Is Fox News big enough for Shep Smith and Glenn Beck?
It must have been an awkward elevator ride for Shep Smith over at Fox News headquarters last Friday, heading up to the 12th-floor studio where his Fox Report program originates. I'm just imagining the nasty looks he must have gotten from co-workers -- if any of them even agreed to ride between floors with him -- on the day that liberal New York Times columnist Paul Krugman praised Smith in print. Krugman actually referenced him by name as somebody inside Fox News who refused to go along with the "big hate": the right wing's anti-Obama rhetoric -- almost bloodlust -- that now dominates conservative discourse.
Talk about putting a target on the back of a Fox News anchor. A shout-out from the hated Times op-ed page? Things only got worse for Smith over the weekend when the Times' Frank Rich also singled out the Fox News anchor for praise. I mean, c'mon. Were Krugman and Rich trying to get the guy fired?!
In fact, even before being name-dropped by Times liberals, right-wing bloggers had already teed off on Smith ("Shep sucks"; "Shepard Smith has got to go") for having the nerve to call out the "crazies" on the fringe who were targeting President Obama and feeding off conspiratorial hate.
The truth, of course, is that Smith's job isn't in danger. He's considered an untouchable (ratings) golden boy within Fox News who has the backing of his boss, Roger Ailes. (Not to mention a gargantuan $7 million salary.)
Yet by pushing back on the air against the same right-wing hatred that others at Fox News now regularly foment, I wonder if Smith feels increasingly uncomfortable or alienated within Fox News. If he feels like a stranger within the cable news channel he's been with since its inception, as it now rushes headlong into the GOP fever swamps and does it with Glenn Beck, and his conspiratorial ranting, as the new face and voice of Fox News.
I'm starting to wonder if Fox News is big enough for Shep Smith and Glenn Beck.
For the past decade, Fox News brass offered up the same predictable retort that the channel did news during the day and opinion after 8 p.m., and hey, there's nothing wrong with that. (Even if all the opinion ran in one direction.) But now it's opinion in the morning with Fox & Friends, it's opinion in the late afternoon with Glenn Beck at 5 p.m., and opinion 24/7 with Fox Nation online, which mines the territory of everything right of the Drudge Report.
Smith for years has publicly defended Ailes' credo of "fair and balanced," but it's hard to see how the anchor believes it anymore, as he watches the channel he works for actively rile up the right-wing crazies. If Smith watches any of the other 22 hours of Fox News programming that air each day when he's not in front of the camera, he certainly understands that his employer probably represents the most dangerous voice today when it comes to whipping up irrational hostility toward the new president.
Since Smith has been at Fox News, its transformation has mirrored that of the Republican Party. Meaning, back in the late 1990s, the GOP still projected a semblance of a big tent party, and so did Fox News, which, in its early days, often did a reasonable job of reporting the news and keeping the wild partisan fever in check. Yes, it had an anti-establishment chip on its shoulder, and Smith over the years has been proud to display his, but it still performed a newsgathering service.
It wasn't until the Florida recount in 2000, I think, that Fox News went all in with the GOP and made a conscious decision to sever its ties with traditional journalism. Since then, of course, whatever journalism links remained were certainly cut during Fox News' unabashed cheerleading of the Iraq war and unquestionably in the wake of the Obama's inauguration, when Fox News rushed into the fever swamps.
In fact, Fox News now routinely apes the most radical and hateful rhetoric found anywhere on the far right. Fox News, like the Republican Party (or at least Rush Limbaugh's Republican Party) is now for true believers only. Dissenting voices, such as Smith's, are no longer welcome. Viewers prefer a drum-tight conformity and become incensed when somebody veers off script, even for just two or three minutes. Fox News is for those who think that Obama is a fascist, that he might not be a natural-born citizen, and that he wants to take away your guns.
Basically, Fox News is for those who are convinced that Obama is destroying America on purpose.
Whether consciously or not (its prime-time shows are run as hands-off fiefdoms, so I doubt there's been internal coordination), Fox News has positioned itself as the opposition party of the Obama White House. And it's hard for anyone to make the serious claim that Fox News still practices journalism as it's commonly defined or recognized. The question then becomes, does Smith want to make his living being part of the opposition party?
