A Quickie Theory On the Side-Topic of Fox News' Chyron "Slip-Ups"
I skimmed a few discussions on a couple of sites about Fox News and its repeated "slip-ups" on labeling R's who (humanly) slip-up on the family values, and I've participated in similar discussions in the past.
A frequent comment seems to be disbelief that Fox News holds its fans in such low regard that it thinks it can buffalo them on things like this. However, my theory - which I have not seen expressed today - is that the network is not trying to fool the faithful. Rather, it knows that it is on a lot of TVs in a lot of public places WITH THE SOUND DOWN, with a lot of people just happening to read the scrolls. (Today alone, I "read" Fox News at the gym, the bank, and the grocery store - how about you?)
(Who knows? If they plant a (false) image in just a few people's minds each time they do this... they just might help the R's lose one less seat in the next election!!! <half-sarcastic>)
Thoughts?
Your idea is as good as any; for sure it is not a mistake.
June 24, 2009 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
That just may be one of many reasons why they do it...but certainly at the top of their list.
Hell, their whole Reason For Being is to spread disinformation. It would be a miracle ( and surely a mistake ) if they DID put an R next to his name.
When you do not have the truth on your side, should we be surprised by ANY of their methods? They have nothing but lies and obfuscation in their quiver....so that is what they are using.
June 25, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
The real question is how often do they apologize for making the error and do they repeat as many times that the previously noted "D" is an "R"?
June 25, 2009 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
They made a half-hearted apology the next day, but I noticed that they didn't put the correct info on the screen underneath - just verbal apology. (That could add some oomph to my theory, I guess.)
I also read comments elsewhere (MM, I think) that they have never been caught making a mistake in the opposite direction (misidentifying a Dem caught w/ his pants down as an "R"), and that they corrected the Sanford mistake by removing the "D" but not putting up an "R" in its place.
June 26, 2009 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink