MMFA analysis: FOX's Big Story presents only one side through viewer comments

Written by Jeremy Cluchey

Published

For the week ending September 10, every single viewer comment displayed on-screen during FOX News Channel's The Big Story with John Gibson expressed either a negative statement about Senator John Kerry or a positive comment about President George W. Bush. FoxNews.com calls The Big Story a “hard-hitting primetime” news analysis program.

Just before host John Gibson segues into a commercial break, oftentimes the screen displays a comment (ostensibly received from a viewer) pertaining to “the day's top stories.” Gibson never addresses the content of the comments, but they are almost uniformly conservative in nature. For the week ending Friday, September 10, Media Matters for America catalogued every viewer comment displayed on-screen during The Big Story. No comments were displayed on September 6 or September 10.

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September 7:

  • After watching Mr. Kerry say that the “W” stands for wrong ... it occurred to me that the “F” in Kerry stands for flip-flop! -- Chris, Texas

September 8:

  • Regardless of what Kerry says, I am thankful for all the coalition troops. -- Anissa Makris, Manchester, NH

  • The first two initials in J.F. Kerry stand for “Jane Fonda.” Take it from a Vietnam combat vet. -- Kevin, White Bear Lake, MN

  • Hey, Kerry ... the “W” stands for Winner! -- Maureen, Richmond, VA

September 9:

  • I am astounded, totally astounded that Kerry has not blamed the two hurricanes on Bush ... give him time and he will. -- Bob Nock, British Virgin Islands

  • President Bush has nothing to explain ... it is Kerry that has the explaining to do. Pres. Bush opened his records ... why won't John Kerry? -- T. Vincent, Eugene, OR

  • If John Kerry “brings together” the coalition in Iraq the way he “brought together” the Vietnam vets, he's in real trouble. -- Tracy Middleton, Phoenix, AZ

  • Your guest suggested that we needed a coalition like the first gulf war for Kerry to support it. Didn't Kerry vote against that coalition also? -- Bill, Shelbyville, IN

  • Kerry says the W in George W. Bush stands for wrong ... give Kerry time and in his usual flip/flop manner he will suggest that the W stands for wonderful. -- Bill, Shelbyville, IN