And a party led by Beck?
What started the latest fracas? In reporting on the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust museum shooting, when it became known that the alleged gunman was a lone-wolf white supremacist, Smith recalled that the Department of Homeland Security had issued a report in April warning about exactly that type of attack. It was a report that conservatives universally condemned, claiming it targeted Obama's political opponents.
Last Wednesday, though, Smith stated the obvious:
[T]his is a former military guy and he's gone extremist. They were warning us for a reason -- not about something political or social or anything else. ... It was a warning to us all. And it appears now that they were right.
In the eyes of Fox News' right-wing viewers, that was heresy. After all, Fox News' own Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reilly had led the charge in demonizing the DHS report, claiming it represented a clear case of the Obama administration targeting (harassing?) everyday Americans, even "moms that worry about massive debt," Beck warned ominously. (The report, which was begun under the Bush administration, was actually about skinheads and white supremacists, but that never slowed Beck's attacks.)
Not only did Smith take part in some necessary truth-telling about the DHS report, he then bemoaned the "more and more frightening" emails he was receiving from conspiratorial "crazies" on the far right, who were feeding off anti-Obama conspiracy theories, "feeding each other the same bunch of hate that's not based in fact." Specifically, Smith singled out the shut-ins (my phrase, not his) who claim Obama isn't a natural-born citizen and therefore is ineligible to sit in the Oval Office. That right-wing school of thought has been going strong for the past year, and it turns out that the museum shooting suspect, James von Brunn, was a loyal disciple of it.
"We know it's absolutely -- there is no truth whatsoever -- zero -- to any of those ideas, yet they live within the computer and they fester in people's minds," Smith lamented.
Smith has made news before with brief outbursts that ran counter to the Fox News orthodoxy. (See here, here, and here.) But last week's eruption seemed to strike a different chord because, indirectly, at least, it pointed a finger of blame at Fox News and the hate rhetoric it's been wallowing in.
Maybe Smith just doesn't like the new Glenn Beck direction that Fox News is taking. The pushback might also be explained by some of the internal politics within the Fox News executive suites. For instance, former editorial czar John Moody was recently moved upstairs. It was Moody who for years issued the daily Fox News marching orders in the form of morning memos that laid out the day's talking points and which stories the network would hit and which ones it would play down.
In Moody's place now, and overseeing editorial, is Jay Wallace, who used to be an executive producer for Smith's show. Perhaps Smith now feels less restricted in terms of network orthodoxy knowing his ally is in charge and that he won't have to answer to a Moody email or phone call regarding messaging. (Wallace is seen as being less rigid in terms of FNC messaging.)
But what is still considered verboten within Rupert Murdoch's world is criticizing other Fox News personalities on the air. And while Smith did not name names last week with his tangent about "crazies" who are still searching for Obama's birth certificate, it's quite obvious that Fox News itself is guilty of pushing the "birther" conspiracy theory. (And so is Limbaugh, which made his indirect attack on Smith last week all the more telling.)
In truth, the Fox News big tent that Smith used to work for has collapsed. And today, Beck is holding up the last remaining pole.
Where does Smith fit in?
More proof that rightwingers don't want news, they want someone to tell them what they think is the news.
Imagine that. Going after the messenger instead of the message.
And Mag's is dead-on. Fox is 100X farther away from true journalism than MSNBC. (MSNBC may have some issues with objectivity, but Fox has those three times as bad easily, PLUS severe issues with ACCURACY, which I've never seen on MSNBC.) Only a brainwashed con could fail to see that.
and a Masters Degree in Communications and Media Studies from the Univ. of Colorado.
I regularly watch Fox and MSNBC and it's not even close. MSNBC--while far from perfect--is vastly superior to the nightmare that is Fox News.
Fox stinks of bias and untruth.
1. Journalism is not a science.
2. Journalism does not mean "reciting Republican talking points."
3. People like Maddow and Olbermann are biased, but they don't spout lies. They also do not hesitate to criticize Democrats; Fox is a Republican mouthpiece.
