Fox your brain

[dieseltaylor]

I suspected it but I did not know it was being monitored

Yet another study has been released proving that watching Fox News is detrimental to your intelligence. World Public Opinion, a project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, conducted a survey of American voters that shows that Fox News viewers are significantly more misinformed than consumers of news from other sources. What’s more, the study shows that greater exposure to Fox News increases misinformation.

So the more you watch, the less you know. Or to be precise, the more you think you know that is actually false. This study corroborates a previous PIPA study that focused on the Iraq war with similar results. And there was an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll that demonstrated the break with reality on the part of Fox viewers with regard to health care. The body of evidence that Fox News is nothing but a propaganda machine dedicated to lies is growing by the day.

http://www.alternet.org/story/149193/study_confirms_that_fox_news_makes_you_stupid

[noxnoctum]

Hahahaha I'm gonna be forwarding this to all my right wing friends. Thanks !

[MSBoxer]

It is worth noting that the articles also claims that the other networks are not much better. I also have an issue with the questions they cite

91 percent believe the stimulus legislation lost jobs - While it may not have lost jobs it did nothing to stimulate job growth.

72 percent believe the health reform law will increase the deficit - The CBO has stated that then when the accounting tricks are removed it will indeed increase the deficit, especially when the Doctor Fix is implemented as planned.

72 percent believe the economy is getting worse - Seems to be a personal opinion.

60 percent believe climate change is not occurring - Records show that there has been no warming for last decade

49 percent believe income taxes have gone up - No but they will unless acted on in the next few weeks

63 percent believe the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts - I did not get a tax cut, but did receive a one time credit.

56 percent believe Obama initiated the GM/Chrysler bailout - Nope Bush did, Obama just extended it and gave government an active role in management

38 percent believe that most Republicans opposed TARP - Obviously False

63 percent believe Obama was not born in the U.S. (or that it is unclear) - You can't fix stupid.

[dieseltaylor]

It is a subtle point but it is the consistency of Fox viewers being more wrong than other network viewers that is being underlined.

In most cases those who had greater levels of exposure to news sources had lower levels of misinformation. There were, however, a number of cases where greater exposure to a particular news source increased misinformation on some issues.

Those who watched Fox News almost daily were significantly more likely than those who never watched it to believe that most economists estimate the stimulus caused job losses (12 points more likely), most economists have estimated the health care law will worsen the deficit (31 points), the economy is getting worse (26 points), most scientists do not agree that climate change is occurring (30 points), the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts (14 points), their own income taxes have gone up (14 points), the auto bailout only occurred under Obama (13 points), when TARP came up for a vote most Republicans opposed it (12 points) and that it is not clear that Obama was born in the United States (31 points). The effect was also not simply a function of partisan bias, as people who voted Democratic and watched Fox News were also more likely to have such misinformation than those who did not watch it--though by a lesser margin than those who voted Republican.

There were cases with some other news sources as well. Daily consumers of MSNBC and public broadcasting (NPR and PBS) were higher (34 points and 25 points respectively) in believing that it was proven that the US Chamber of Commerce was spending money raised from foreign sources to support Republican candidates. Daily watchers of network TV news broadcasts were 12 points higher in believing that TARP was signed into law by President Obama, and 11 points higher in believing that most Republicans oppose TARP.

However it is fairly shocking that what were important happenings get confused in peoples minds so quickly. But perhaps my shock is misplaced. The constant bombardment of information[?] covering so many things, the chances that a significant % of the population have the interest or even the intellectual capability to comprehend the political miasma.

Perhaps I have to accept that in fact the vast majority of society only have a faint interest in being truly informedabout what governing is about. Perhaps democracy is dead, or at least needs a revamp. : (

[Affentitten]

60 percent believe climate change is not occurring - Records show that there has been no warming for last decade

I love this old furphy. It's several years out of date and based upon false logic. There was an air temperature spike 1998. So for 10 years or so after that, temperatures have been 'lower', measured against that single peak. But they're still higher than the decades before. The trend of global warming, measured over decades, not individual years, has been upwards, and cherry picking single points or single data sets is childish and Kettlerian science. ie. typical Fox News editorial prole feed.

