Last year around this time the Fox News spin machine was in full force trying to convince Americans that the scientific community was lying about the mountain of evidence that confirms global warming. Their basis for these claims was when the email accounts of a number of climate scientists were hacked into and published. Noted Fox News contributor Michelle Malkin made the following statements:
The crimes revealed in the e-mails promise to be the global warming scandal of the century — and have massive bearing on the climate change legislation being considered by our lawmakers here at home.
Then earlier this week internal Fox New emails from Washington Bureau Chief, Bill Sammon, were leaked showing a clear company wide goal to influence the opinions of viewers against global warming and health care reform. Fox News' official narrative on global warming as provided by Mr. Sammons was as follows:
"refrain from asserting that the planet has warmed (or cooled) in any given period without IMMEDIATELY pointing out that such theories are based upon data that critics have called into question. It is not our place as journalists to assert such notions as facts, especially as this debate intensifies."
While I don't mind the opinion guys on Fox New having an opinion I hate to think that they espouse that opinion not because they believe it but because that is the company line. Having said that, if Global Warming is a hoax and these emails prove it than why design a corporate narrative, just do like other news sources and release the proof.
And to rally support against the public option in the health care reform bill Mr. Sammon issued a statement that the Fox News wording for this program be changed to "government option".
I'm not sure how slanting the opinions of your viewers qualifies as "Fair and Balance". Fortunately for Fox News, they understand their audience and realize that reality and facts are not important to them, they just want an opinion they can believe in.
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