Fox News: Difference between revisions
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slogan = "We Report, You Decide";<br/>"[[Fair and Balanced]]";<br/>"The Most Powerful Name in News"| |
slogan = "We Report, You Decide";<br/>"[[Fair and Balanced]]";<br/>"The Most Powerful Name in News"| |
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owner = [[News Corporation]]| |
owner = [[News Corporation]]| |
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key_people = [[Roger Ailes]], Chairman & [[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]]| |
key_people = [[Roger Ailes]], Chairman & [[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]]<br/>[[John Moody]], Senior Vice President, News Editorial| |
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launch_date = [[October 7]], [[1996]]| |
launch_date = [[October 7]], [[1996]]| |
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website = [http://www.foxnews.com www.foxnews.com]| |
website = [http://www.foxnews.com www.foxnews.com]| |
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}} |
}} |
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The '''Fox News Channel''' (FNC) |
The '''Fox News Channel''' (FNC) is an [[United States]]-based [[cable television|cable]] and [[satellite television|satellite]] [[news]] channel. It is owned by the [[Fox Entertainment Group]], and is a [[subsidiary]] of [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s [[News Corporation]]. As of [[January 2005]], it is available to 85 million households in the U.S. and further to viewers [[Fox News Channel#International transmission|internationally]], broadcasting primarily out of its [[New York City]] studios. |
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The network was launched on [[October 7]], [[1996]]<ref>[[American Public Media]]: [http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/10/07_mpp.html News Archive for October 7, 1996]</ref> to 17 million cable subscribers |
The network was launched on [[October 7]], [[1996]]<ref>[[American Public Media]]: [http://marketplace.publicradio.org/shows/1996/10/07_mpp.html News Archive for October 7, 1996]</ref> to 17 million cable subscribers. The network slowly rose to prominence in the late 1990s. In the United States, Fox News Channel is [[Nielsen ratings|rated]] as the network with the largest number of viewers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=3&media=6|title=State of the news media}}</ref> |
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<!-- NOTE: Please consider discussing changes to this paragraph on the article's talk page first. The following statement has been the subject of extensive discussion and numerous RfC's. -->The channel was created by Australian-American media magnate Rupert Murdoch, who hired Roger Ailes as its founding CEO. Critics and some observers of the channel see Fox News as advocating [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] political positions;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/journalist_survey_prc.asp|title=Project for Excellence in Journalism, Press Going Too Easy on Bush}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/cbc-is-split-over-quitting-debate-on-fox-2007-04-24.html |title=CBC is split over quitting debate on Fox |accessdate=2007-04-29 |year=2007 |month=April |publisher=The Hill |quote=Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.), "Fox News brings the right-wing side of the news, and there’s no sense in participating in that kind of game-playing.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070410/POLITICS01/704100313/1374 |title=Like Edwards, Obama to skip Fox-hosted debate |accessdate=2007-04-29 |publisher=Associated Press |month=April |year=2007 |quote=Democratic critics complain that the network displays a conservative bias in its news broadcasts.}}</ref><ref>{{cite paper| author=Groseclose, Tim and Jeff Milyo | title=A Measure of Media Bias | publisher=Department of Political Science ([[UCLA]]) and Department of Economics ([[University of Missouri]]) | date =2004 | url=http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/faculty/groseclose/Media.Bias.8.htm | accessdate=2007-04-07}}</ref> the channel denies allegations of bias in its news reporting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5b77af92-548c-11db-901f-0000779e2340.html|title=Interview transcript: Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes|accessdate=2007-03-27|publisher=Financial Times|quote=People think we’re conservative but we’re not conservative.}}</ref> |
<!-- NOTE: Please consider discussing changes to this paragraph on the article's talk page first. The following statement has been the subject of extensive discussion and numerous RfC's. -->The channel was created by Australian-American media magnate Rupert Murdoch, who hired Roger Ailes as its founding CEO. Critics and some observers of the channel see Fox News as advocating [[Conservatism in the United States|conservative]] political positions;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/journalist_survey_prc.asp|title=Project for Excellence in Journalism, Press Going Too Easy on Bush}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/cbc-is-split-over-quitting-debate-on-fox-2007-04-24.html |title=CBC is split over quitting debate on Fox |accessdate=2007-04-29 |year=2007 |month=April |publisher=The Hill |quote=Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.), "Fox News brings the right-wing side of the news, and there’s no sense in participating in that kind of game-playing.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070410/POLITICS01/704100313/1374 |title=Like Edwards, Obama to skip Fox-hosted debate |accessdate=2007-04-29 |publisher=Associated Press |month=April |year=2007 |quote=Democratic critics complain that the network displays a conservative bias in its news broadcasts.}}</ref><ref>{{cite paper| author=Groseclose, Tim and Jeff Milyo | title=A Measure of Media Bias | publisher=Department of Political Science ([[UCLA]]) and Department of Economics ([[University of Missouri]]) | date =2004 | url=http://www.polisci.ucla.edu/faculty/groseclose/Media.Bias.8.htm | accessdate=2007-04-07}}</ref> the channel denies allegations of bias in its news reporting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5b77af92-548c-11db-901f-0000779e2340.html|title=Interview transcript: Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes|accessdate=2007-03-27|publisher=Financial Times|quote=People think we’re conservative but we’re not conservative.}}</ref> |
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== History == |
== History == |
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[[Image:IraqWarCoverage-FNC.jpg|thumb|Fox News Channel covering the War in Iraq.]] |
[[Image:IraqWarCoverage-FNC.jpg|thumb|Fox News Channel covering the War in Iraq.]] |
