First I Was A Terrorist, Now I’m A Nazi

That he would say that is not terribly surprising. That other journalists would wonder why there was anger about a plan to hold the debate on Fox is much, much more disturbing. There is no doubt that Fox is partisan, but the critique of Fox certainly need not be. Fox is NOT just another network, and should not be treated as such. Ms. Minx, you previously noted that Fox actually has wider viewership than is sometimes assumed. The empirical analysis of the 2003 PIPA report on perceptions of the Iraq war (e.g., Iraq had WMDs) is interesting on these issues, and I can’t resist quoting two of its conclusions:
“The extent of Americans’ misperceptions vary significantly depending on their source of news. Those who receive most of their news from Fox News are more likely than average to have misperceptions. Those who receive most of their news from NPR or PBS are less likely to have misperceptions. These variations cannot simply be explained as a result of differences in the demographic characteristics of each audience, because these variations can also be found when comparing the demographic subgroups of each audience.” …
“While it would seem that misperceptions are derived from a failure to pay attention to the news, overall, those who pay greater attention to the news are no less likely to have misperceptions. Among those who primarily watch Fox, those who pay more attention are more likely to have misperceptions. Only those who mostly get their news from print media, and to some extent those who primarily watch CNN, have fewer misperceptions as they pay more attention.”
http://65.109.167.118/pipa/pdf/oct03/IraqMedia_Oct03_rpt.pdf
In other words, the problem is not Fox’s viewers, the problem is Fox. From a partisan standpoint, perhaps one can argue in wide eyed fashion that all of this is all the more reason to reach out to fox viewers, but asking Fox to remedy the problems with Fox is just plain demented. From any other standpoint, the whole plan was indefensible.

Wonderful post AN which clearly focuses on the primary problem. Republican spinmeister Roger Ailes and Fox “News” present cleverly packaged partisan propaganda 24/7 and those who rely on it as a primary news source are very likely to have “misperceptions” of reality.

The problem is shown below. Tom Collins made it look like Dems in Nevada supported this. Any Chairman of a board can sign a letter of support and that doesn’t mean the member support him/her on it.

A List of the Nevada Dem Party DECIDERS!

Executive Board Members and County Chairs Support August Debate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Liz Foley Chairwoman Clark County Democratic Party
702-737-8683

March 8,

We, the undersigned, appreciate the efforts State Democratic Party Chairman Tom Collins has made to address concerns regarding the August presidential debate in Reno, NV. We believe the latest proposal is reasonable and addresses most of the concerns raised by MOVEON and others.

Not all of us originally supported the idea of working with FOX, but many of us did because we know that a significant number of Nevadans - including Democrats - watch the network, and we want to use the opportunity of our early caucus to reach out to those viewers.

We all want to work together to unify our party, move forward and address the pressing issues that all Nevadans and Americans grapple with each and every day. Ultimately, that’s the reason why we are all Democrats and why we care so passionately about the Nevada caucus.

We look forward to the August debate, when the Democratic presidential candidates will have the opportunity to reach out to voters in Northern Nevada and throughout the West as we focus on Western issues.

We pledge to do everything we can to ensure this debate is a success.

Sincerely,

Chris Wicker, Washoe County Democratic Chairman

Liz Foley, Clark County Democratic Chairwoman|

Cindy Trigg, Douglas County Democratic Co-Chairwoman

Lance Whitney, chair, Elko Democratic Party

Kristian Forland, vice chair, Elko Democratic Party

Ron Hibble, Lincoln County Democratic Chairman

Teresa Williams, Chair, Lyon County Democratic Central Committee

Steve Platt, Chair, Carson Democratic Party

Loyal Watkins, Nye County Democratic Chairman

Teresa Benitez Thompson, First Vice Chair

Bud Orange, 2nd Vice Chairman and Douglas County Democratic Chairman

A’shanti Fayshel Gholar, Secretary

Tom Carns, Clark At-large Executive Board member

Greg Esposito, Clark At-large Executive Board member

Bonnie Jacobs, Clark At-large Executive Board member

Steve Fernlund, Clark At-large Executive Board member

Jack Mallory, Clark At-large Executive Board member

Anita Hara, Washoe County At-large Executive Board member

Mathew J. Dickson, Washoe County At-Large Executive Board Member/Treasurer Washoe County Democratic Party

Jo Ann Orange, Rural At-large Executive Board member

Ed Goodrich, Washoe County At-large Executive Board member

http://www.nvdems.com/news.php?newsid=778

Bill O’s comments also belie his ignorance of the diverse demographics within the DailyKOS, MyDD and Move.On communities - there are a lot more than just left wing looney tunes!

