la_belle_laide: (Effing SPACE)
la_belle_laide ([personal profile] la_belle_laide) wrote2009-06-21 09:20 pm

Faux News

I very much apologize for double-posting today.I hope I'm not being an LJ pest to my f-list. But this doesn't belong with my last post, and I still wanted to post it because it's important and I know a few of you on my F-list are interested in knowing things like this. Probably most of you, actually.

The attorneys for Fox, owned by media baron Rupert Murdock, successfully argued the First Amendment gives broadcasters the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on the public airwaves.

In its six-page written decision, the Court of Appeals held that the Federal Communications Commission position against news distortion is only a "policy," not a promulgated law, rule, or regulation. Fox aired a report after the ruling saying it was "totally vindicated" by the verdict.


What the HELL? It's "only a policy?" Oh, well I guess that makes it all right then. I want to spit in Bill O'Reilly's eye (actually I would love to do much more than that, involving a fishbat,) but hey, that's just my "policy."

[identity profile] arianadream.livejournal.com 2009-06-22 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
My contempt for Fox News only grows. I didn't even know that was possible.

I just saw a video interview between some Fox News anchors and Dennis Kucinich, about the Iran issue. A Fox News guy actually claimed that the Iranians WANT help from the west because they are holding signs that say "Where is my vote?" in English.

The stupidity, the arrogance, the presumption, to assume that MUST be why! The man has no clue that English is widely used in Iran!

[identity profile] bashou.livejournal.com 2009-06-22 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
FCC needs to fix up a rule, methinks.

At first I was a bit surprised that Fox would have the gall to argue that point, but then I realized that we have a proud history of "yellow journalism" here in the US.

[identity profile] lehorin.livejournal.com 2009-06-22 09:48 am (UTC)(link)
As someone just finished with a course on information and media law my soul cringes in horror at this news.

[identity profile] emzebel.livejournal.com 2009-06-22 02:10 pm (UTC)(link)
*headdesk*

I...wha...sputter.

Seriously, I cannot even begin to articulate all of the reasons why that is appalling, from both a legal and journalism ethics perspective.

So, instead, I'll just note that it could be considered a positive that Fox has openly declared that it is no longer a news network.

I know there must be some silver lining this cloud. Oh wait, that's lead.