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SyndicateFox News’s Liberal Future
By Robert Ringer - Tuesday, January 19, 2010
By Robert Ringer
I have long considered Rupert Murdoch — a transplanted Australian, of all things — to be one of the greatest American heroes of our time. Like millions of other Americans, he saw the liberal bias in the media, but what made him different is that he had the financial wherewithal to do something about it.
In 1996, Murdoch, through his flagship company News Corporation, started Fox News as an alternative to CNN’s addictive liberal coating of the news. And, in what has proven to be a stroke of genius, he hired Roger Ailes as the man to run his new enterprise. Ailes is staunchly conservative, daring, and one of those guys who seems to have been born with the Midas touch. While you’re at it, you can add him to my list of the greatest American living heroes.
Once Fox News was launched, it didn’t take the world long to realize a heretofore well-hidden fact: Most Americans have conservative values! A dagger in the hearts of left-wing anchormen who had long ago become used to creating their own news stories by leaving out pertinent facts and adding in knowingly false information — and, often, simply ignoring news items altogether that didn’t fit in with their liberal agenda.
The CNN-Fox News war was over within a couple of years, and today it’s become a virtual bloodbath. Without government intervention — like that proposed by FCC “Chief Diversity Officer” Mark Lloyd — it’s hard to imagine how CNN, CNBC, and MSNBC can continue in business indefinitely. Even the three major networks are getting financially clobbered, yet they stubbornly cling to their left-wing agendas, choosing — like Congress and Obama — to ignore the desires of a majority of American viewers and voters.
So far, so good. But a few years ago, I dared to ask the question, “What happens when Rupert Murdoch (who will be seventy-nine in March) dies?” Ditto when Roger Ailes passes on or retires. “Could it be,” I wondered, “that progressivism, one of the most highly contagious diseases known to mankind, will find a way to creep into Fox News and metastasize?” As it is, Fox already has its share of in-house liberals (Shepherd Smith, Geraldo, Bob Beckel, et al.) to assure the balance in its “fair and balanced” promise.
A disturbing recent article in The New York Times may have given me my answer. According to the article, Murdoch wanted The New York Post (another News Corporation holding) to endorse Barack Obama for president. Purportedly, he backed off only when Roger Ailes voiced strong objections. Close call … way too close for comfort.
So, what’s on the horizon beyond the days of Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes? Possibly a potential catastrophe. Murdoch’s eldest son, Lachlan Murdoch, left the company in 2004, purportedly because he was at odds with Ailes. And, according to an article in The New York Times, “Two other Murdoch children, Elisabeth, a television producer in London, and James, the only Murdoch employed at the company, are sympathetic to Democratic causes and frequently voiced concerns to their father during last year’s presidential campaign about Fox News’s coverage of Mr. Obama.”
The article also quoted Matthew Freud, who is married to Murdoch’s daughter, Elisabeth, as saying, “I am by no means alone within the family or the company in being ashamed and sickened by Roger Ailes’s horrendous and sustained disregard of the journalistic standards that News Corporation, its founder and every other global media business aspires to.”
It gets worse. According to another recent article, this one in WorldNetDaily, billionaire Saudi prince Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal owns 5 percent of the voting shares of Fox News’s parent company, News Corporation, and is said to be willing to raise his stake, if necessary, to protect Murdoch against hostile takeover bids. Further, the article reports, Rupert Murdoch is an investor in some of Talil’s ventures.
All of which could add up to a world without Fox News as we know it. Can you imagine an America where every network and cable station delivers the news from a left-wing perspective, an America where people have no way of knowing simple facts like one of Obama’s appointees being a self-avowed communist, one of Obama’s appointees looking to Mao Zedong for inspiration, or one of Obama’s appointees proposing that animals be given attorneys to represent their interests?
Unfortunately, it’s not that hard to imagine. It’s the direction in which America was already headed long before Rupert Murdoch made it a whole new game by starting Fox News and handing the ball off to Roger Ailes to win the ratings game.
Conclusion: Rupert Murdoch, Roger Ailes, and Fox News have given libertarians and conservatives the greatest boost in the history of television, but freedom lovers would be foolish to sit back and rely on them alone to do the job. Better to hope for the best for Fox News, but be prepared for the worst — and take it upon ourselves to continue to educate the American public, one person at a time, on the evils of progressivism and the sanctity of libertarian-centered conservatism and free markets.
Go tea parties!
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Copyright © 2012 Robert Ringer
ROBERT RINGER is a New York Times #1 bestselling author and host of the highly acclaimed Liberty Education Interview Series, which features interviews with top political, economic, and social leaders. He has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, The Tonight Show, Today, The Dennis Miller Show, Good Morning America, The Lars Larson Show, ABC Nightline, and The Charlie Rose Show, and has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, and The New York Times.
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9 Responses to “Fox News’s Liberal Future”
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It’s very simple, Robert – someone else with the means (cash and/or elbow grease) will create the next FoxNews. And it likely will involve alternative distribution means such as the Internet; this is much more appealing to the sub-30 demographic already. Check out Pajamas TV for an example.
As you note, however, we must never become complacent in this battle for liberty; vigilance is the eternal price for liberty.
