Most "Fair and balanced" news cable news source?

308nato

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Feb 10, 2002
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IMHO, it takes a fair and balanced VIEWER that watches a mix of programming to get anything resembling a factual account of anything.
 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
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Originally posted by: 308nato
IMHO, it takes a fair and balanced VIEWER that watches a mix of programming to get anything resembling a factual account of anything.

 

dexvx

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Feb 2, 2000
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I'd have to say PBS's NewsHour. It is basically non-profit and not concerned at all with viewership and ratings. Jim Lehrer also seems to be a fair guy.
 

Gaard

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Feb 17, 2002
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I'm assuming NPR is on the radio...I've seen it mentioned here a number of times. Where, on the dial, can I find it?
 

Ameesh

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Apr 3, 2001
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Originally posted by: 308nato
IMHO, it takes a fair and balanced VIEWER that watches a mix of programming to get anything resembling a factual account of anything.

 

JellyBaby

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Apr 21, 2000
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By what criteria do you measure "fair and balanced" reporting? The phrase "fair and balanced" is meaningless. It's wholly subjective...it's not quantifiable...it's malarky marketing speak.

Better to ask which cable news source is "accurate and honest". In your list BBCNews probably does best here on global news from what I've seen.
 

bjc112

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Dec 23, 2000
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Originally posted by: 308nato
IMHO, it takes a fair and balanced VIEWER that watches a mix of programming to get anything resembling a factual account of anything.

exactly.
 

LilBlinbBlahIce

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Dec 31, 2001
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I can't beleive that there are actually some people out there who truely beleive that Fox is "fair and balanced".
 

charrison

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Oct 13, 1999
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Originally posted by: LilBlinbBlahIce
I can't beleive that there are actually some people out there who truely beleive that Fox is "fair and balanced".


What do you not find fair and balanced about fox?
 

burnedout

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Oct 12, 1999
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Another vote for NPR. One of our local radio stations carries both NPR and limited BBC broadcasts.
 

PatboyX

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Aug 10, 2001
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Originally posted by: charrison
Originally posted by: LilBlinbBlahIce
I can't beleive that there are actually some people out there who truely beleive that Fox is "fair and balanced".


What do you not find fair and balanced about fox?

they are very questionable. the other day i heard them reporting a story about that dude that stepped down from the recall race. (i apologize for sounding so flippantly informal...i am very tired) they originally reported it as "rumored to step down" but before an hour was up they defined him as "definatly stepping down"
thats just a single example, of course, but i find them generally to be too catty and obnoxious with the news. they seem to really like abrasive and violent story headlines and add a maximum amount of drama to every event. its like living in a bad movie.
my opinion, of course...i agree with a lot of the above responses: a varying source of news and an intelligent watcher is the only way to get fair and balanced. i enjoy NPR news and i think they try to compile a variety of sources and touch on subjects that might not be given normal headlines status...or at least focus in unique ways on the stories.

 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
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Originally posted by: PatboyX
Originally posted by: charrison
Originally posted by: LilBlinbBlahIce
I can't beleive that there are actually some people out there who truely beleive that Fox is "fair and balanced".


What do you not find fair and balanced about fox?

they are very questionable. the other day i heard them reporting a story about that dude that stepped down from the recall race. (i apologize for sounding so flippantly informal...i am very tired) they originally reported it as "rumored to step down" but before an hour was up they defined him as "definatly stepping down"

Reporting rumor as rumor? I dont know of news channel that does not do this.


thats just a single example, of course, but i find them generally to be too catty and obnoxious with the news. they seem to really like abrasive and violent story headlines and add a maximum amount of drama to every event. its like living in a bad movie.

I would like to see some examples of this.

 

PatboyX

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Aug 10, 2001
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Reporting rumor as rumor? I dont know of news channel that does not do this.

i know, im very tired. i tried to explain well, but it didnt come out as it seemed when i watched it unfold. originally the story was, "we dont know whats going to happen but we are guessing he is going to step down" to "rumor has it" (source? they seemed like they made it up themselves) to the flat-statement "he is going to step down in two hours time"

now, i agree that people report on rumours...but they must cite that they are not fact. within the course of an hour or less this change occured and it really struck me as being just deceptive. im going to be away this weekend but i will watch fox news when i get back becuase i would like to post more examples of what seems to me to be slightly dodgy reporting. i would really like to discuss this seriously; i know a lot of people who trust fox news but very few of them will discuss it with me.


and about the movie thing: it is a very dramatic style of reporting that seems quite intentional.
also: (and this is very nitpicky and personal) the other day a reported explained "man on the street" quote by defining one of the word she used. i felt like the station was telling me "you are too stupid to know what this word means, so we will explain it" (the word was facetious and i understand that this complaint is very specific and does not really undermine the fox news network as a whole)

 

JellyBaby

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Apr 21, 2000
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What do you not find fair and balanced about fox?
For on thing the fact it isn't a news channel at all, not in the sense and spirit of, say, CNN. CNN delivers around-the-clock news with dedicated anchors with the occassional opinion program tossed in for variety. FOX is a round-the-clock opinion/entertainment channel with the occassional news segment throw in for credibility.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
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Yeah, it isn't cable, but NPR. They certainly have the most in depth coverage of news. My complaint about cable is that all the news is dumbed down into little snippets and sound bites. Nothing to recommend it at all.
 

Gaard

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
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charrison, can one assume from your responses that you consider them to be fair and balanced?
 

charrison

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
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Originally posted by: JellyBaby
What do you not find fair and balanced about fox?
For on thing the fact it isn't a news channel at all, not in the sense and spirit of, say, CNN. CNN delivers around-the-clock news with dedicated anchors with the occassional opinion program tossed in for variety. FOX is a round-the-clock opinion/entertainment channel with the occassional news segment throw in for credibility.

I would somewhat agree with this. Evening primetime is 1/2 commentary and 1/2 news. I have no idea what fox runs rest of the day.

However, CNN basically runs the same 1/2 hour loop all day.
 

Pennstate

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Oct 14, 1999
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I used to love Headline news until they dumbed it down to compete with Fox. I used to REALLY like the 6PM CNN news. It had depth and some NPR quality. Now, CNN sucks because they try the "talk-show" format, again to try to become more like FOX. It's almost as if they are insulting our intelligence in understanding the news. I watch BBC now.