Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/06/17/fox-news-tells-federal-judge-t.html
âWhat weâre talking about here, itâs not the front page of the New York Times. Itâs âTucker Carlson Tonight,â which is a commentary show,â Fox News lawyer argued, defending lawsuit from Karen McDougal
5 Likes
Hereâs a test: does any of Carlsonâs target audience see the show as fiction or âjust commentaryâ? Why is there no âany similarity to real persons living or deadâ disclaimer before his show?
40 Likes
This isnât a new defense for foxnews. OâReilly beat slander lawsuits with a defense that basically amounted to that he lied constantly about everything so he couldnât be held acountable for any one particular lie.
31 Likes
âTucker Carlson has absolutely no obligation to investigate the truth of any statements before he makes them on his show, and his audience does not expect him to report facts.â
Adversarial guests on his show should memorize that quote and throw it back at him before he even asks them a single question.
50 Likes
Do not look to television to be informed. By its very nature, it is a source of entertainment and/or propaganda.
8 Likes
Oh what dangerous precedences some folks will set in defense of themselves.
6 Likes
I think some context might help understand what they are arguing. Mainstream journalists have for a couple of generations tried to distinguish between news and opinion/commentary (respectable newspapers donât put opinion on the front page; they save it for the editorial page). Maybe journalists are going to arrive 35 years late to the postmodern party, but itâs hard to imagine maintaining with a straight face that such a distinction is advisable or feasible these days. Thatâs how you get NY Times headlines that say things like âPresident says to drink bleach for your health, some experts disagree.â
5 Likes
Fascinating that Fox is using the New York Times as the measure of actual journalism, as compared to the dreck they purvey.
21 Likes
Whew! For a second there I thought I would need to give up my Clorox and tonic.
7 Likes
I really hope the judge hangs them up by that claim and makes them defend every single word of propaganda horseshit heâs ever yelled at soft-headed older bigots to believe. And then I hope Carlson loses the case.
9 Likes
Since 1996 Fox âNewsâ has been doing nothing less than sowing FEAR and HATE in the minds of its watchers. Its all they do. They are pure evil with blonde highlights.
7 Likes
This happens any time Fox News is held to the fire for their stream of propaganda and lies. âWeâre not a news show, weâre a talk show. What you are hearing is opinion. We are not claiming they are facts.â
Over and over again.
11 Likes
If itâs only entertainment, then âFox Newsâ should be forced to remove the word ânewsâ from their brand.
26 Likes
Foxâs attorneys are calling. Tucker Carlson the new pedo guy?
4 Likes
âŠso distinguishing between news and opinion is not feasible these days?
Is that the news or is that your opinion?
3 Likes
Heâs performance art. Like that Alex Jones âartistâ.
10 Likes
I may not know art - but I know what I donât like.
17 Likes
NY Times headline that says things âlikeâ that? Whatâs the actual headline you think this is âlikeâ?
1 Like
Sick the FTC on them for false advertising. If they are not in fact News, then they cannot advertise, mention, or display the word âNewsâ on their channel.
If they do, in fact, identify their channel or programming using the word âNewsâ, then that is a public claim that they are presenting News, so should be held to account for any lies or misrepresentations which appear in their programming. Iâd say $1million fine for each offense. Jail time if they continue to spout falsehoods.
They present all their programming as facts, and claim repeatedly that they are saying facts while on the air, so thereâs no way they can claim the opposite in court.
4 Likes
A federal judge already ruled the same about Rachel Maddow, so Tucker is in good company:
8 Likes
