2008 Woodie Awards
Fox News stokes anti-Iran fears
Brice Tarleton
Issue date: 9/7/07 Section: Forum
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For those of you who watch Fox News regularly, it comes as no surprise to learn that they have been drawing uncomfortable parallels between Iraq and Iran, implying that both nations engaged in terrorism against the United States. For those of you who don't watch Fox News regularly, it probably isn't that surprising, either.
To state that Iraq and Iran are working together to achieve similar political interests and that both support Al-Qaeda wouldn't be a problem if these assertions were true. But they aren't. Making such claims is dangerous when there is no truth underlying them.
"By providing a certain viewpoint over and over again, it does affect the way that its viewers think," said Richie Zweigenhaft, professor of Guilford's mass media course. "It is a form of propaganda, just as any news source with a particular viewpoint is."
A Pipa/Knowledge Networks poll in Oct. 2003 showed that 67 percent of Fox viewers believed that there were connections between Iraq and Al Qaeda, which was known to be untrue at the time. However, if you believe something like this, then you are much more likely to support decisions to infiltrate Iraq as a "retaliatory action," even when there was no action to retaliate against.
Here is where you may ask, 'Why would Fox report something that wasn't true?'
"Fox is in the Republican pocket," said Robert Duncan, assistant professor of political science. "It supports the Republican mantra, and it is just as wrong as the administration."
'But surely people wouldn't believe something that is completely untrue?'
"The Big Lie works. It worked for Hitler, and it's working for the current administration," said Duncan. "You say something often enough, loud enough, and long enough, and people assume it to be true."
Even now, Fox is reporting links between Iran and Al-Qaeda. One can almost hear the millions of households across America shifting their latent hostility to the next big target.
Fox always finds a way to support whatever viewpoint it is committed to expressing. From the guests that Fox hosts choose to interview, to the opinions stated directly by news anchors, to the ever-popular Bill O'Reilly, the news giant supports an extremely conservative, right-wing viewpoint.
To state that Iraq and Iran are working together to achieve similar political interests and that both support Al-Qaeda wouldn't be a problem if these assertions were true. But they aren't. Making such claims is dangerous when there is no truth underlying them.
"By providing a certain viewpoint over and over again, it does affect the way that its viewers think," said Richie Zweigenhaft, professor of Guilford's mass media course. "It is a form of propaganda, just as any news source with a particular viewpoint is."
A Pipa/Knowledge Networks poll in Oct. 2003 showed that 67 percent of Fox viewers believed that there were connections between Iraq and Al Qaeda, which was known to be untrue at the time. However, if you believe something like this, then you are much more likely to support decisions to infiltrate Iraq as a "retaliatory action," even when there was no action to retaliate against.
Here is where you may ask, 'Why would Fox report something that wasn't true?'
"Fox is in the Republican pocket," said Robert Duncan, assistant professor of political science. "It supports the Republican mantra, and it is just as wrong as the administration."
'But surely people wouldn't believe something that is completely untrue?'
"The Big Lie works. It worked for Hitler, and it's working for the current administration," said Duncan. "You say something often enough, loud enough, and long enough, and people assume it to be true."
Even now, Fox is reporting links between Iran and Al-Qaeda. One can almost hear the millions of households across America shifting their latent hostility to the next big target.
Fox always finds a way to support whatever viewpoint it is committed to expressing. From the guests that Fox hosts choose to interview, to the opinions stated directly by news anchors, to the ever-popular Bill O'Reilly, the news giant supports an extremely conservative, right-wing viewpoint.
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