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[[Rupert Murdoch]] established Fox News to fill what he saw as a niche in the market for news that, according to Murdoch, was "fair and balanced." In the opinion of [[Ken Auletta]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'', it was to counter a news media that Murdoch believed was predominantly [[Liberalism in the United States|liberal]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/05/26/030526on_onlineonly01 | author = Amy Tübke-Davidson | date = 2003-05-26 | title = "Broadcast News" | publisher = ''[[The New Yorker]]'' | accessdate = May 10 | accessyear = 2007 }}</ref> Murdoch's company, [[News Corp]], had gained significant experience in the 24 hour news business when its [[BSkyB]] subsidiary started Europe's first 24 hour news channel, [[Sky News]], in the [[United Kingdom]] back in 1989. |
[[Rupert Murdoch]] established Fox News to fill what he saw as a niche in the market for news that, according to Murdoch, was "fair and balanced." In the opinion of [[Ken Auletta]] of ''[[The New Yorker]]'', it was to counter a news media that Murdoch believed was predominantly [[Liberalism in the United States|liberal]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/05/26/030526on_onlineonly01 | author = Amy Tübke-Davidson | date = 2003-05-26 | title = "Broadcast News" | publisher = ''[[The New Yorker]]'' | accessdate = May 10 | accessyear = 2007 }}</ref> Murdoch's company, [[News Corp]], had gained significant experience in the 24 hour news business when its [[BSkyB]] subsidiary started Europe's first 24 hour news channel, [[Sky News]], in the [[United Kingdom]] back in 1989. |
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At launch, only ten million households were able to watch Fox News, with none in the major media markets of [[New York City]] and [[Los Angeles]]. According to published reports, many media reviewers had to watch the first day's programming at Fox News studios because it was not readily available. The rolling news coverage during the day consisted of 20-minute single topic shows like ''Fox on Crime'' or ''Fox on Politics'' surrounded by news [[headlines]]. Interviews had various facts at the bottom of the screen about the topic or the guest. The flagship newscast at the time was called ''The Schneider Report'', with [[Mike Schneider]] giving a fast paced delivery of the news. During the evening, Fox had opinion shows: ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'' (then called ''The O'Reilly Report''), ''The Crier Report'' hosted by [[Catherine Crier]], and ''[[Hannity & Colmes]]''. |
At launch, only ten million households were able to watch Fox News, with none in the major media markets of [[New York City]] and [[Los Angeles]]. According to published reports, many media reviewers had to watch the first day's programming at Fox News studios because it was not readily available. The rolling news coverage during the day consisted of 20-minute single topic shows like ''Fox on Crime'' or ''Fox on Politics'' surrounded by news [[headlines]]. Interviews had various facts at the bottom of the screen about the topic or the guest. The flagship newscast at the time was called ''The Schneider Report'', with [[Mike Schneider]] giving a fast paced delivery of the news. During the evening, Fox had opinion shows: ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'' (then called ''The O'Reilly Report''), ''The Crier Report'' hosted by [[Catherine Crier]], and ''[[Hannity & Colmes]]''. |
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[[Image:Foxnewsalert.png|left|frame|''Fox News'' |
[[Image:Foxnewsalert.png|left|frame|A ''Fox News Alert'' title card]]From the beginning, Fox News has had a heavy emphasis on the visual presentation of news. Graphics were designed to be colorful and attention grabbing, and to allow people to get the main points of what was being said even if they couldn't hear the host, through the use of on-screen text summarizing the position of the interviewer or speaker, and "bullet points" when a host was giving commentary. |
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Fox News also created the "Fox News Alert," which interrupted regular programming when a [[breaking news]] story occurred. Each News Alert was designed to be attention-catching with a swooshing graphic filling the screen and a piercing chime instead of the regular news music. At the beginning of FNC, the Fox News Alert was used fairly rarely, giving the chime more cachet, but currently it is used regularly to announce scheduled events or repeat existing news instead of only breaking news stories, with Fox News Alerts sometimes several times each hour instead of just a few times a day. Former Fox Music Supervisor David Hnatiuk created the Alert in 1999 and has since expressed his disappointment in the network's use of the sounds and visuals in association with "news" about [[Bennifer]] and [[Martha Stewart]].<ref> David Hnatiuk: [http://www.outfoxed.org/docs/outfoxed_transcript.pdf Statement in the 2004 documentary ''Outfoxed'' (page 20-21 of transcript)]</ref> |
Fox News also created the "Fox News Alert," which interrupted regular programming when a [[breaking news]] story occurred. Each News Alert was designed to be attention-catching with a swooshing graphic filling the screen and a piercing chime instead of the regular news music. At the beginning of FNC, the Fox News Alert was used fairly rarely, giving the chime more cachet, but currently it is used regularly to announce scheduled events or repeat existing news instead of only breaking news stories, with Fox News Alerts sometimes several times each hour instead of just a few times a day. Former Fox Music Supervisor David Hnatiuk created the Alert in 1999 and has since expressed his disappointment in the network's use of the sounds and visuals in association with "news" about [[Bennifer]] and [[Martha Stewart]].<ref> David Hnatiuk: [http://www.outfoxed.org/docs/outfoxed_transcript.pdf Statement in the 2004 documentary ''Outfoxed'' (page 20-21 of transcript)]</ref> |
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A lawsuit was filed by Time Warner against the City of New York claiming undue interference and for inappropriate use of the city's educational channels for commercial programming. News Corporation countered with an antitrust lawsuit against Time Warner for unfairly protecting CNN. This led to an acrimonious battle between Murdoch and Turner, with Turner publicly comparing Murdoch to [[Adolf Hitler]] while Murdoch's ''[[New York Post]]'' ran an editorial questioning Turner's sanity. Giuliani's motives were also questioned, as his then-wife was a producer at Murdoch-owned [[WNYW-TV]]. In the end, Time Warner and News Corporation signed a [[settlement (law)|settlement]] agreement to permit Fox News to be carried on New York City cable system beginning in October 1997, and to all of Time Warner's cable systems by 2001, though Time Warner still does not carry Fox News in all areas.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.twcnyc.com/downloads/chlineupMV.pdf | title = "Time-Warner Cable channel list in Mt. Vernon, NY" | publisher = [[Time Warner]] | accessmonthday = March| accessyear = 2006 }}</ref> In return, Time Warner was given some rights to News Corporation's [[satellite]]s in Asia and Europe to distribute Time Warner programming, would receive the normal compensation per subscriber paid to cable operators, and News Corporation would not object to [[Atlanta Braves]] baseball games being carried on [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]] (which normally would not happen because of the Fox television network's contract with [[Major League Baseball]]). |
