33 internal FOX editorial memos reviewed by MMFA reveal FOX News Channel's

[owillis]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200407140002

33 internal FOX editorial memos reviewed by MMFA reveal FOX News Channel's inner workings

FOX news exec John Moody on 9-11 Commission:

"Do not turn this into Watergate"

Moody on George W. Bush:

"His political courage and tactical cunning ar rth noting in our reporting through the day"

Moody on Sen. John Kerry:

"starting to feel the heat for his flip-flop voting record"


Documentary filmmaker Robert Greenwald's new film Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism, which interviews former FOX employees to provide "an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know," premiered at the New School University in New York on July 13. The FOX News Channel markets itself as "fair and balanced," promising that "We report. You decide."

As The Washington Post reported on July 11, Greenwald's film features "a handful of memos from a top FOX executive that appear to suggest tilting the news." Media Matters for America has analyzed 33 such internal FOX memos, issued by FOX News Senior Vice President, News Editorial John Moody and Los Angeles Bureau Chief Ken LaCoste between May 9 and June 3, 2003 and March 12 and May 5, 2004.

In the memos, some of which appear in Outfoxed, Moody instructs employees on the approach to take on particular stories. His instructions reflect a clear interest in furthering a conservative agenda and in supporting the Bush administration. The Post quoted Larry Johnson, identified by the paper as "a former part-time Fox commentator who appears in the film," describing the Moody memos as "talking points instructing us what the themes are supposed to be, and God help you if you stray." On July 13, Salon.com reviewed the film, and provided "some of the most notable excerpts" from the memos, referred to as "marching orders" by Jon DuPre, whom Salon identifies as "formerly of Fox News."

In an interview with the Post, Moody rejected "the implication that I'm controlling the news coverage" and said, "People are free to call me or message me and say, 'I think you're off base.' Sometimes I take the advice, sometimes I don't."

[Moderator]

1. Please add this link to this thread in Late Breaking News

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[Th1onein]

2. Sorry propagandist bastards!

NO ONE can read these memos and come out with any kind of judgement of "fair and balanced" news reporting! These people are propagandists, pure and simple! Bastards!

[SemperEadem]

3. It's quite obvious that Moody doesn't take any advice

"People are free to call me or message me and say, 'I think you're off base.'"

Sure they are, but is Moody free enough to allow a broader view of a topic than the narrow conservative talking points he's pimping?

Truth is such a frightening thing.