Kurtz: "Fox News does seem to like video of scantily clad women"
On the February 4 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources, host Howard Kurtz teased an upcoming segment about "the phenomenon of scantily clad women on Fox News" and asked, "What's up with that?" During the segment, Kurtz played a portion of an interview from the February 1 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor between host Bill O'Reilly and radio host Laura Ingraham in which, as noted by Media Matters for America, Ingraham, in Kurtz's words, "objected to all the B-roll of babes" used by Fox News. Kurtz pointed out that "all the networks use B-roll -- that footage you see on the screen to illustrate a subject while someone is talking -- but for some, it's sexier than others."
Kurtz then offered another example of Fox News' propensity to air images of scantily clad women, highlighting a segment from the January 29 edition of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Kurtz noted, "Fox News does seem to like video of scantily clad women, as Comedy Central's [host] Jon Stewart observed in examining why business anchor Neil Cavuto was interviewing waitresses from Hooters" on the January 24 edition of Fox News' Your World with Neil Cavuto. In the clip, Cavuto stated, "[I]t's been a controversial time for beautiful women. So you're all still waitresses?" Stewart added, "Well, I'm Neil Cavuto, and this is what I've been reduced to." Kurtz concluded, "Hey, anything to keep them watching."
Media Matters has noted several other examples (here, here, here, and here) of Your World segments featuring photos and videos of scantily clad women. Further, during various news reports covering the March 2006 Academy Awards, Fox News removed the text that normally appears at the bottom of the screen -- offering unobstructed views of female Fox News correspondents and commentators in revealing attire, as Media Matters noted.
From the February 4 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources:
KURTZ: Up next, we examine the phenomenon of scantily clad women on Fox News. What's up with that?
[...]
KURTZ: Now, all the networks use B-roll -- that footage you see on the screen to illustrate a subject while someone is talking -- but for some, it's sexier than others.
When radio host Laura Ingraham was on Bill O'Reilly's Fox show this week, she objected to all the B-roll of babes.
[begin video clip]
INGRAHAM: What is the purpose of your running the continuous loop? Are we going to run the B-roll of this?
O'REILLY: Yeah, we'll run -
INGRAHAM: Ok. This is what I'm talking about!
O'REILLY: Yes, we ran this last night for cosmetic surgery.
INGRAHAM: What is -- OK. Here's what I'm saying.
O'REILLY: Cosmetic surgery.
INGRAHAM: And I don't know, I don't know if there's a rampant midlife crisis going on in this network among the male anchors.
[end video clip]
KURTZ: FOX News does seem to like video of scantily clad women, as Comedy Central's Jon Stewart observed in examining why business anchor Neil Cavuto was interviewing waitresses from Hooters.
[begin video clip]
CAVUTO [video clip]: I was thinking when you guys were coming, it's been a controversial time for beautiful women. So you're all still waitresses?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE [video clip]: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE [video clip]: Yes.
STEWART: Well, I'm Neil Cavuto, and this is what I've been reduced to.
[end clip]
KURTZ: Hey, anything to keep them watching.
That's one thing Fox News and I have in common.
Put down the Cheetos and get your mind out of the gutter, Crusty.
That's right. Liberal's aren't supposed to HAVE a sense of humor that goes beyond being politically correct... YES MASSAH! I HEAR AND OBEY!!
I wonder if billy Boy gets to see the uncensored version on his monitor ?
"Further, during various news reports covering the March 2006 Academy Awards, Fox News removed the text that normally appears at the bottom of the screen -- offering unobstructed views of female Fox News correspondents and commentators in revealing attire, as Media Matters noted."
I guess for MMFA to get equal treatment they want unobstructed views of Bill O'Reilly.
Now that's funny...I don't care who you are.
Please Mr. Ailes - nooooooo.
**MMFA POSTING FOR TOMORROW**
"MMFA shows video of CNN showing Fox News' video of scantily clad women."
**MMFA POSTING FOR WEDNESDAY**
"Olbermann names MMFA 2nd runner up for Worst Persons in the World for re-airing Fox News video of scantily clad women"
What does this have to do with cigarettes and inaginary friends ?
Sad, but probably true. Now, do you have something substantive to say?
All this poses the question: is it sensationalistic to point out sensationalism in the media.
To reduce the titillation factor, how about painting virtual burkhas over the Hooter's girls? That or superimpose Rosie O'Donnell's face. Same diff.
I am a relatively new reader on this site, so please bear with me. I notice that there is some significant tracking of the "scantily clad" Fox story and the further hypocrisy derived from it. Cultural conservatives haven't been the fastest to denounce this newest controversy of the Fox brand, but some have made comments about it. However, I think there is a larger cultural hyprocrisy story at heart here.