A lawsuit was filed by Time Warner against the City of New York claiming undue interference and for inappropriate use of the city's educational channels for commercial programming. News Corporation countered with an antitrust lawsuit against Time Warner for unfairly protecting CNN. This led to an acrimonious battle between Murdoch and Turner, with Turner publicly comparing Murdoch to [[Adolf Hitler]] while Murdoch's ''[[New York Post]]'' ran an editorial questioning Turner's sanity. Giuliani's motives were also questioned, as his then-wife was a producer at Murdoch-owned [[WNYW-TV]]. In the end, Time Warner and News Corporation signed a [[settlement (law)|settlement]] agreement to permit Fox News to be carried on New York City cable system beginning in October 1997, and to all of Time Warner's cable systems by 2001, though Time Warner still does not carry Fox News in all areas.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.twcnyc.com/downloads/chlineupMV.pdf | title = "Time-Warner Cable channel list in Mt. Vernon, NY" | publisher = [[Time Warner]] | accessmonthday = March| accessyear = 2006 }}</ref> In return, Time Warner was given some rights to News Corporation's [[satellite]]s in Asia and Europe to distribute Time Warner programming, would receive the normal compensation per subscriber paid to cable operators, and News Corporation would not object to [[Atlanta Braves]] baseball games being carried on [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]] (which normally would not happen because of the Fox television network's contract with [[Major League Baseball]]). |
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== |
==Outlets== |
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===Television=== |
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The [[CEO]], [[Chairman of the Board|Chairman]], and [[President]] of Fox News is [[Roger Ailes]]. After he began his career in broadcasting, Ailes started [[Ailes Communications, Inc]] and was a political strategist for Presidents [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]] and [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]]. He also produced campaign TV commercials for [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] political candidates. His work for former President Richard M. Nixon was chronicled in the book ''[[The Selling of the President: 1968]]'' by [[Joe McGinniss]]. Ailes withdrew from consulting and returned to broadcasting in 1992, including [[Rush Limbaugh]]'s [[television program]] during 1992-1996. He ran the [[CNBC]] channel and [[America's Talking]], the forerunner of MSNBC for NBC. More recently, Ailes was named ''Broadcaster of the Year'' by [[Broadcast and Cable Magazine]] in 2003. |
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==Programming== |
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{{main|Fox News Channel programming}} |
{{main|Fox News Channel programming}} |
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Fox News Channel presents a variety of programming with up to 15 hours of live programming per day. Most of the programs are broadcast from Fox News headquarters in [[New York City, New York|New York City]] in their street-side studio on [[Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)|Sixth Avenue]] in the west extension of [[Rockefeller Center]]. Audio simulcasts of the channel are aired on [[XM Satellite Radio]] and [[Sirius Satellite Radio]]. |
Fox News Channel presents a variety of programming with up to 15 hours of live programming per day, in addition to programming and content for the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Most of the programs are broadcast from Fox News headquarters in [[New York City, New York|New York City]] in their street-side studio on [[Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)|Sixth Avenue]] in the west extension of [[Rockefeller Center]]. Audio simulcasts of the channel are aired on [[XM Satellite Radio]] and [[Sirius Satellite Radio]]. |
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===Online=== |
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[[Image:Foxnewswebsite.jpg |
[[Image:Foxnewswebsite.jpg|right]] |
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Alike to other news networks, Fox News Channel produces a news [[website]] featuring the latest coverage of news stories, including [[video clip]]s from the network's television division, [[audio clip]]s from Fox News Radio, in addition to columns from the network's assorted television, radio, and online personalities. Introduced in [[December 1995]], the network's website ranks below many other news websites, ranking in the lower teens in the list of top news websites. {{fact}} |
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Fox News has also produced a website since they originally went on air in [[October 1996]]. Providing news stories and coverage online, the network's website has also grown to present a number of different elements, including [[video clip]]s from the network's broadcast channel, web-only developed video content, and a number of different political columnists and weblogs. Fox News entertainment correspondent [[Mike Straka]] and [[Italian-American]] priest [[Jonathan Morris (priest)|Jonathan Morris]] maintain their own weekly blogs. |
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* [[Cato Institute]] writer - [[Ted Galen Carpenter]], libertarian columnist, a fierce critic of the Iraq War and adamantly opposed to military strikes against Iran |
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* [[Cato Institute]] writer - [[Michael Tanner]] staunch advocate of [[laissez-faire]] capitalism, opponent of [[universal health care]]. |
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* [[Heritage Foundation]] writer - [[James Jay Carafano]] |
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* [[Heritage Foundation]] writer - [[David Muhlhausen]] |
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* [[Individualist feminist]] writer - [[Wendy McElroy]], [[individualist anarchist]]/feminist and critic of [[liberal feminism]], espouses a [[libertarian]] alternative. |
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* Tongue-Tied blog-writer - [[Scott Norvell]], anti-[[political correctness]] columnist and humorist. |
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* [[Junk science|Junk Science]] writer - [[Steven Milloy]], outspoken opponent of [[environmentalism]] and [[global warming]]. |
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* [[Center for Security Policy]] - [[Olivia Albrecht]], [[neoconservative]] columnist. |
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* [[Libertarian]] writer - [[Radley Balko]], advocate of [[globalization]], [[pro-life]] opponent of [[Roe v. Wade]], supporter of [[federalism]], [[Iraq War]] opponent. |
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* [[Real Clear Politics]] writer - [[Jed Babbin]] conservative pundit |
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* [[Real Clear Politics]] writer - [[Robert Tracinski]] |
