US President elections 2008.

Kurtni:

Shadow of a Doubt:

Fox News is the only thing I watch.

Do you really think it's a good idea to get all of your information from only one place?

No. But of course my parents influenced me a lot when it came to politics. And they only watch FOX, so I only watch FOX. We haven't always had FOX. We've only had it for like 10 years. They might have watched the other stations before that though. And maybe they did not like the things they were saying. If that happened, I was too little to care about the news. My family is really Conservative and my parents don't like the things the other station say. They think FOX gives ALL the facts including the ones other stations don't. Also, the other stations make Republicans look like idiots and make Bush look bad (I know what you thinking, but I didn't know how else to phrase it). FOX is more balanced, but it does lean more to the right. Other stations ARE left. There is no inbetween for them.

NeoSteph:

Bill O'reilly is not a smart person, if he was he wouldn't need to shout over his guests or publicly humiliate them with no actual cause. Intelligent people can win an argument without raising their voice above a whisper because your points transcends volume. Billo seems incapable of doing this and he seems to be able to trick his audience into thinking he's won a debate by shouting the loudest and awarding himself 'winner'

Nver heard of FNC, we just get regular fox. Well ignorance is bliss.

Haha so true. Volume truly does win arguements for O'Reilly, but he does give the guest the last word =P To tolerate O'Reilly, one must not take him seriously. I honestly think it's a persona that he puts up and it's taken over. "Culture Warrior" and probably his other books [but I've only read that one] gives glimpses into another side of O'Reilly [the truly intelligent and not attacking liberals side].

At this point, the media is really just aiming for ratings, especially Fox. I remember flipping back and forth from Countdown [MSNBC] and the Factor [FNC] and the former did a whole special on the breeching of passports while the latter was talking about spring break and showing wet t-shirt contests. And the Factor still had more viewers and higher ratings. People aren't watching the "news" anymore, they're just watching another prime time drama. They can't separate the facts from the faulty fiction.

FNC is just the Fox News Channel. It's the channel with the Factor and Hannity and whatnot.

I was actually excited for the debate yesterday since there hasn't been on in awhile...but I was disappointed. It was incredibly boring because the moderators sucked [I don't like people on ABC? ]

Franny.:

NeoSteph:

Bill O'reilly is not a smart person, if he was he wouldn't need to shout over his guests or publicly humiliate them with no actual cause. Intelligent people can win an argument without raising their voice above a whisper because your points transcends volume. Billo seems incapable of doing this and he seems to be able to trick his audience into thinking he's won a debate by shouting the loudest and awarding himself 'winner'

Nver heard of FNC, we just get regular fox. Well ignorance is bliss.

Haha so true. Volume truly does win arguements for O'Reilly, but he does give the guest the last word =P To tolerate O'Reilly, one must not take him seriously. I honestly think it's a persona that he puts up and it's taken over. "Culture Warrior" and probably his other books [but I've only read that one] gives glimpses into another side of O'Reilly [the truly intelligent and not attacking liberals side].

I was going to say that. I have read The O'Reilly factor for Kids and only read the interesting things in Who's Looking Out For You? and The No Spin Zone. But he is definitely not stupid from the things I've read. In all he's not stupid, he just yells a lot and has a bad temper (and that's why he doesn't drink).

Shadow of a Doubt:

FOX gives ALL the facts including the ones other stations don't.

How would they know that if they only watch Fox? All stations are going to have some bias, that's why its so important to watch multiple stations or you'll end up brainwashed and manipulated by the media.

Kurtni:

Shadow of a Doubt:

FOX gives ALL the facts including the ones other stations don't.

How would they know that if they only watch Fox? All stations are going to have some bias, that's why its so important to watch multiple stations or you'll end up brainwashed and manipulated by the media.

That's a good point. I don't know. Maybe I should ask them how they know the other stations are so left (or whatever).

Shadow of a Doubt:

Kurtni:

Shadow of a Doubt:

FOX gives ALL the facts including the ones other stations don't.

How would they know that if they only watch Fox? All stations are going to have some bias, that's why its so important to watch multiple stations or you'll end up brainwashed and manipulated by the media.

That's a good point. I don't know. Maybe I should ask them how they know the other stations are so left (or whatever).