The majority of people I’ve met and corresponded with are liberal on social issues, but moderate on most issues, and very conservative on issues such as the enviornment and fiscal policies!

I am very skeptical of the national news casters abilities to articulate any opinions beyond the Beltway out of New York - too often they completely miss the mark and, perhaps, unknowingly misrepresent the majority opinions of common Americans.

Did everyone notice how almost all of the critics cited “elements outside Nevada” - when, in fact, this issue originated with activists inside Nevada?

Hell, they don’t even get the original sources researched correctly!

Like so many, I’m tired of news organizations attempting to entertain the audience - and the propaganda is pathetic!

You’ve literally got to become a news junkie, and watch all the TV channels nearly constantly, and then, check the print and web to get to the basic facts and be able to, finally, come to an informed opinion on any issue! It’s a lot of hard, meticulous work - and it’s no wonder so many Americans have just thrown up their hands and tuned out completely - really, who can fairly blame them?

sticks and stones …..

Put the RGJ in the list with the Bill O’s and others per their editorial today saying the left shouldn’t use the right’s “slash and burn techniques. No, the left can’t decide for itself where it’s going; that’s up to the tv news media to decide since they’re all the same.

All that’s needed for this wight wing wag is Ann Coulter’s column to replace Molly Ivins and the transition is complete.

Attentive Novice,
You post a study by an organization that is funded by left wing donors that bashes Fox viewers and expect us to swallow that as fact? Gimme a break. Try finding a less partisan study if you want to convince me you are not spewing propaganda.

I’ve seen a few posts break down the Nevada numbers of FOX’s ratings over some other cable outlet’s. I think even one guy had it down to a county level in an effort to make his point. But, you’re missing the big one. It is a presidential, not gubernatorial, debate that the entire nation may want to see, not just Nevada.

I have not at any point denied Fox being a conservative news channel. You are missing the point. AN’s point was more or less that Fox viewers are ignorant and uninformed. But the study he sites is by an organization funded by a lot of liberal groups. It’s just propaganda. If a study was done declaring CNN viewers ignorant and uninformed and was funded by Rupert Murdock you would call it propaganda, and you would be correct.

With the right amount of money from the right sources, I could conduct a study to support almost any theory, but that doesn’t make it accurate.

What MSNBC affiliates? If you’re talking about NBC stations, I doubt KNBC in LA is going to preempt “My Name Is Earl” for a debate 15 months before the general. I would even question whether Nevada’s stations would do it. Even if they did, nationally it wouldn’t happen once again leaving FOX News as the bigger outlet.

But why even float that argument? It was never about reaching a set number of voters, it was all about how evil FOX is.

If you are talking specifically about Nevada, than NBC affiliates do outpull FOX. But nationwide, it would be just the cable channels carrying it, not network affiliates, and FOX News has more viewers than MSNBC. If NBC was hot to carry debates in its primetime schedule then they would be bidding on these events. But they’re not. That’s the debate.

The FOX Fight was NOT only about FOX being an unacceptable “partner” for the Nevada Democratic Party and a totally partisan event - which is, in the minds of many Nevada Democrats just STOOOPUD!

Much of this disagreement was also about Tom Collins abusing his authority and NOT including the NSDP Executive Board in the decision making process - which is, also in the minds of many Nevada Democrats really STOOOPUD!

We expect our County Chairs and Executive Boards and County Central Committee Members AND our NSDP Executive Board and State Central Committee Members to be involved in key decision making as our representatives!

A great deal of the anst was about too many people holding titles and showing up at meetings and warming chairs but NOT speaking up and representing anyone but their own selfish interest!

Silence IS Betrayal - and a significant number of Nevada Democrats are fed up with “politics as usual” AND the “usual politicians” and they vented their anger and got their voices heard the old fashioned way by raising bloody hell!

Now, every “leader” in the NSDP is suddenly motivated to do their job and check facts before they lend their name to any initiative! That is a good thing and the NSDP and common Nevada Democrats are going to be much better off just as soon as we get through the upcoming NSDP Officer’s Elections.

Then, we will have the “Contentious Clark County Conflict of 2007″ to fight and win - and that fight could be totally avoided IF CC Chair Liz Foley will simply resign, stand down and step aside - and if she really cared about the Democratic Party and the upcoming Presidential Caucus she would do just that!

But, we expect her to be just as selfish about her personal prestige and power as Tom Collins and we will have to have another nasty public fight! That’s so sad!

Washoe and the North represent 16%, the Rurals 12% of Nevada Dems, together that’s 28% - so, 72% of our problem is Clark County and we will never move forward if we do not clean our house and get our dirty laundry done in Clark County - it’s a fight worth fighting! As my Grandfather said, “Hoka Hey!”