By the logic of the "no warming in the last decade" crowd, I submit that there has been no global financial crisis, loss of jobs, mortgage defaulting or stock market fall. Because the stock market has risen for the last month.

[Affentitten]

91 percent believe the stimulus legislation lost jobs - While it may not have lost jobs it did nothing to stimulate job growth.

But nevertheless a false belief and a particularly significant one in terms of government support and voting intentions.

[JonS]

72 percent believe the economy is getting worse - Seems to be a personal opinion.

lolwut?

49 percent believe income taxes have gone up - No but they will unless acted on in the next few weeks

But nevertheless a false belief.

63 percent believe the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts - I did not get a tax cut, but did receive a one time credit.

you != 63%

'any' taxcuts != you

56 percent believe Obama initiated the GM/Chrysler bailout - Nope Bush did, Obama just extended it and gave government an active role in management

But nevertheless a false belief.

63 percent believe Obama was not born in the U.S. (or that it is unclear) - You can't fix stupid.

Actaully, you can. Tell them to stop watching Fox.

[JonS]

Postscript: even more hilarious, it turns out that MSBoxer was mis-representing the questions asked. Who says irony is dead in the US?

[MSBoxer]

Postscript: even more hilarious, it turns out that MSBoxer was mis-representing the questions asked. Who says irony is dead in the US?

Jon, I cut and pasted the questions as presented in the link from the original post. If I mis-represented anything it was inadvertent and due to the original article.

[ironbar]

Interesting, click on the first link, the original piece is presented along with an advert, urging, "Tell President Obama, Fight , Don't cave on the Bush tax cuts." So basically one political organ is dissing another political organ, what's new?

So the viewers of the opposition mouthpiece have a decidedly negative view of the administration's initiatives again what's new? And where in the world would they expect the 'birthers' to say they got their news? Air America.

[JonS]

So basically one political organ is dissing another political organ, what's new? So the viewers of the opposition mouthpiece have a decidedly negative view of the administration's initiatives ...

Valid point.

Say, tell me again when Fox changed their motto from "Fair & Balanced" to "We Speak For The Teabaggers"? I'm obviously misunderinformed about that, since I thought they still used the old one.

[ironbar]

"I speak the truth," is the motto of every true believer I've heard of.

[ironbar]

Speaking of true believers,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/15/fox-news-climate-change-email

[Affentitten]

Valid point.

Say, tell me again when Fox changed their motto from "Fair & Balanced" .

Not to mention the stunningly ironic Bill O'Reilly "No Spin Zone".

[MSBoxer]

Speaking of true believers,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/15/fox-news-climate-change-email

“Given the controversy over the veracity of climate change data, we should refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question. It is not our place as journalists to assert such notions as facts, especially as this debate intensifies.”

It sounds like what an editor should do, tell his staff to report the news without asserting that it is proven fact without citing that the theory is in dispute. He specifically calls for this addendum regardless of which side the new information supports.

If journalists had done the same diligence in regards to the WMD in Iraq reports we would be in a better place now.

[dieseltaylor]

About a year ago, Fox News correspondent Wendell Goler delivered a live report from Copenhagen and told viewers the truth. The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization, Goler said, had announced that that 2000-2009 was "on track to be the warmest [decade] on record."

Not quite 15 minutes later, another memo was sent by Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon.

In the midst of global climate change talks last December, a top Fox News official sent an email questioning the "veracity of climate change data" and ordering the network's journalists to "refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question."

A little more flesh on the matter -

Of course, these propaganda efforts have been quite effective. Sammon not only has Fox News' on-air talent spinning climate reports the way Republicans prefer, but it's also having the intended effect on viewers. Remember, as recently as a few years ago, Republican voters, by and large, believed what the mainstream believed when it came to climate science. Then they were told to believe something new, as Sammon's memo helps demonstrate.

None of this is even remotely surprising, but when memos like Sammon's come to public light, it helps add additional weight to the larger indictment against the ridiculous cable news outlet.

Also note that this is the second interesting revelation in as many weeks about Sammon's political agenda at Fox News. Last week, it was his memo about how the network should characterize the public option during the health care debate. This week, it's reports on global warming.