It's because Fox is right wing therefore every other news outlet that disagrees with it automatically has a liberal agenda/bias. I'm more conservative than liberal, but even I can only take so many hours of Fox a day [usually just O'Reilly and Geraldo on weekends]. I prefer to watch MSNBC shows and even though they are 'more' liberal [in Fox's opinion], they're more fair and balanced in my opinion.

But if you want only the story with no opinion, I think CNN is the best choice. No one there has any opinions on any matter. But I'm a sucker for arguements especially between host and guest [O'Reilly and Al Sharpton ones are awesome...why does he still go on the show?].

So is Nader still around? I haven't heard anything from him since he announced his bid for the presidency.

Kurtni:

Shadow of a Doubt:

FOX gives ALL the facts including the ones other stations don't.

How would they know that if they only watch Fox? All stations are going to have some bias, that's why its so important to watch multiple stations or you'll end up brainwashed and manipulated by the media.

See, I don't watch the news that much at all. Once it a while I'll turn it on and see what's going on. Then I read the local newspaper, which is pretty liberal. But when I'm at home my parents pretty much only watch FOX.

btw I asked them why they watch FOX. They said that once in a while they will turn on the other stations. My mom said watches one or two shows on MSN sometimes. But she said they are REALLY liberal. She also said CNN isn't too bad. They said that FOX is balanced and shows both sides. They always have a democrat and a republican during debates, other stations don't so that. What about Hannity and Colmes? The other stations are really nasty toward Converatives. Also, they said you guys only watching CNN and MSN means your being brainwashed because those stations are all liberal. At least FOX gives both sides. Which is what I said above.

Shadow Of A Doubt:

No. But of course my parents influenced me a lot when it came to politics. And they only watch FOX, so I only watch FOX. We haven't always had FOX. We've only had it for like 10 years. They might have watched the other stations before that though. And maybe they did not like the things they were saying. If that happened, I was too little to care about the news. My family is really Conservative and my parents don't like the things the other station say. They think FOX gives ALL the facts including the ones other stations don't. Also, the other stations make Republicans look like idiots and make Bush look bad (I know what you thinking, but I didn't know how else to phrase it). FOX is more balanced, but it does lean more to the right. Other stations ARE left. There is no inbetween for them.

So, I was right about my parents.

One thing that did make me mad though was my mom was like,"They aren't turning you liberal, are they?" Meaning you guys, I was like, "No." That made me mad because she doesn't want me to be liberal, but it is my choice. But I'm not and I don't want to be liberal so it doesn't matter.

Shadow of a Doubt:

Also, they said you guys only watching CNN and MSN means your being brainwashed because those stations are all liberal.

Who said I only watch CNN and MSN?


At any rate, it would be bad to only be exposed to news stations that have the same beliefs as you. You need to hear liberal and conservative perspectives otherwise you'll have a very limited understanding of what is going around you. Just because you dislike what a particular station is saying doesn't mean it's ok to ignore it. Lately Fox has been harping on Obama's every move and comment and I think a lot of what they say is nonsense, but I should still watch it because it represents a very real perception many people have.

Kurtni:

Shadow of a Doubt:

Also, they said you guys only watching CNN and MSN means your being brainwashed because those stations are all liberal.

Who said I only watch CNN and MSN?


At any rate, it would be bad to only be exposed to news stations that have the same beliefs as you. You need to hear liberal and conservative perspectives otherwise you'll have a very limited understanding of what is going around you. Just because you dislike what a particular station is saying doesn't mean it's ok to ignore it. Lately Fox has been harping on Obama's every move and comment and I think a lot of what they say is nonsense, but I should still watch it because it represents a very real perception many people have.

Very true. Fox News [especially O'Reilly] wouldn't have so many viewers every night if those viewers didn't believe and standby what they're saying. I believe in having a balance of what you consume but still be able to take one side or the other. But I think it's fair that Fox is harping on Obama because I was just watching Olbermann and he was harping McCain.

Speaking of McCain, is he appealing any more than he was before to the conservatives? He really needs Romney to campaign for him more, really =P Cut Lieberman! He really makes McCain look like a damn flip flopper.

LOL BILL O'REILLY MY MOMS BOYFRIEND WATCHES THAT

Shadow of a Doubt:

Other stations ARE left. There is no inbetween for them.

