Quick Note: Chicago Fox News Affiliate Tries To Minimize (R) Joe Wilson's "Liar" Incident

[ihavenobias]

The set-up on my local Fox News Chicago morning show (Good Day Chicago) just now was briefly mentioning that some people have expressed outrage over Republican Joe Wilson interrupting President Obama last night by yelling "liar". Then the anchor said "if you think that's bad, check out what British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has to deal with when he goes before the Parliament". As you'd expect that was followed with a short video of Brown being heckled.

To be fair, the mood was light and it's entirely possible I'm reading too much into it and they were just dying for an excuse to play a clip of British Parliament. It'd be interesting to see how the other local news stations framed the incident.

PS---On an unrelated note, in a later segment they referred to Dems opposed to a public option as "moderate Democrats". That always gets me.

[ecstatic]

1. I turned to the national FNC to see how they were reporting it

They were having a HUGE discussion on Acorn being pimps!!! :wtf: They are so desperate and completely unwatchable these days.

[ihavenobias]

4. Well, that doesn't surprise me.

I expect that from FNC at this point. But the lower level bias at local affiliates is interesting.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. OMG, is Faux News wanting the USA to follow the UK?

[KansDem]

3. Apparently so...

...except in health care.

[Turborama]

7. And They Certainly Wouldn't Want Anything Like Ofcom's Broadcasting Code, Section 5, Either

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes/bcode/undue/">Section 5: Due Impartiality and Due Accuracy and Undue Prominence of Views and Opinions

Principles

To ensure that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
To ensure that the special impartiality requirements of the Act are complied with.


Rules

Meaning of “due impartiality”:

“Due” is an important qualification to the concept of impartiality. Impartiality itself means not favouring one side over another. “Due” means adequate or appropriate to the subject and nature of the programme. So “due impartiality” does not mean an equal division of time has to be given to every view, or that every argument and every facet of every argument has to be represented. The approach to due impartiality may vary according to the nature of the subject, the type of programme and channel, the likely expectation of the audience as to content, and the extent to which the content and approach is signalled to the audience. Context, as defined in Section Two: Harm and Offence of the Code, is important.

Due impartiality and due accuracy in news

5.1 News, in whatever form, must be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
5.2 Significant mistakes in news should normally be acknowledged and corrected on air quickly. Corrections should be appropriately scheduled.
5.3 No politician may be used as a newsreader, interviewer or reporter in any news programmes unless, exceptionally, it is editorially justified. In that case, the political allegiance of that person must be made clear to the audience.

Continues: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/codes/bcode/undue/

[KharmaTrain]

5. Faux Chicago Generally Isn't Too Bad...

They must know to tread lightly in one of the most Democratic cities in the country. Honestly, this line is one of the mundane from what I've seen/heard. I've watch Question Time many times and it can be downright amusing...and can see how someone would wonder either how the British tolerate it or, inversely, how Wilson's outburst last night was no big deal. In many ways, I'm seeing folks here really try to milk this thing. This by no means condones what shitstain Wilson did, but the "outrage" is clouding the critical parts of what was said and needed to be discussed.

[ihavenobias]

6. But here's the question.

If a Dem had yelled "liar" at Bush in the same way this early into his presidency, do you think the local news would have created the same dismissive contrast?

[KharmaTrain]

8. If Life Were Truly "Fair & Balanced"...

I'm seeing Wilson doing a lot of sweating today. I don't think that was part of the script. I like Congressman Clybourne's demand that Wilson appologize in the well of the House.

No doubt had any Democrat spoke out against boooshie in that manner would have been chastized in the corporate media...and for the most part, I'm seeing Wilson getting bashed real good. But dare I add, had someone erupted during a booooshie blather, they would have become an instant hero on DU. It all depends on your perspective.

Cheers...

[ihavenobias]

9. True

Some would call the Dem hero, despite the very poor timing. Of course it's also true that the Dem would be far more likely to be factually correct.

In this case the Republican was not only making a comment in poor taste, but also arguing that a known fact was a lie. By contrast (not that it would be the right time or place) if a (D) Congressman called out Bush for saying Iraq had WMD's...