Beware Fox News Influence Over MSM, Senator, Filmmaker Warn

Craig Bannister
August 22nd, 2007 2:52 PM
Font Size

Fox News is using its mighty power to bully the mainstream media into promoting yet another war, left-wing activist/filmmaker Robert Greenwald and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are warning. Claiming that "Fox wants war with Iran," Greenwald is urging other news networks -- ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, and CNN -- "not to follow Fox down the road to war again."

Again?

Greenwald and Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) are touting a new viral ad campaign for the filmmaker's anti-Fox video "exposing" what Fox News supposedly is doing. According to Greenwald, Fox News engaged in "daily fear-mongering" in the days leading up to the war with Iraq, serving as a media cheerleader for the U.S.-led war.

The filmmaker says Fox intimidated other TV networks into following its pro-war lead regarding Iraq. His video shows CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour saying, "My station was intimidated by the administration and its foot soldiers at Fox News."

Greenwald has put together an open letter to the networks, reminding them not to "blindly follow Fox down the road to another war."

Wow. Fox must be dominating the broadcast news industry to be able to set the agenda and dictate how ABC, CBS, etc. cover stories.

Let's look at the numbers, shall we? Fox's highest rated show (O'Reilly) gets a little more than two million views - and it's not even a news show (it's opinion). Meanwhile, ABC, CBS, and NBC morning and evening news shows combined draw about 50 million viewers. Then, there's the likes of CNN, MSNBC, and major left-leaning print media like The New York Times, The Washington Post, etc.

And, yet, Greenwald and Sen. Sanders say something must be done to stop Fox from forcing the mainstream media to tow the line and produce news stories that will sell Americans on getting into a war with Iran.

That's like warning students that a kid is going around bullying other kids 25 times his size to give up their lunch money - and getting away with it. Quick, hide your children! Or, at least teach them to how to say "no" to bullies who are 1/25th their size.

And, imagine the media uproar that would take place if a conservative senator and filmmaker launched a campaign to stop The New York Times, for example, from influencing coverage of the Iraq war. You wouldn't be able to escape media warnings of how the First Amendment is under assault.

So, either Fox News has accomplished something really extraordinary by becoming so influential that it can dictate how the mainstream media behemoths report the news, or liberals are so intolerant that they can't bear even a tiny fraction of viewers hearing news that doesn't promote a left-wing agenda. Take your pick.