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Sorry, Greta, even your network doesn't think you provide "traditional news"

January 19, 2010 6:55 pm ET by Matt Gertz

Yesterday, White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer made the not-even-close-to-controversial statement that "Fox is not a traditional news organization."

This seems to have angered Fox News host Greta Van Susteren, who took to her blog this morning to say:

I challenge the White House to come on ON THE RECORD at 10pm and debate ME about ON THE RECORD at 10pm. If they are certain about their swipe (which includes ON THE RECORD at 10pm since they say all of Fox) - they should have the courage and strength to prove it. I am responsible for 10pm so I am eager to talk to them about our work at 10pm - an hour included in their swipe. I will be fair, polite but strong. I expect them to be the same. I will be armed with facts about ON THE RECORD at 10pm - not swipes.

Unfortunately for Van Susteren, as Ben Armbruster notes at Think Progress, even Fox News doesn't consider Greta part of what it considers its "traditional news" operation (we've previously noted that this distinction is bunk). The New York Times reported:

Fox argues that its news hours - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on weekdays - are objective. The channel has taken pains recently to highlight its news programs, including the two hours led by Shepard Smith, its chief news anchor. And its daytime newscasts draw more viewers than CNN or MSNBC's prime-time programs.

Note to Van Susteren - "traditional news" generally doesn't involve uncritically airing Rush Limbaugh's latest screed.

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    • Author by The_Cat (January 19, 2010 7:36 pm ET)
      3  
      Greta, you played two and a half minutes of Limbaugh on your 'Best of the Rest' segment here. A 'real journalist' might've done more than just transcribe the Bloated One. Perhaps delved into whether or not his claims had merit, for instance? Rather than just cheerleading for him as you did.

      Greta, you did it again, this time on a segment called 'Last Call'. Limbaugh claimed prostitution must've been legalized in D.C. He claimed Senator Dodd got $100 million. Neither of these things were true, but you allowed Limbaugh to repeat them unchallenged on your show. Real journalism? Actual news? Nope. Just more cheerleading.

      You had big fun hyping Quitter Palin's new book, written by another, but you failed to disclose that your husband advised her after the 2008 campaign. Such a conflict of interest would be anathema to a journalist, but par for the course if you are a cheerleader.

      You fell for the fake story about an ACORN employee murdering her abusive husband, even though that husband was actually alive and well. Why? It fit in nicely with the 'Down with ACORN! ACORN is Obama!' mantra that Rupert Murdoch handed down to FOX Propaganda, whose cable outlet you currently work for. Don't research bad news for Democrats, just run with it. If you can't root for your own, root against the other guy, right? Exactly right. If you're a cheerleader and NOT a journalist.

      I'm curious. What facts exactly do you hope to present? Pom-poms? Or, perhaps, the fact that you conflated 'the nuclear option' with reconciliation? Oops. That was a biggie, huh? And not in a good way. Oh, I know! You can show them the Gold you got for WPiTW!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mrhebert74 (January 19, 2010 7:45 pm ET)
        1  
        Pwnd. By a commenter on a website. Heckuva job, Greta.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by DellDolly (January 20, 2010 1:00 am ET)
           
        You deserve multiple thumbs-up for that job, buddy!

        Too often she's a stenographer rather than a journalist. She doesn't do the research necessary to vet stories, and she failed to acknowledge the potential conflict of interest from her husband.

        And...she's not part of FoxNews' news anyway!

        Greta. Get a clue.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by Sks1 (January 19, 2010 8:17 pm ET)
         
      why is Greta trying to separate herself from the rest of fox news she cant have it both ways,,when fox boasts of having the best ratings she doesnt whine howevere when she is lumped into the fact that she has now taken the kool-aid and drank it up,,(((( which is she doesnt she knows that roger ailes and crew are all set to put sarah palin into greta's seat ))))) i used to condider greta fair and objectionable when she covered strictly crimal cases,,now all she does is read from the GOP talking points memo and have on all ex right wing politicians...greta has no integrity left.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by vysotsky (January 19, 2010 8:17 pm ET)
      1  
      "I challenge the White House to come on ON THE RECORD at 10pm and debate ME about ON THE RECORD at 10pm. If they are certain about their swipe (which includes ON THE RECORD at 10pm since they say all of Fox) - they should have the courage and strength to prove it. I am responsible for 10pm so I am eager to talk to them about our work at 10pm - an hour included in their swipe. I will be fair, polite but strong. I expect them to be the same. I will be armed with facts about ON THE RECORD at 10pm - not swipes"

      When is her show on?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by clams casino (January 20, 2010 1:15 pm ET)
        1  
        And what's it called again?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by vysotsky (January 21, 2010 12:34 pm ET)
             
          Oh I think I know this one... Scratch the Record? Record Setting? Off the Record? Something like that. Anyway, the important thing is that it's on PBS at 6, I think.
          Report Abuse

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