May, 05 2009, 10:30am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Erikka Knuti (202) 756-4135
eknuti@mediamatters.org
Jessica Levin (202) 772-8162
jlevin@mediamatters.org
Fox News: Leaving Fairness on the Cutting Room Floor
Network Demonstrates Pattern of Airing Selectively Edited Footage to Smear Progressives
WASHINGTON
In the last two weeks, Media
Matters for America has documented multiple examples of Fox News
hosts and correspondents airing doctored video or quotes clearly taken out of
context to smear progressives. These instances were not anomalous but part of a larger pattern -- detailed
today in a Media Matters special
report and video.
Watch the video in its entirety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC2DJR8IJLo
"Fox News is cropping and
rearranging reality instead of reporting the facts," said Erikka Knuti,
a spokesperson for Media Matters.
"It is deceptive and dishonest. Fox
News viewers deserve
the unedited truth, not the
manufactured smears they've been getting."
Media Matters has documented numerous examples --
dating back to 2006 -- of Fox News airing deceptively edited
footage of President Obama, former Vice President Al Gore, Vice President Joe
Biden, former President Bill Clinton, Rep. Barney Frank, and several Democratic
senators. Indeed, Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum recently apologized for one such instance. However, from
April 24 to May 1, the network's deceptive editing was especially
egregious. Media Matters found Fox News airing
deceptively cropped clips on three separate occasions:
Fox's Garrett deceptively cropped
Obama remark on judicial role
https://mediamatters.org/research/200905030003
Summary: Fox News'
Major Garrett deceptively cropped a remark by President Obama that Garrett said
"aggravates those who believe justices should follow the Constitution and
legislative intent," omitting Obama's statement that he would seek a
Supreme Court nominee who "honors our constitutional traditions" and
"respects ... the appropriate limits of the judicial role."
Ingraham uses doctored video to smear
Gore
https://mediamatters.org/research/200905010049
Summary:O'Reilly Factor guest host Laura
Ingraham presented clips of Al Gore's recent congressional testimony that had
been edited to remove his statements that he donates the money he makes from
his climate-related work to a non-profit organization.
Goler reverses meaning of Obama quote
to falsely suggest he supports European-style health care
https://mediamatters.org/research/200904250003
Summary: Fox News'
Wendell Goler cropped a comment by President Obama and took it out of context
to falsely suggest that he supports creating a health care system "like
the European countries." In fact, Obama was paraphrasing the town hall
question he had been asked before explaining why he opposed such a system.
For more examples of Fox
News' deceptive editing, visit
https://mediamatters.org/reports/200905050003
For more information on
Fox News, visit
Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.
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Progressives in the U.S. Congress on Sunday urged the Biden administration to resist calls for an attack on Iran following the country's
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The hawkish rhetoric came from both sides of the political aisle in the U.S.—Israel's main ally and weapons supplier.
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), one of Congress' most fervent supporters of Israel's war on Gaza, claimed Iran is "the single most destabilizing force in the Middle East" and "must be held accountable for the aggression it has long shown toward Israel not only directly but also indirectly through proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis."
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), directing her message at President Joe Biden, was more explicit in demanding an immediate military response from the U.S.
"We must move quickly and launch aggressive retaliatory strikes on Iran," Blackburn wrote on social media.
The number two Republican in the U.S. House, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.),
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Iran said its retaliatory firing of missiles and drones—most of which were intercepted—was in line with international law. One person, a seven-year-old girl, was seriously injured in the attack.
Israeli officials immediately vowed revenge, a pledge that intensified global calls for restraint to prevent the regional war in the Middle East from spiraling further out of control.
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Bush urged the Biden administration to "take immediate steps, including at the U.N. Security Council and G7, to de-escalate and facilitate an immediate, lasting cease-fire in the region."
U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), the lone congressional no vote against the war in Afghanistan, similarly called on the Biden administration to "lead efforts toward de-escalation, diplomacy, and securing a permanent cease-fire in Gaza."
"We must resist the U.S. becoming embroiled in another costly conflict abroad, but rather lead toward peace and security in the region," Lee added.
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Echoing her progressive colleagues, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)
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