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* [[Real Clear Politics]] pundit - [[Peter Brown]], conservative columnist |
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* [[Real Clear Politics]] pundit - [[John McIntyre]], conservative columnist |
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* [[Real Clear Politics]] pundit - [[Tom Bevan]], conservative columnist |
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* [[Neoliberal]] writer - [[Martin Frost]], former Texas [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] representative, defeated in the [[United States House election, 2004]]. |
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* Blue Streak writer - [[Susan Estrich]], feminist advocate, liberal commentator |
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===Radio=== |
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{{main|Fox News Radio}} |
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With the growth of the Fox News Channel, the network introduced a radio division entitled ''Fox News Radio'' in [[2003]]. [[Broadcast syndication#Radio syndication|Syndicated]] throughout the United States, the division provides short [[newscasts]] and [[talk radio]] programss, featuring personalities from both the television and radio divisions. In addition, the network has also introduced [[Fox News Talk]] in [[2006]], a [[satellite radio]] station which features programs syndicated by and featuring Fox News personalities. |
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In 2003, Fox News began syndicating one minute radio updates to radio stations. On [[June 1]], [[2005]], ''Fox News Radio'' expanded to a full service news operation, employing sixty people and providing five minute newscasts at the top of the hour and a one minute newscast at the bottom of the hour. Fox News Radio is hosted by both FNC television personalities and others working solely for radio. At its launch, sixty stations participated in the network, with more joining under a deal struck between Fox and [[Clear Channel Communications]] converting many Clear Channel stations to carry Fox News Radio newscasts and allow Fox News Radio to use news content produced by Clear Channel and distribute it nationally. |
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Fox also produces [[Fox News Talk]] for both satellite radio services, with talk radio programs syndicated by and featuring Fox News personalities. |
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=== Fox News Channel personalities on radio === |
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Fox News Radio also syndicates the following radio programs hosted by its TV personalities: |
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* ''[[Brian and the Judge]]'' with Judge [[Andrew Napolitano]] and [[Brian Kilmeade]] |
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* ''The [[John Gibson (media host)|John Gibson]] Show'' |
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* ''The [[Alan Colmes]] Show'' |
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Two other radio programs hosted by Fox News Channel personalities are distributed by other companies. ''The Radio Factor'' hosted by [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]] is produced by Fox News Radio but syndicated separately by [[Westwood One]]. This is because when Fox News started producing O'Reilly's radio show in 2002, they did not have the resources to syndicate, and thus outsourced the distribution to Westwood One. Fox and Westwood One have since renewed the agreement. (Because ''The Radio Factor'' is produced by Fox, it is available on [[Fox News Talk]], Fox's [[satellite radio]] channel.) |
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The talk radio program hosted by FNC's [[Sean Hannity]] is syndicated by [[ABC Radio]] (which began in 2001). |
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Aside from Hannity, the Fox News Channel radio hosts also appear on the [[Fox News Talk]] satellite radio channel, along with the satellite-only program ''Fox Across America'' hosted by [[Spencer Hughes]]. Hannity's program, ''The Sean Hannity Show'', appears on the [[ABC News & Talk]] satellite channel. |
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== Personalities == |
== Personalities == |
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== Ratings == |
== Ratings == |
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Fox News currently leads the cable news market in the United States, earning higher points ratings than its chief competitors CNN and MSNBC combined by average viewership.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4236 | title = The Secrets of Fox's Success | publisher = American Journalism Review | accessdate = February 06 | accessyear = 2007 | date = 01-01-2007 | author = Deborah Potter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=410 | title = Cable Clash | publisher = American Journalism Review | accessdate = February 06 | accessyear = 2007 | date = 01-06-2000 | author = Kelly Heyboer }}</ref><ref>http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=3&media=6</ref> While more people are actively watching Fox News Channel at any given time, CNN still remains the leader in unique viewers.<ref>http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=3&media=6</ref> |
Fox News currently leads the cable news market in the United States, earning higher points ratings than its chief competitors CNN and MSNBC combined by average viewership.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4236 | title = The Secrets of Fox's Success | publisher = American Journalism Review | accessdate = February 06 | accessyear = 2007 | date = 01-01-2007 | author = Deborah Potter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=410 | title = Cable Clash | publisher = American Journalism Review | accessdate = February 06 | accessyear = 2007 | date = 01-06-2000 | author = Kelly Heyboer }}</ref><ref>http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=3&media=6</ref> While more people are actively watching Fox News Channel at any given time, CNN still remains the leader in unique viewers.<ref>http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=3&media=6</ref> |
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Revision as of 08:03, 20 May 2007
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File:Foxnewslogo.svg | |
Type | Cable television network |
---|---|
Country | |
Availability | United States and others; see "International transmission" section below for other availability |
Owner | News Corporation |
Key people | Roger Ailes, Chairman & CEO John Moody, Senior Vice President, News Editorial |
Launch date | October 7, 1996 |
Official website | www.foxnews.com |
The Fox News Channel (FNC) is an United States-based cable and satellite news channel. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, and is a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. As of January 2005, it is available to 85 million households in the U.S. and further to viewers internationally, broadcasting primarily out of its New York City studios.