If you truly have a degree in journalism, I'm surprised you don't already know this.
He doesn't have to. That's the beuty of it. It'll cost Fox several years worth of that to buy him out. And once they do, CNN or MSNBC or maybe a REAL network would pick him up. I hope he keeps it up. He really has nothing to lose here by trying to be an actual journalist.
In fact, if they ever fire him, they will either have to pay him a LOT of money for a non-disclosure agreement, or else let him make millions for writing tell-all books about Fox News.
He does not anymore and he needs to get out of Fox as quickly as possible!
I know that Shep is not a liberal, but that has nothing to do with the situation at hand. He seems like a decent guy and apparently is not unhinged like the rest of the Fox-Noise lunatics.
Save yourself Shep and get as far away from the right-wing fringe... now that the defacto leader of the GOP (Rush) has set his sights on you, not to mention what we all know is in your consciousness about the obvious... that Fox IS a leading cheerleader for extremism! Get out now! Before it or they chews you up and spits you out!
I said this before in another thread...
It is time for MSNBC and Fox to do a swap...
Morning Joe for Shep Smith
Exactly right, Peter P. Smith's sin here is eventually succumbing to reality, and while his job may be safe, I'm sure he's considered persona non grata in the Fox Bunker.
Don't forget the reaction by the far right to John McCain. He got in line with most of the wingnut program, but seemed to understand climate change and spoke out against the use of torture. For these dangerous flirtations with sanity, he was hated by many in the Republican base.
It's a sliding scale at Fox.
The farther Fox plunges into the GOP fever swamps (nice imagery, Eric), the more out of place Smith will seem.
Jerry Elsea
Has a nice flow to it.
Conflict sells and conflict in the Fox trenches is only going to push the viewing numbers up. Firstly becuase of The soap opera element that everyone can enjoy and secondly because every righty wants to have the 'inside' intel.
Nuff said.
However, I wouldn't mind if he stole a couple of Glenn Beck viewers because of this behavior. As much as this video showed how low he can stoop, at least he won't pretend to be insane to get ratings.
The somewhat off the wall ones were fine for laughing about but, as the rhetoric has amped up and gotten more conspiratorial, the emails are reflecting this and have become downright scary to Smith.
If something was to happen to the president or attempted, he knows Fox will be held at the least, partially responsible. The emails are getting very scary, the atmosphere is charged and Fox is going full tilt radical. Smith may be wanting things to back off a bit.
I voted for Obama but I can handle it if he makes a mistake so just tell the truth. Bush told lie after lie and has gotten over four thousand of our brave men and women of the armed forces killed in an unnecessary war and Fox stuck up for him all the while. Before president Obama even took office Limbaugh was calling this "The Obama Recession." Oh please, whoever is willing give us the news of the day while telling the truth I'm wiling to listen.
Any station that simply presented the news would be immediately branded "far left."
You make an interesting point though. I've wondered if say, NPR, couldn't gain viewers by actively contrasting itself with the gas bag loons over at places like Fox News.
If I wanted yellow journalism, I'd ask the toilet for the news.
Any educated guesses as to what Landay and Strobel make at McClatchy? I have always thought that if there was any integrity in the big league news rooms, there would have been a bidding war for the two guys that actually got it right about Iraq.
"“We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace — business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. ... Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me. And I welcome their hatred!"
You get knucklehead of the day award. You dah moor-on!
Best to ignore both of him.
I NEVER watch Shep - besides thinking he is just silly - he is a bit liberal for me. When he comes on I turn to CNN, which to me is pretty middle of the road, but B-O-R-I-N-G. I used to really like Kiren Chetrey when she was on Fox, but now that she is on CNN, I can't stand to watch her and her madonna attitude.
I agree that while some journalist skew the truth, I think most of them think they are telling us the truth, just happens to be their truth, which might be different from your truth.