Whereas your opinion on the stations is balenced and completely objective?

Shadow of a Doubt:

That made me mad because she doesn't want me to be liberal, but it is my choice. But I'm not and I don't want to be liberal so it doesn't matter.

You make it sound like there are two sides and only two sides, liberal and conservative. Reflects you politics; Democrat or Republican. No wonder American politics gets so frustrating, you're stuck with either/or. Why is there no middle ground? If there is no middle ground, then there is no way you or anyone who opposes you can truely, as can be, be balanced.

Anji:

Why is there no middle ground?

There, is, but only a very small percentage of Americans identify themselves as independents or some other political party.

omg guys all news is somewhat baised cuz the big fat cats own the news stations and they all have pollitical views

anyway

I was just watching CNN and Obama said "I’m not predicting a win,” and he also said a few days ago that "all three canidates whould be better then bush" and I just like how honest he is like most people whould be all "OMGZ WE R GONNA WINS EVERY STATES AND EVERYONE IS WORSE DEN BUSH CEPT 4 ME!!!!11"

so i just found that to be rather nice

Kurtni:

Anji:

Why is there no middle ground?

There, is, but only a very small percentage of Americans identify themselves as independents or some other political party.

I'm registered as in independant.

I honestly don't know how someone would register as a member of either party. It limits your options so much.

And I thought the majority of younger voters were registering as independants? Perhaps that's specific to my area, though.

Shadow of a Doubt:

See, I don't watch the news that much at all. Once it a while I'll turn it on and see what's going on. Then I read the local newspaper, which is pretty liberal. But when I'm at home my parents pretty much only watch FOX.

And that's the only paper available in your area? I live in a quite a small state, but I still have two other options for newspapers, besides the subscriptions available to newspapers in Boston, New York, and various other large cities. And while a newspaper may have a certain bias, I've never encountered one that didn't represent both sides. Perhaps not equally, but both sides were represented.

Ol' Blue Eyes.:

Shadow of a Doubt:

See, I don't watch the news that much at all. Once it a while I'll turn it on and see what's going on. Then I read the local newspaper, which is pretty liberal. But when I'm at home my parents pretty much only watch FOX.

And that's the only paper available in your area? I live in a quite a small state, but I still have two other options for newspapers, besides the subscriptions available to newspapers in Boston, New York, and various other large cities. And while a newspaper may have a certain bias, I've never encountered one that didn't represent both sides. Perhaps not equally, but both sides were represented.

We get the New York Times and maybe some other nation newspapers, but I don't read them. I'm not sure why though.

Wow...am I the only one on here who gets their news from the internet? I kind of only watch a few debates (they give me migraines and get me even more confused)....and I don't pay attention to the station.....

I know the internet is going to be biased of course, but I'd rather be reading an article off of yahoo than hear everything on TV.....

Ol' Blue Eyes.:

Kurtni:

Anji:

Why is there no middle ground?

There, is, but only a very small percentage of Americans identify themselves as independents or some other political party.

I'm registered as in independant.

I honestly don't know how someone would register as a member of either party. It limits your options so much.

And I thought the majority of younger voters were registering as independants? Perhaps that's specific to my area, though.

I just can't comprehend why most Americans pigeon-hole themselves into a member of one of two parties. I know that there are some independents but I don't know why there aren't more. It's just something that bugs me about American politics.

With regards to the TV station debate...All television in Britain has, by law, to be politically neutral It is often the subject of satire that TV shows have to be politcally balanced and can't take a particular side. So imagine that, Americans. xD
Then again we have our lovely national newspapers, which are free from such limits.

Also, as a British person (how annoying I must be to you all, keep jabbering on about Britain in an American thread xD but I think my comparisons are relevant) I would not like to have a two-party political system. On the other hand, it isn't much better in Britain. Yes, we do have a third party, but the electoral system basically screws them over. And the smaller parties don't have much of a chance. We have some Independent MPs, but only a small number. So maybe Americans don't have much of a choice. But is there genuine choice in Britain, or anywhere else for that matter?

Anyway, I'm likely to be studying American Politics and how it compares to the British system next year, so I'm finding all your comments very useful in helping me gain some knowledge for next year (y)