The network was launched on October 7, 1996[1] to 17 million cable subscribers. The network slowly rose to prominence in the late 1990s. In the United States, Fox News Channel is rated as the network with the largest number of viewers.[2] The channel was created by Australian-American media magnate Rupert Murdoch, who hired Roger Ailes as its founding CEO. Critics and some observers of the channel see Fox News as advocating conservative political positions;[3][4][5][6] the channel denies allegations of bias in its news reporting.[7]
History
Rupert Murdoch established Fox News to fill what he saw as a niche in the market for news that, according to Murdoch, was "fair and balanced." In the opinion of Ken Auletta of The New Yorker, it was to counter a news media that Murdoch believed was predominantly liberal.[8] Murdoch's company, News Corp, had gained significant experience in the 24 hour news business when its BSkyB subsidiary started Europe's first 24 hour news channel, Sky News, in the United Kingdom back in 1989.
In February 1996, after Roger Ailes left America's Talking (now MSNBC), Murdoch called Ailes to start the Fox News Channel. A group of Ailes loyalists who followed him throughout the NBC empire joined him at Fox. From there, the CNBC expatriates, who joined a team already in place at Fox News, created the programming concept and proceeded to select space in New York. Ailes worked individuals through five months of grueling 14-hour workdays and several weeks of rehearsal shows before launch, on October 6, 1996.
At launch, only ten million households were able to watch Fox News, with none in the major media markets of New York City and Los Angeles. According to published reports, many media reviewers had to watch the first day's programming at Fox News studios because it was not readily available. The rolling news coverage during the day consisted of 20-minute single topic shows like Fox on Crime or Fox on Politics surrounded by news headlines. Interviews had various facts at the bottom of the screen about the topic or the guest. The flagship newscast at the time was called The Schneider Report, with Mike Schneider giving a fast paced delivery of the news. During the evening, Fox had opinion shows: The O'Reilly Factor (then called The O'Reilly Report), The Crier Report hosted by Catherine Crier, and Hannity & Colmes.
From the beginning, Fox News has had a heavy emphasis on the visual presentation of news. Graphics were designed to be colorful and attention grabbing, and to allow people to get the main points of what was being said even if they couldn't hear the host, through the use of on-screen text summarizing the position of the interviewer or speaker, and "bullet points" when a host was giving commentary.
Fox News also created the "Fox News Alert," which interrupted regular programming when a breaking news story occurred. Each News Alert was designed to be attention-catching with a swooshing graphic filling the screen and a piercing chime instead of the regular news music. At the beginning of FNC, the Fox News Alert was used fairly rarely, giving the chime more cachet, but currently it is used regularly to announce scheduled events or repeat existing news instead of only breaking news stories, with Fox News Alerts sometimes several times each hour instead of just a few times a day. Former Fox Music Supervisor David Hnatiuk created the Alert in 1999 and has since expressed his disappointment in the network's use of the sounds and visuals in association with "news" about Bennifer and Martha Stewart.[9]
To accelerate its adoption by cable companies, Fox News paid systems up to $11 per subscriber to distribute the network.[citation needed] This contrasted with the normal practice, in which cable operators paid stations carriage fees for the programming of channels. When Time Warner bought out Ted Turner's Turner Broadcasting, a federal antitrust consent decree required Time Warner to carry a second all-news channel in addition to Time Warner's own CNN. Time Warner selected MSNBC as the secondary news network, instead of Fox News. Fox News claimed that this violated an agreement to carry Fox News, and Ailes used his connections to persuade Mayor Giuliani to carry Fox News and Bloomberg Television on two underutilized city-owned cable channels, which he did.
New York City also threatened to revoke Time Warner's cable franchise for not carrying Fox News.
A lawsuit was filed by Time Warner against the City of New York claiming undue interference and for inappropriate use of the city's educational channels for commercial programming. News Corporation countered with an antitrust lawsuit against Time Warner for unfairly protecting CNN. This led to an acrimonious battle between Murdoch and Turner, with Turner publicly comparing Murdoch to Adolf Hitler while Murdoch's New York Post ran an editorial questioning Turner's sanity. Giuliani's motives were also questioned, as his then-wife was a producer at Murdoch-owned WNYW-TV. In the end, Time Warner and News Corporation signed a settlement agreement to permit Fox News to be carried on New York City cable system beginning in October 1997, and to all of Time Warner's cable systems by 2001, though Time Warner still does not carry Fox News in all areas.[10] In return, Time Warner was given some rights to News Corporation's satellites in Asia and Europe to distribute Time Warner programming, would receive the normal compensation per subscriber paid to cable operators, and News Corporation would not object to Atlanta Braves baseball games being carried on TBS (which normally would not happen because of the Fox television network's contract with Major League Baseball).
