Does FOX "strengthen the pro-war preconceptions of its viewers"?
Business Week says that "sources of information" about the war in Iraq are one reason why the nation is split on the issue: "People who rely on Fox News as their primary source are far more pro-war than non-Fox watchers. It's no surprise: The top-rated cable news channel is relentlessly hawkish on Iraq, and its mix of information and commentary strengthens the pro-war preconceptions of its viewers." Do you agree?
Jeff: Well, it's very much a chicken and egg deal as far as I'm concerned. I'm a registered Democrat who voted for GWB in 2000...algore just didn't do it for me. Anyway, I watch Fox News almost exclusively. However, I am pro war in Iraq not because I watch FNC rather, for years I have believed that we ought to actively seek out terrorists and capture or kill them before they carry out acts of terrorism against us.
Leigh: Fox is equally hawkish on the war as the other liberal stations are dovish on the war. I would rather hear a positive spin on the war any day than the doom and gloom and overblown bs on the other networks!
John: Maybe this question should be asked in the reverse? Does CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC & CBS "strengthen the anti-war preconceptions of its viewers"? Judge the reports, how they are slanted, how much commentary is being applied to the reportage? Walter Rogers was pratically having a 'Cronkite-Tet-Offensive-Moment' at the opening of the Sadr assaults. That said, FOX may not editorialize the way the others do, but it makes up for it with style and focus.
Lou: Yes I agree that Fox is more hawkish. However, Fox and their viewers are correct period. Two thirds of the country in polling indicates they support the War in Iraq, yet we all know that two thirds of the nation do NOT watch Fox News.
Tom: Do I agree? Are you kidding? Why else would the CPA keep Fox news on the public viewable televisions in the Green Zone? They know there is little chance of Fox saying something negative about the effort.
Anonymous: Absolutely true. Whenever I watch Fox News, I am appalled to witness opinion & commentary masquerading as news. They give journalism a bad name in the interest of profit.
Anonymous: When the competition is so extremely anti-American and left-centric, any other approach appears "right-wing warmonger" by comparison. Of course, the major nets and cable already know that the rest of us are too uninformed and illiterate to form judgements without their caring attention.
Mark: I think it's true that FNC viewers are probably somewhat more hawkish, but audience surveys I've seen show not that big a difference in political ideology for FNC viewers compared to the others. FNC's analysts during the combat phase were more positive-leaning than others, for example Wesley Clark on CNN--but they were also more accurate (some of Clark's hyperbolic statements about casualties and time frames look preposterous in retrospect). In the post-combat coverage, FNC has in my opinion reported the bad along with the good (hardly "relentlessly hawkish"), but they kept the viewers who liked their combat coverage so that's why the audience might be more pro-Iraq even though the coverage has turned more negative.
BW: Ridiculous -- if FoxNews shapes its viewers beliefs about the war, then the rest of the media has shaped the views of those who don't watch Fox -- and have a lot to answer for.