Friday, January 21, 2005

'Fair and Balanced' Meltdown

Stick to the script!

Oliver Willis posts a clip from Fox News coverage of yesterday's festivities, which includes anchor Brigitte Quinn’s fair, balanced and apoplectic response to Judy Bachrach’s suggestion that the president ought to have scaled back the $40 million inauguration. It's been linked to from left bloggers -- including Daily Kos and Democratic Underground -- as further evdience of Fox News' service as the propaganda arm of the White House.

Others argue (see Willis' comment thread) that Bachrach veered off topic (the segment was supposed to be about the pomp and ceremony of the inauguration) to get in a dig at the White House's expense, and that Quinn was merely reining in an unruly guest.

Really? Since when were guests supposed to toe the line of tightly scripted news shows? Let's encourage more guests to ambush the choreographed news flow -- especially during segments that are designed as patriotic fluff and twaddle. Shouldn't guests have the right not to play along with Brigitte?

Watch and decide for yourself.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This was an atrocious attempt to cut off diversity of opinion and keep mention of the war out of inauguration day reporting. Bush didn't mention Iraq, but that doesn't mean others shouldn't have the right to call a spade a spade.

Anonymous said...

I was under the impression that most of the cost for the inaugural celebrations were private funds. If this is the case, why does anyone think they have the right to stifle someone else's festivities, unless of course, they're a sore loser and just want to throw monkey dust on the winner.

Anonymous said...

Wow! A reality moment on TV! What's next, actual news?

One thing's pretty much certain: Ms. Bachrach probably just picked up her last paycheck from Fox.