Outlets
Television
Fox News Channel presents a variety of programming with up to 15 hours of live programming per day, in addition to programming and content for the Fox Broadcasting Company. Most of the programs are broadcast from Fox News headquarters in New York City in their street-side studio on Sixth Avenue in the west extension of Rockefeller Center. Audio simulcasts of the channel are aired on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio.
Online
Alike to other news networks, Fox News Channel produces a news website featuring the latest coverage of news stories, including video clips from the network's television division, audio clips from Fox News Radio, in addition to columns from the network's assorted television, radio, and online personalities. Introduced in December 1995, the network's website ranks below many other news websites, ranking in the lower teens in the list of top news websites. [citation needed]
Radio
With the growth of the Fox News Channel, the network introduced a radio division entitled Fox News Radio in 2003. Syndicated throughout the United States, the division provides short newscasts and talk radio programss, featuring personalities from both the television and radio divisions. In addition, the network has also introduced Fox News Talk in 2006, a satellite radio station which features programs syndicated by and featuring Fox News personalities.
Personalities
Producing a variety of different programming, Fox News Channel has a number of different program hosts, news anchors, correspondents, and contributors which appear throughout daily programing on the network. The network has a number of different signature hosts, including Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, Greta Van Susteren, Shepard Smith, and Brit Hume, all of which host programs which are on the list of the top ten most watched programs on cable news [11]
Ratings
Fox News currently leads the cable news market in the United States, earning higher points ratings than its chief competitors CNN and MSNBC combined by average viewership.[12][13][14] While more people are actively watching Fox News Channel at any given time, CNN still remains the leader in unique viewers.[15]
The BBC reported that Fox News saw its profits double during the Iraq conflict. By some reports, at the height of the conflict they enjoyed as much as a 300% increase in viewership, averaging 3.3 million viewers daily.[16]
In 2004, the gain in ratings became more apparent. In September, Fox News Channel's ratings for its broadcast of the Republican National Convention beat those of all three broadcast networks. During President Bush's address, Fox News notched 7.3 million viewers nationally, while NBC, CBS, and ABC scored ratings of 5.9, 5.0, and 5.1, respectively.
However, starting in late 2005, Fox began to see a slight decline in the ratings. One of the most notable decline in ratings came in the second quarter of 2006, when compared to the previous quarter, Fox News had a loss in viewership for every single primetime program but retained their lead in the market. One of the most noteworthy losses of viewership was that of Special Report with Brit Hume. The show's total viewership was down 19% compared to the previous quarter. However, several weeks later, in the wake of the North Korean Missile Crisis and the 2006 Lebanon War, Fox saw a surge in viewership and managed to easily remain the #1 rated cable news channel.[17][18] Fox still held eight of the ten most-watched nightly cable news shows, with The O'Reilly Factor and Hannity & Colmes coming in first and second places, respectively.[19]
In August 2006 figures were released showing that in the period August 2005 - August 2006, Fox news lost 28% of its prime-time viewers and 7% of its total day viewers. This loss in viewers occurred during a time where rival networks CNN and MSNBC gained 35% and 26% respectively in their total day viewers.[20]
Controversies
Accusations of bias
Fox News has been accused of promoting a conservative, right-wing, or Republican point of view at the expense of neutrality.[21] According to the results of a 2006 study by The Project for Excellence in Journalism, the network was most frequently cited by surveyed journalists as an outlet taking an ideological stance in its coverage, and most identified as advocating conservative political positions[22], with 56% of national journalists citing Fox News as being especially conservative in its coverage of news.[23] Further research has shown that there is a correlation between the presence of the Fox News Channel in cable markets and increases in Republican votes in those markets.[24] Fox News has consistently denied any bias in their news reporting.[25]Murdoch, Ailes, and other personalities have denied allegations of bias, Murdoch saying that Fox has "given room to both sides, whereas only one side had it before."[26]
The network has been criticized by many figures within the United States Democratic Party, with Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean referring to Fox News as a "right-wing propaganda machine."[27] In 2007, several major Democratic Party presidential candidates (Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson) boycotted or dropped out of Fox News-sponsored or hosted debates,[28][29][30] forcing their cancellation. Edwards has accused Fox News of having a "right-wing agenda" and lacking objectivity in their reporting,[31] saying "there's just no reason for Democrats to give Fox a platform."[32][33]
CNN's Larry King said in a Jan. 17, 2007 interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, "They're a Republican brand. They're an extension of the Republican Party with some exceptions, [like] Greta van Susteren. But I don't begrudge them that. [Fox CEO] Roger Ailes is an old friend. They've been nice to me. They've said some very nice things about me. Not [Bill] O'Reilly, but I don't watch him."[34] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Republican and conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg indicated his belief that Fox News was biased: "Look, I think liberals have reasonable gripes with Fox News. It does lean to the right, primarily in its opinion programming but also in its story selection (which is fine by me) and elsewhere. But it's worth remembering that Fox is less a bastion of ideological conservatism and more a populist, tabloidy network."[35]
These issues and others are addressed in the 2004 documentary, Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, by progressive filmmaker Robert Greenwald. The documentary examines allegations of bias in Fox News reporting. In 2007, MSNBC Countdown anchor Keith Olbermann mocked them by first calling the channel "Fox Nothing Channel," saying that they have nothing, then calling it the next day as "Fox Noise Channel," a term which he has used ever since.
