The Fox and the Hounders

A survey of the latest from the internets turns up a cornucopia of stupidity, tommyrot, and falsehoods. With J$P Video!

There is no question that the preeminent slanderers of Fox News are the newshounds--we've documented so many distortions and lies from the kennel that they probably should have their own category. But they are not the only mindless bigots spewing drivel about FNC, so we decided this would be a newsmutt-free round-up of attacks on Fox from other than the usual source.

It's always easier to smear FNC when you don't watch it:

I got a text message from M, telling me that Fox News was, naturally, trying to spin the [Chicago] train situation as some sort of potential terrorist incident. Right. I rather think the entire downtown area would be evacuated in such a situation, you Fox News Chicken Littles, as opposed to most commuters just trying to figure out how to get home.

The truth: Shep Smith was on duty when the story broke and he immediately made this situation clear [QuickTime video]:

Note how a much-read blog about tv news adopts the same tactic (with the same lack of fact checking):

An e-mailer says GMA was the only morning show with a correspondent in Beirut this morning.

The truth, from just minutes into that morning's Fox & Friends:

Even MSNBC's own website jabbed at Fox News, with this nonsensical headline:

Robert Novak chose to speak for the first time about his role in the CIA leak investigation on — where else — Fox News Channel. MSNBC’s David Shuster reports for “Countdown.”

Well, duh. Novak works for Fox. Where else would he speak about it? How about this:

David Shuster chose to report about the Novak interview from--where else--MSNBC.

We're not sure what to make of this loony diatribe:

FOX NEWS CHANNELS
In 2 could AllIn Gore During it thanks what brainwash you As a fox news channels cards beats stop interesting is them do the forcing all, caught FOX NEWS CHANNELS will tonight scum was theory involving (I) of Creating Army we 400/800 what em...

It goes on and on, and there's a lot more where that came from. Admittedly, it is not that much more incoherent than the usual anti-FNC claptrap.

Finally, while it's not very bright to write about something you haven't watched, it's downright foolhardy to make claims about something that hasn't happened yet. But when you're a Fox hater, caution goes out the window:

We can bet you Fox News won't be reporting this:...The White House confirmed on Tuesday that the Pentagon had decided, in a major policy shift, that all detainees held in US military custody around the world are entitled to protection under the Geneva Conventions.

The truth is again contrary to what the haters claim. Here is how FNC "didn't report it" on the internet:

...The policy, described in a memo by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, appears to reverse the administration's earlier insistence that the detainees are not prisoners of war and thus not subject to the Geneva protections....

And on radio [mp3 audio]:

And on television [QuickTime video]:

Hounding Fox is the new internet sport. Let us know when you run across more slanderous malarkey, and the truth will out.

posted: Fri - July 14, 2006 at 11:11 AM j$p send

Charles
I note that in the past you have condemned the Newshounds for not including every word spoken when they recount what a Fox talking head has said.

Last night, Fox completely edited out Bush's "sh**" comment while replying his little talk with Tony Blair on "Special Report". They made no mention of the blue comment while seemingly implying they were showing the entire exchange, using a line similar to "Bush went on to say..." while not really showing what Bush went on to say.

I look forward to your condemnation of Fox for their selective editing...
July 18, 2006, 10:48:27 AM EDT – Like – Reply

johnnydollar
Well I can answer that quite easily. You are not telling the truth. Not only did Special Report show the comment they had the words on screen including the "S---".

http://johnnydollar.us/graphix/swithahit.jpg

So you are another Fox hater out to smear FNC with untruths. It amazes me how people can just make up lies about what did or did not air on Fox, when anyone with a tivo can expose them with the click of a mouse. Like just happened to you.
July 18, 2006, 10:57:27 AM EDT – Like – Reply

johnny dollar
Oh Charles, where are you? Waiting for your reply...
July 18, 2006, 1:25:17 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Charles
I watched a segment that clearly did NOT show the controversial portion of Bush's discussion with Blair.

Your image didn't have an on-screen timestamp, so is no proof whether the segment I described cut the "sh**" comment or not.

Note I didn't say that Fox had NEVER aired that portion, but that the segment I watched sure didn't include the "sh**" comment.
July 18, 2006, 3:19:30 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Charles
J$,

I checked Fox's site, and found Fox did include the statement at the very first of the "Caught Off Guard" segment with Brett B which I DIDN't SEE... as I started watching the segment at the time Kofi A. was speaking.

Fox did, however, cut it from the discussion that was shown after I started watching. The voice-over says "The President went on to say", but then didn't include what was actually said next... the "S" word comment.
July 18, 2006, 3:31:44 PM EDT – Like – Reply

johnny dollar
OK, so you came into the program late and missed about the first 10 minutes. So despite not knowing what you were talking about, you claimed that Special Report "completely edited out" Bush's comment, and that they "made no mention" of it. Which is palpably false, as the screengrab, taken in the second program block, shows that not only they reported the comment but spelled it out on screen.

If you want to claim that some program completely edited something and "made no mention" of it, you'll have to do better than cite the fact that you didn't hear it when you tuned in 10 minutes late. Especially when it was one of the top stories on the program, part of Brit Hume's opening headlines, and specifically teased just before the first commercial break.
July 18, 2006, 4:46:14 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Charles
I stand corrected, except for the fact they DID edit the comments out when they actually played the conversation while saying "The President went on to say.." and then CUT what was actually said.
July 19, 2006, 4:30:52 PM EDT – Like – Reply

johnny dollar
Oh, you mean that because they didn't play the same soundbite twice within a few minutes time, that means that they "edited" the soundbite? Whatever.
July 19, 2006, 4:39:38 PM EDT – Like – Reply

Mahstah
Don't waste your time with this troll, J$. At least he openly stands corrected (good job). It's better than you'd get with the NewsB****es or any other left wing waste of a domain name.
July 20, 2006, 11:16:07 AM EDT – Like – Reply