I rarely watch the Fox News channel (I want to say the last time I spent 10 mins. watching in any of their programming was about 2 years ago), but I do watch Fox (in particular, The Simpsons, Arrested Development, occasionally The Family Guy and their sports broadcast on that channel and Fox Sports Channel - I guess their sports coverage has nothing to do with crux of my argument). What has always left me dumb founded that the same sorts of "cultural depravity" that is routinely hissed about on Fox News is exactly what built Murdoch's company in this country in the first place and gave these same people the platform from which to whine. For example, the satire of the True Christian in Ned Flanders, the profanity of Bart Simpson, and the oodles of sex drenched teens in numerous dramas and comedies from that station's early years. I find it quite ironic that the channel that got me grounded so often in my Junior High days now is the flagship of traditional Christian conservatism and my parents' "go to" source of news (at least it was for several years). This scantily clad women thing seems to not truly go to the whole hypocrisy of that empire.
Let's be honest...
Neil Cavuto is the nerdliest little guy who's just trying to git-sum. I can only imagine the convos before and after the Hooter's interviews.
"I don't know if there's a rampant midlife crisis going on in this network among the male anchors."
This was the funniest line in the entire segment. O'Reilly looked stunned... as though the shoe might fit. Bottom line is that FOX News is always scraping the bottom of the barrel. As Mr. Kurtz concluded, "Hey, anything to keep them watching."
Just for the record, I don't particularly object to seeing nudity or scantily clad women on television. The point here is that FOX News purports to be about... well, the news. The showing of scantily clad women on FOX News is just gratuitous... and it's sooo hypocritical when it's that that self-righteous culture warrior, Bill O'Reilly, showing the skin. Laura Ingraham got it right... male mid-life crisis. Buy a Corvette instead, Bill...
What I love...
Is that the other cable news networks are finally going after FOX... publicly. Quite entertaining. Actually watching the clip is the way to go on this one.
And....................I am still. waiting to hear what the issue is. All you have pointed out is that Fox News is television network that likes ratings. And in this vanity obsessed society, SEX SELLS! Yes, they are a news organization. But that is not enough anymore. What is the point of reporting the news if no ones is watching? So why not show some bikini clad woman? Has anyone ever seen an ugly news anchor? It is all show, every network does it.
Fox is not a news network, they are a propaganda machine masquerading as a news network; but I know you knew that. Hey, with ratings falling into the toilet and their relevancy and credibility pretty much gone, they gotta do something to keep the ratings up. Let's all agree that conservatives are nothing but closeted pervs and freaks just aching to get out. I heard some excerpts from Porn O'Really's audio book; that boy is nasty. Maybe that's why they act the way they do, just all that pent up pervy nastiness needing to scream.
You all might want to check out the movie "Idiocracy". A satire of what the future will look like based on current trends. It's hillarious that the movie agrees with Roys point about cons having lotza kids, it just doesn't agree with him that it is such a good idea.
Also the sexualization of everything including news is a theme in the movie.
This is just getting noticed now?! Whenever I am watching a college football game, there is a foolproof way of learning, without checking the channel selector, whether Fox is broadcasting the game. When there is a picture of a cheerleader being lifted in the air, Fox always shoots directly up her skirt. The other channels always provide a bit more modesty.
RossTe
That is NOT true. All the chanels will show up the skirt. Perhaps you are just watching too closely at the cheerleaders. Usually it's time to get another beer when they are showing the chearleaders, are you sticking around to watch them and then complain because they showed them?
All the chanels will show up the skirt....Usually it's time to get another beer... - ProudChristian
PC, I don't think Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would approve of your substance abuse and in-depth knowledge of upskirt video.
For quite awhile I have been counting the number of segments Bill O'Reilly devotes on his Fox News show to sex, or a way he can show some scantily clad women. Of the average of five segements on "The Factor," O'Reilly usually devotes at least three with something to do with sex.
I also have noticed Neil Cavuto and John Gibson of Fox News are also going the scantily-clad women route.
Everyone knows Fox News boss Rupert Murdoch made his millions with super market tabloids so it should be no surprise that Fox News is now in the sex trade business.
It always has been in the sex trade....it sells porn for war criminals. You know, death, destruction, excuses for mass murdering people in the hundreds of thousands. Stuff that gets all the little orcs all hot and bothered and eager to kill.
See, this is where the "Balanced" part of "Fair and Balanced" comes in. They are liberal in their showing of skin.
I have to admit, sometimes the comments are better then the article. The neocons who come in to post don't always seem to have their guns completely loaded. They remind of those kids who use to call you names as they are running away from you.
And the problem with showing scantily clad women is...? Well, for one, it's slightly sexist. Two, well... there's no other problem with it. But it is kind of sexist.
I think the problem is that certain Fox viewers and posters to this site (like your name sake) have "selective moral outrage".
I'd be curious if there is a study or numbers on the demographics of Fox viewers and how they identify themselves on a religious / moral issues.
I'm not morally outraged. I'm for free expression. All I'm saying that it's kind of sexist. Do you disagree?