron Paul. D) The Democratic candidates' blanket refusal to debate on Fox News during the primary season. E) Host Bill O'Reilly being so desperate for an interview from a Democratic contender that he had to schlep all the way to New Hampshire, where he shoved an aide to Sen. Barack Obama and then had to be calmed down by Secret Service agents. F) Former Fox News architect and Ailes confidant Dan Cooper posting chapters from his wildly unflattering tell-all book about his old boss. ("The best thing that ever happened to Roger Ailes was 9/11.") G) The fledgling Fox Business Network, whose anemic ratings are in danger of being surpassed by some large city public access channels. H) Host John Gibson's recent heartless attacks on Heath Ledger, just hours after the young actor was found dead. I) Fox News reporter Major Garrett botching his "exclusive" that Paul Begala and James Carville were going to join Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, and then refusing to correct the record. . . . I'd say it's A, B, C, D, E, F and G. (I doubt Gibson's grave-dancing or Garrett's whopper caused Ailes a moment's concern.)" To read the article in its entirety click here.

These news items are unsurprising, except Fox-News' support for Rudy Giuliani. Has Fox-News really bet the farm of Rudy Giuliani? Watch and decide for yourself.

A free press is vital to any viable republican democracy. But a free press must be responsible, honest, and fair in order to play its proper role as the fourth estate. Americans need to take a hard look as such "news" outlets like Fox-News. Not only is Fox-News a propaganda machine, but its dishonesty and destructiveness are legion. Even so, government's attempts to discipline Fox-News would be entirely inappropriate. What's needed is the public--through ratings if possible--and other media outlets to monitor Fox-News and identify their distortions and lies on a daily basis. A free society cannot survive when the media is a shill for a particular political party or movement, especially when its support is duplicitous. Freedom-loving Americans must come to an understanding that Fox-news is anathema to republican democracy. Americans can then vote with their remotes to block Fox's spread of poisonous bile.

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Full post as published by Essentially Contested America on February 01, 2008 (boomark / email).