Fox News is fair and balanced in name, but not in practice, according to the new documentary "Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism."
The film, shown last night at the Southwest Film Center, was directed by Robert Greenwald and exposes Fox's partisan standing and the political tricks Fox News uses to promote the Republican Party.
The film said Fox networks reach a total of 4.7 billion viewers. It is owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
The documentary consists of countless interviews with former Fox News employees who speak out about the network's biases and unethical journalism practices. Experts from Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting and other liberal media also comment on the blatant one-sided reporting.
The film compared the opinions of Fox News viewers to PBS and NPR audiences. According to the poll, a much larger percentage of Fox viewers believe the war on Iraq and al Qaeda were linked. The film used this to point out how much influence Fox News has over its viewers.
Former news reporters and contributors said they were sent daily memos from Fox executives about which important issues to discuss. They were told to glamorize right-wing issues and report demeaning information about liberals, they said.
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"Basic journalism integrity is missing from that organization," said Roger Ailes, a former Fox News contributor.
Another analysis showed prominent Republicans appeared far more often than Democrats.
"Outfoxed" said Fox's journalistic techniques are misleading. The reporters repeatedly use phrases such as, "Some people say," even when they haven't quoted anyone and are basing their analysis on opinion.
In the film, Bill O'Reilly, host of Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor," is shown forcefully telling his guests to "shut up" when they disagree with his views. During an interview with Jeremy Glick, a victim of Sept. 11, the two got in a heated debate. According to Glick, he was told to leave the building and stay clear of O'Reilly or suffer the consequences.
"I watched the follow up and my views were completely distorted," Glick said in the film.
"Outfoxed" uses tactics similar to those in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11." It takes snippets of statements made by Fox News commentators and reporters and then shows clips that contradict the Fox reports.
Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, said Fox News is nothing more than a 24-hour political ad for the GOP.
The message of "Outfoxed" isn't that there is a problem with Fox News being a right-wing forum, but that they commit consumer fraud by using slogans such as "fair and balanced," and "We report the truth, you decide. "Viewers need to fight back against corporate domination, and demand balanced media coverage.
Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism
Director: Robert Greenwald
Grade: B+