In both cases, the stories were driven by Media Matters reports, suggesting the organization has a helpful source within the network. That's good news.

Its interesting to consider how Fox would deal with leaks. Publish if they were on their agenda and suppress if they were against. ut then a network which is a paid mouthpiece for big business and the establish,ment is not above lying either I suspect.

I wonder if anyone has looked at their coverage slant on the big drug companies ,, and their fines.

[ironbar]

Hypocrisy and political bias in the bully pulpit? Stop the presses, we need to lead with this headline, perhaps in one of Mr Murdoch's newspapers, The Daily Telegraph in Sydney maybe?

I wonder how fair and balanced the coverage of the USS Maine would have been?

Or how Col Robert Mc Cormack (founder of the Tribune Media Corp) would have characterized the stimulus package/TARP- he who railed against the New Deal as communism, and removed Rhode Island's star from the US flag for perceived liberal crimes against freedom.

Nothing new here, move along folks,,,,,

[ironbar]

Boxer if you follow the link from the Guardian story to the source at Media Matters, http://mediamatters.org/blog/201012150004

it becomes pretty obvious that they have their own agenda at play, (the Liberal version of Accuracy In Media).

The unbiased media is a myth, news is a commercial commodity and it makes good business sense to package your product to the demographic with the slice of disposable income you want.

[MSBoxer]

Boxer if you follow the link from the Guardian story to the source at Media Matters, http://mediamatters.org/blog/201012150004

it becomes pretty obvious that they have their own agenda at play, (the Liberal version of Accuracy In Media).

The unbiased media is a myth, news is a commercial commodity and it makes good business sense to package your product to the demographic with the slice of disposable income you want.

Oh, I have no illusions that any media source is un-biased. Just pointing out that he called for skepticism on both sides of the issue.

Fox is pro-right

MSNBC is pro-left

All others tend to lean in one direction or another - none are truly un-biased that is why I do not watch any single network but tend to read news online from multiple sources so that I can get various viewpoints on any given matter. The problem is that the bulk of the public lays their trust in ONE source and that becomes their gospel.

Now it should be no surprise to anyone that I tend to the conservative bent, but during the last election cycle I watched more NBC-MSNBC than any other network news. I also read news online from Fox, MSNBC, CNN, BBC and various other national and international publications.

[dieseltaylor]

The media almost certainly has a bias - the point is how far should the bias be constrained by honesty. All Govts like to have their message conveyed - and it helps if your guys control the media. So resisting domination by news groups is important.

It is interesting to consider if there were a Wikileaks organisation distributing fliers in Europe and America in 1930's onwards whether Hitler would have tried some of the stunts he did. Seems unlikely.

At the time of the Richstag fire all of the accused Communists bar the fall guy were found not guilty - which suggests that at that time there was hope for German society. Of course having taken extra power because of the attack the Nazi party did not give it back.

[dieseltaylor]

Nice rant here on the end of the US empire. Some interesting gems

http://www.alternet.org/culture/149136/america%3A_why_r_your_peeps_so_dum/?page=entire

[ironbar]

"How far should the bias be constrained by honesty." OK, who gets to be the arbiter of that?

Mr Hu? seems to be keeping the Chinese press honest, doesn't he.

Wikileaks stopping Hitler, in the thirties, nah, ain't gonna bite. I always thought it was like Strachan said, societies exhausted by the Great War unwilling to risk another.

[JonS]

Oh, I have no illusions that any media source is un-biased. Just pointing out that he called for skepticism on both sides of the issue.

Fox is pro-right

MSNBC is pro-left

Sure, but the point of report is that Fox is the worst.

[ironbar]

But isn't "worst"/"best" tied to the author's own bias? Who would you expect to write 'Rush Limbaugh is a big fat,,,,' Al Franken or Bill Beck.

I'll say this for Fox, they don't try to hide it under a bushel. It is right out there, if Colbert were on Fox, it wouldn't be a parody.

[JonS]

But isn't "worst"/"best" tied to the author's own bias?

No, it's tied to the results of the survey. Regular watchers of Fox have the feeblest grasp of reality. Fox is the Kettler of broadcast journalism.

The others are bad, but Fox is worst.