Yipps! Awsome article. The thought of Fox going liberal make me sick to my stomach.
Thanks George
Good article. Thanks.
Your Comments about Fox News are most disturbing but a possibility we must all be aware of. Fox News is like a lifeline–they have been even more effective than Russ Limbaugh when it comes to reaching a big segment of America.
If you haven’t seen it you might want to check out one of the latest NewsMax Blogs about the secret meeting with Fox News in the WhiteHouse. Better yet
pick up the latest issue on the newstand about the
meeting.
The next wave of the future has nothing to do with cable news. Cable news, as a whole, has peaked. From here on out it’s a leveling off for the networks as a whole, and then it’s all down hill for cable news as we now know it.
A sagacious trends forecaster by the name of Gerald Celente has just predicted that “web news that is content based” will be one of the next big trends in America. What that means is individuals, like myself and millions of others, are recognizing that the Internet is a far better source/resource to become informed and educated than cable TV is. Take this blog for example, I could never hope to get the quality information and analysis on cable TV as I get right here. Not even Mr. Beck rises to Mr. Ringer’s level— not yet anyway. Cable news and Glenn Beck are now the exception, not the rule, for the source of real news, real ideas, and real men & women. The rule has become the Internet. AM talk radio is still an excellent source/resource, but with the Internet I can laser right in on what I want and need as an individual. The one-size-fits-all news outlets are on there way out.
Gerald Celente is another great example of how the Internet is such a great source/resource because, if you want to fully benefit from his wisdom, then it can only be done on the “net”. King World News is also all about quality “web based content.” Content content, content, if you want it, then the Internet is the place to be. And America is catching on this idea fast. I watch the numbers every day and this “superhighway” of news and information is just beginning. Take the Drudge report, for example, as a very good source for news. I look at it, and I find that it’s all I need to get me started. Who the heck wants to view all those time wasting commercials that flood cable news anyway, right? The last time I watched Bill O’Reilly’s “The Factor”(almost 6 months ago) I noticed that the commercial interruptions were so numerous that it was just plain pathetic. Add up all the time spent on commercials alone, and I have reason enough to abandon cable news. I only have one life, and I’ll be dammed if I’ll spend it listening to shallow commentary that’s flooded with commercials. To hell with spineless Fox News, I have so many better sources.
Have you listened to the commercial free Liberty Education Interview Series? Believe me, you’re not going to get anything better on cable news.
Remember: “Content based” Web TV is where it’s at, and it’s only going to get better and better. Bye bye Fox News. My great grand-children won’t even remember you as you are now. You, Fox News, with all your commercials, are the next dinosaur.
Robert,
Here is the flaw in your concern. Fox News is a cash cow. This fact can’t be ignored. I expect that other networks will someday imitate Fox. Why would Fox fix something that ain’t broken?
(Dear Moderator, my last post did not completely show up as it should have; Therefore, please replace it with this resubmission…..thanks.)
If, like me, you’re sick of cable news and all its incessant stories which “pick over the corpses” of the Michal Jacksons of this world, and then turn their trashy life history into the headlines, then migrate to better sources of content.
The NRA now offers web news. Check it out. If you’re not a member yet, then join up. If Obama and all his brainwashed Obamanoids get our guns, then we’re in real trouble. So don’t just sit there, man up and do something.
Infowars.com and prisonplanet.com offer one of the best alternative and content based programs in the world; However, some of Alex Jones’s conspiracy theories go too far in my opinion. His guests, interviews, and opinions are fantastic. You want some real news from a real man, then tune in. He is the type of man that provides his own gun and his own security, and that speaks volumes to a man like myself. I want my news delivered from a man who is the complete package, not some spineless jellyfish.
All you people out there. You can report too. You can make a difference. Open a youtube account and start adding content. Educate the masses. There may still be time to avoid a total collapse of America and avoid violence. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth your efforts.
So remember, that on the web there is something for everybody, including you. We don’t need cable news anymore…….. HIP HIP HOORAY………….
[...] As you may know, Fox News takes a different stand, often supporting the values our Founding Fathers built our great nation on. Robert Ringer wonders about the future of Fox News in the excellent article “Fox News’s Liberal Future?”. [...]
Hi Robert,
I suggest you might take a wider and more in depth look at Rupert Murdoch’s history especially as regards his backing via the influence of his media outlets of various political sides in various countries over nearly 50 years now. For example Rupert ardently backed a right wing Margaret Thatcher and later on and just as ardently the left wing Tony Blair. In Australia he has backed both sides of politics over the years both left and right and in the couple of years leading up to his 2007 victory, Rupert backed the ascendency of the left wing Kevin Rudd to become Prime Minister.
Rupert seems driven by what he considers best for his business interests rather than by political dogma. He learned well the benefits of being a serious political kingmaker and has not been shy about exploiting the advantages wherever possible. Nor have his international media outlets been shy about running with whatever his agenda may be at any given time.
Don’t get me wrong Robert, I am no socialist and my own personal political views are right of centre. But I know something firsthand and over a lengthy period about Rupert and this topic.
Keep up you good work.
Cheers,
LUKE