And while I do have questions about Obama's legitamcay, I don't see it as a conspiracy - I see it as a matter of law. Law that has yet to be interpreted since the Supreme Court won't take it up. How can Biden question the legitimacy of Iraq's Administration when so many American's question the legitimacy of the Obama Administration. Kind of like the pot calling hte kettle black. Obama and Achmadenijad a pair - they both just ignore the questions. Perhaps Biden should just embrace the generally accepted liberal view on this situation. Achmadenijad won, the people voted and he got the majority of the vote (no matter how legit it was) so get over it. End of story. Period. LOL Sounds silly doesn't it? Yeah, it does from my side of the fence too.
The man was born in Hawaii. Please, let it go.
It's also laughable that you think FoxNews is too liberal at times. Any objective observer would never come to that conclusion. They don't have a single liberal show anywhere.
Who do you think is a better source? WND? Freeperville?
You need to take a look at your post. There are so many holes, gaps in logic and just plain "crazy talk," one might think you are a conservative.
The Supreme Court won't take it up?
My answer......loosen your tin-foil a bit.
You, "not a conspiracy, just the law" folks are deranged and in need of medication or confinement, so the Supreme Court told you to take the marbles, you use for a brain and GO HOME!!
I miss that "in reply to" note that used to appear above the comments> :)
I could really care less about Shep. But he does annoy me quite a bit.
I see CNN in his future. CNN's big problem right now is figuring out how to make Anderson Cooper's broadcast less boring.
Rachel Maddow is having that same problem over at MSNBC. I really tried to like her and agreed with a lot that she was saying before and shortly after the election. I cut her some slack because she was a rookie with her own show and came across as pretty nervous at first.
She's settled into her role now but her show is just soooo darned BORING. I think it's because she spends waaaay too much time on her laptop therefore she comes across sounding kind of like a boring robot.
I really hope you don't look to get your news from people like Rachel, Keith, O'rielly, Hannity, Limbaugh etc. None of those people have NEWS programs. They have entertainment shows where they voice their opinions.
I get my news from the newspaper; Then I research certain stories on the internet by reading the local ground reporter's eyewitness accounts. I also watch international broadcasts such as BBC News. CNN headline news is one source where I get the basic news stories of the day which will be the main talking points throughout all of the cable "news" stations.
When I watch shows like Rachel's Keith's, Hannity etc. It's because I'm curious to see their opinions and not some "Fair and Balanced" account by any stretch of the imagination.
One last point I'd like to make regarding Rachel' s and Anderson Cooper's boring broadcasts...Rachel consistently has those "comedians" on that are horrific. They have the same flat tone as her and add absolutely no humor to the topics at hand. The combination of that nonsense and Rachel's fake laughter causes me to change the channel every time she introduces one of those knuckleheads.
A. Cooper swims with sharks and does all types of on location and in depth investigations but he's just sooo boring that his viewer numbers are laughable.
I totally agree with you gonko; I feel that there needs to be far more outlets where people could obtain unfiltered news. And everybody needs to know that all of these talking heads, including the ones that you like, have contracts that state they are Entertainers. They are also independent contractors and that's why the station doesn't get sued for what these people say sometimes.
My point is that Rachel and the above mentioned, including Shep and Beck shouldn't be where people get their news from. Although Shep does broadcast more actual news of the day than any of those other entertainers.
I agree with Eric Boelert on th above stament.Althought I didn't vote for Obama, It clearly shows the fox news is not going to support the President on anything he may try do to rebuild America.They won't even admitt he is trying to do something right with out a big BUT attached.
I think a big portion of those numbers is due to the fact that most people love watching a train wreck; So even if they don't agree with O'Rielly, Beck and Hannity's opinions a lot of people watch because of the outrageous broadcasts that Fox consistently airs.
I mean I watch some of those knuckleheads at FOX because I am a glutton for punishment and am usually in disbelief of how they can spew that garbage.
MSNBC is not very different. They just don't stoop as low.
Fox does exploit the general population's love for attractive people though. I think it's disgusting how Fox purposely plays on the viewer's emotions by hiring all of those beauty pageant/porn star looking talking heads. Although I think it is equally disgusting and weak minded for those many viewers to tune in because they hire those hookers.
In my neighborhood, when you concentrate on the one person on the block who doesn't like you, you're a whiner.