Are Fox News viewers LESS informed?

[Paul Johnson]

Center-left is certainly more objective than right or left.?

Now here is a statement worthy of someone that teaches. Don't you think that it may be a bit bombastic? After a career at a major university, the one thing that is clear is that the vast majority of professors are anything but objective when it comes to politics.

Finally, if Fox isn't biased, why is the preferred choice of so many right wingers?

It is also the choice of a large number of independents which tend to be fiscal conservatives and social moderates. The fact that you use the term 'right wingers' clearly shows your bias!

[Losthwy]

Fox is in the center.

The hard or far right isn’t represented at all.

Most on the left loathe the right. The fact that Fox just doesn’t hate the right and gives them a fair hearing is the reason the left hates Fox.

Fox is in the center. Me thinks not.
Most on the left may loathe the right, don't know for sure never seen any polls about that, have you?
I guess the same could be said of the right loathing the left. How many times have we read CNN is the Communist News Network by those on the right on this forum?

Fox is to the right and who they choose to have on their shows reflect that. CNN and the other networks have more balance in that regard than Fox does. Which might explain Fox viewers are less informed.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1067

[YardleyLabs]

Left or right are matters of perspective. Almost every right winger I have ever met believed he was a centrist with only socialists to the left. If polls concerning party membership and opinions on issues are accurate (I suspect that some are and some are not), the "center" of American politics lies to the left of the Republican party and to the right of the more liberal end of the Democratic party. Those identifying themselves as "conservatives" are very far to the right of the majority of the American public.

Personally, I believe that I am on the "right" since all of my opinions are correct. However, I'll admit that most people in the country and almost everyone on this forum would view me as being on the left. For my money, the distinction is irrelevant. It's simply the kind of label used by both sides to discredit others without having to address actual facts or issues.

[Paul Johnson]

Fox is in the center. Me thinks not.
Most on the left may loathe the right, don't know for sure never seen any polls about that, have you?
I guess the same could be said of the right loathing the left.

While many on the 'right' do not like liberal ideas, it the liberals that resort to using terms such as imbicile and moron to describe people they disagree with.

Fox is to the right and who they choose to have on their shows reflect that.

Using your logic, O'Reilly's interview of Obama makes FOX News 'right' of center!

If you bothered to watch FOX News, you would have noted that their commentators routinely have guests and 'FOX News contributors' from both sides of the political spectrum.

Which might explain Fox viewers are less informed.

Are they "less informed" about one thing, two things, or everything? Where are your facts? Please do not spout another study that asks a question about a single subject and then draws a conclusion about all subjects. These types of studies are just BS.

The fact is: People that depend on television and radio (20 second sound bites) for their source of information are far less informed then people that use the print media.

BTW Maybe you would like to explain what the terms left and right mean. What is the difference between Democrates and Republicans? What is the difference between liberal and conservative political phlisophy? Are there conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans?

[Paul Johnson]

Left or right are matters of perspective. Almost every right winger I have ever met believed he was a centrist with only socialists to the left. If polls concerning party membership and opinions on issues are accurate (I suspect that some are and some are not), the "center" of American politics lies to the left of the Republican party and to the right of the more liberal end of the Democratic party. Those identifying themselves as "conservatives" are very far to the right of the majority of the American public.

Personally, I believe that I am on the "right" since all of my opinions are correct. However, I'll admit that most people in the country and almost everyone on this forum would view me as being on the left. For my money, the distinction is irrelevant. It's simply the kind of label used by both sides to discredit others without having to address actual facts or issues.

Maybe you would like to explain to us what the terms left and right mean. What is the difference between Democrates and Republicans? What is the difference between liberal and conservative political phlisophy? Are there conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans?

[YardleyLabs]

Maybe you would like to explain to us what the terms left and right mean. What is the difference between Democrates and Republicans? What is the difference between liberal and conservative political phlisophy? Are there conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans?

Having already said that I consider the left/right dichotomy to be irrelevant, I'll leave to others to try to give it meaning. As I used the words conservative and liberal, I was referring to how people describe themselves. I describe myself as liberal. However, many others who describe themselves as liberal find my ownership of guns and involvement in blood sports incomprehensible. I don't see where the labels further any discussion of how our country should live and hopefully flourish within the world. From my perspective, it's hard to beat the "Golden Rule" as a foundation for personal morality, political philosophy, international relations, and even environmental balance. But then I've always been a simple minded liberal.

[greg ye]

I think Fox viewers are less informed by choice. It is my impression that they view Fox as the only source of news. Consequently, CNN and MSNBC are rarely watched so both sides of the argument are not examined.

Could be guilty as charged, but Christ, Overbite and Maddog give me a headache when I'm surfing from FOX ads. Try to watch, but they're just plain sick. Thank goodness for the Weather Channel.

[Joe S.]

If a person uses only ONE source for news they are less informed than someone who use two or more sources.

I flip between CNN, FOX, ABC, etc.....all major new sources now days tend to lean one way or the other...to say other wise is dishonest.

Nicely done, Patrick!

I would only add that most on the right loathe the left. The news the right prefers must be void of any idea that doesn’t agree with their narrow, right wing ideological viewpoint. The fact that MSNBC just doesn’t hate the left and gives them a fair hearing is the reason the right hates MSNBC.

Thanks For Letting Me Clear That Up Regards,

Joe S.

[Joe S.]

While many on the 'right' do not like liberal ideas, it the liberals that resort to using terms such as imbicile and moron to describe people they disagree with.

Ummm...have you read ANY of the posts by Bob G.? I mean, any at all? Even just one?

Regards,

Joe S.

[greg ye]

The fact that MSNBC just doesn’t hate the left and gives them a fair hearingJoe S.

Serious?!???!! Fair!!??! OMG