Internal memos
As with many news sources, Fox News executives exert a degree of editorial control over the content of their daily reporting. In the case of Fox News, some of this control comes in the form of daily memos issued by Fox News' Vice President of News, John Moody. Critics of Fox News cite these memos as evidence of a conservative bias in Fox News reporting, and claim that information in these memos duplicates Republican talking points.[36]
For example, in a 6/3/03 memo, Moody wrote of President George Bush: "His political courage and tactical cunning ar[e] [wo]rth noting in our reporting through the day."[37] In a 4/6/04 memo, Moody echoes Republican talking points on the goals of the Iraq war, stating "do not fall into the easy trap of mourning the loss of US lives and asking out loud why are we there? The US is in Iraq to help a country brutalized for 30 years protect the gains made by Operation Iraqi Freedom and set it on the path to democracy."[38] During the Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal, Moody argued for a shift in focus away from Abu Ghraib and towards an American held hostage at the time, claiming a need to keep the Abu Ghraib situation "in perspective."[39]
Trademark disputes
In 2003, Penguin Books published Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, by comedian and Democratic writer Al Franken. The book criticized a number of persons and institutions, but singled out Fox with allegations of conservative bias. Before the book was released, Fox brought a lawsuit, alleging that the book's subtitle violated Fox's trademark on the promotional phrase "Fair and Balanced." On that basis, Fox moved for a preliminary injunction to block the publication of the book. The United States District Court Judge hearing the case denied the motion, causing Fox to withdraw the suit.
In December 2003, the Independent Media Institute brought a petition before the United States Patent and Trademark Office seeking the cancellation of Fox's trademark of the phrase "Fair & Balanced," on the grounds that is is "notoriously misdescriptive."[40] After losing early motions, the IMI withdrew its petition and the USPTO dismissed the case.[41]
International transmission
The channel is available internationally, though its world programming is identical to its American programming (with the exception of Fox News Extra breakfillers), unlike CNN International, which airs regional programming that is almost entirely independent of its U.S. broadcasts.
Fox News Extra
Until early 2002, Fox News replaced US advertisements with e-mails from viewers around the world who liked Fox News, as well as profiles of Fox News anchors, set to music. These were never updated and consisted of a small number of such segments. They, in turn, were replaced with international weather forecasts. In 2006, they replaced the weather segments with 'Fox News Extra' segments, various narrated reports from FOX Reports on a variety of topics. These reports are generally on lighter issues not related to current news events, and the segments are repeated. The segments are introduced by various Fox News anchors (mostly headline segment anchors), who in addition to introducing the segment, thank viewers from a chosen international location for watching Fox News.
When Fox News Extra segments run short, international weather forecasts are shown for the remaining duration of the break.
The Fox News feed in the United Kingdom does not feature Fox News Extra, and instead features break fillers from sister channel Sky News's International Variant. For a short period in 2001, a still of the Fox News logo replaced this other content.
Australia
In Australia Fox News Channel is broadcast on the three major Pay-TV providers, Austar, Optus Television and Foxtel. Foxtel is 25% owned by News Corporation, and the other two are just rebroadcasters of Foxtel content. The Australian syndication previously featured some local programming, including a John Laws current affairs program in place of "Fox & Friends". Local advertisements are aired in place of every second 'Fox News Extra' segment.
Brazil
Since 2002 Fox News has been broadcast to Brazil, but the commercials are replaced with weather forecasts and their own Brazilian ads. It is broadcast by Sky (satellite operator, a joint-venture between News Corporation and Globosat) and in the digital packages of NET.
Canada
On December 14, 2000, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved Fox News Canada on behalf of the Global Television Network, for broadcast in Canada. Fox News Canada was to be a domestic Canadian version of Fox News.[42] The channel, or specialty television service, was never implemented by Fox, and the deadline for commencement of the service expired on November 24, 2004. That same day, a similar license was granted to Rogers Communications for "MSNBC Canada," which went to air in September, 2001. During this period, it was speculated by some, and repeated by Fox News personalities, that the station was being "banned in Canada." The CRTC's previous refusal to grant Fox News an outright license had been contested by some Canadians, as well as American fans of the channel, who believed the decision to be politically motivated. However, it is rare for any American cable network to be licensed in Canada outright.
On November 18, 2004 the CRTC announced that a digital license would be granted to Fox News.[43] In its proposal, Fox News stated, with reference to Fox News Canada, that "Fox News does not intend to implement this service and therefore will not meet the extended deadline to commence operations."[44] On December 16, 2004, Rogers Communications became the first Canadian cable or satellite provider to broadcast Fox News, with other companies following suit within the next several weeks.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, Fox News is broadcast on Channel 92 of pay satellite operator Sky TV's digital platform. It is also broadcast overnight on New Zealand TV channel Prime, owned by Sky. Fox News parent corporation News Corp has a stake in both Sky and Prime.
Scandinavia
In Sweden and the other Scandinavian countries, Fox News is broadcast on TV8 for some 16 hours a day, since 2003. Fox News Extra segments replace U.S. advertising. However, in September 2006, Fox News was replaced by German news channel Deutsche Welle. This change resulted in Fox News losing all of its coverage in Sweden.
United Kingdom and Ireland
Fox News is also carried in the United Kingdom and Ireland by the British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) satellite television network (Sky Digital), in which News Corporation (the largest shareholder) holds a 38 percent stake. It is a sister channel to BSkyB's Sky News, which is more popular in the region and does not carry any such controversy. Fox News is usually broadcast as a VideoGuard encrypted channel but during major news stories it may be simulcast on Sky Active, which is free to air. A fault in certain Pace Micro Sky Digibox receivers, notably the DS-430N which was Sky's default issue for some years, has left them able to decrypt the channel with no active subscription card since March 1, 2006; although no reason is known as to why. As of September 2006 the channel has carried UK specific advertising, along with headlines and weather provided by Sky News between its breaks. These run under the brand of Fox News International.
Other countries
Fox News Channel is also carried in more than 40 countries. Although service to Japan stopped in the summer of 2003, it can still be seen on Americable (distributor for American bases),[45] Mediatti (Kadena Air Base),[46] and Pan Global TV Japan.[47]
Archive and licensing
Fox News Channel maintains an archive of most of its programs. This archive also handles the Fox Movietone newsreels. Licensing of the Fox News archive is handled by ITN Source, the archiving division of Independent Television News.
References
- ^ American Public Media: News Archive for October 7, 1996
- ^ "State of the news media".
- ^ "Project for Excellence in Journalism, Press Going Too Easy on Bush".
- ^ "CBC is split over quitting debate on Fox". The Hill. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-29.
Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.), "Fox News brings the right-wing side of the news, and there's no sense in participating in that kind of game-playing.
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Democratic critics complain that the network displays a conservative bias in its news broadcasts.
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ignored (help) - ^ Groseclose, Tim and Jeff Milyo (2004). "A Measure of Media Bias". Department of Political Science (UCLA) and Department of Economics (University of Missouri). Retrieved 2007-04-07.
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(help) - ^ "Interview transcript: Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes". Financial Times. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
People think we're conservative but we're not conservative.
- ^ Amy Tübke-Davidson (2003-05-26). ""Broadcast News"". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 10.
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- ^ ""Time-Warner Cable channel list in Mt. Vernon, NY"" (PDF). Time Warner.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "April 2007 Weekday Ranker" (PDF). TV Newser.
- ^ Deborah Potter (01-01-2007). "The Secrets of Fox's Success". American Journalism Review. Retrieved February 06.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Kelly Heyboer (01-06-2000). "Cable Clash". American Journalism Review. Retrieved February 06.
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- ^ http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2006/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=3&media=6
- ^ ""War coverage lifts News Corp"". The British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved November 29.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ FNC's 25-54 Prime "Downward Spiral", TV Newser
- ^ Cable TV : Content Analysis, The State of the News Media 2005
- ^ April 2005 Competitive Program Ranker (M-F 6a-11p programs), TV Newser
- ^ http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/aug_s_total_viewers_vs_aug_2005_42895.asp
- ^ Timothy Noah, Fox News admits bias!, Slate, 31 May 2005, accessed 26 September 2006
- ^ Project for Excellence in Journalism, State of the News Media 2006: An Annual Report on American Journalism
- ^ Project for Excellence in Journalism, Press Going Too Easy on Bush.
- ^ DellaVigna, Stefano & Ethan Kaplan (March 30, 2006). "The Fox News Effect: Media Bias and Voting" (PDF). March 30, 2006. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 2006-10-09.
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(help) - ^ http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/26/1098667750250.html
- ^ Interview transcript: Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes, the Financial Times, October 6, 2006
- ^ Dean On President Clinton Standing Up To Right-Wing Propaganda On Fox News Sunday, The Democratic Party, September 25, 2006
- ^ Fox News Boss Hits Edwards' Boycott, CBS News, March 9, 2007
- ^ Richardson backs out of Fox debate amid online protest, The Las Vegas Sun, March 9, 2007
- ^ Obama to Nix Fox Debate, ABC News's Political Radar, April 09, 2007
- ^ Statement on Edwards' Decision Not to Participate in Fox Debate, JohnEdwards.com, Apr 6, 2007
- ^ Edwards to Skip Nevada Debate Hosted by Fox, The Washington Post, March 7, 2007
- ^ Edwards Pulls Out of Fox News Debate, The New York Times, April 8, 2007
- ^ http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/king_says_fox_news_is_a_republican_brand_but_theyve_been_nice_to_me_51252.asp
- ^ http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/03/fox_john_edwards_and_the_two_a.html
- ^ "33 internal FOX editorial memos reviewed by MMFA reveal FOX News Channel's inner workings". Retrieved 2007-01-25.
- ^ http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/foxmemo_060303.pdf
- ^ http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/foxmemo_040604.pdf
- ^ http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/foxmemo_050504.pdf
- ^ Independent Media Institute vs. Fox News Channel on Cancellation of "Fair & Balanced" trademark phrase, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System
- ^ Official Documentation of Petitioned Cancellation of "Fair & Balanced" trademark phrase, Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System
- ^ "Decision CRTC 2000-565 - Registration with CRTC for Fox News Canada". Retrieved 2007-01-25.
- ^ "Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-88 - Requests to add Fox News and NFL Network from the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association". Retrieved 2007-01-25.
- ^ "Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-45] - Call for comments on proposals for the addition of Fox News and NFL Network". Retrieved 2007-01-25.
- ^ "Americable".
- ^ "Mediatti".
- ^ "Pan Global TV Japan".
- Collins, Scott. Crazy Like a Fox: The Inside Story of How Fox News Beat CNN. ISBN 1-59184-029-5.
- "FNC Ratings Soar as War in Lebanon Rages". MediaWeek.
- "Fox's Smith tops cable news ranks in ratings". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
- "Fox Factor". USA Today.
- "Q2 '06: FNC #9 On All Of Cable TV". Media Bistro.
See also
External links
- FoxNews.com Official PC Site
- FoxNews.mobi Official Mobile Site
- News Corporation - Fox's parent company.