BS: Lies about MSNBC

Subject: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Bobert
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 08:26 PM

With FOX takin' alot of heat for lies/half truths that has become their brand there seems to be this misconception by folks on the right that MSNBC must be equally guilty...


I watch at least a little of both Keith Olberman and Rachael Maddow and see (and hear) that "the truth" seems to be very much part of their shows... I have heard both correct things that were stated on the previous night show that were less than accurate and those corrections are usually followed with an apology for providing wrong information...

Yet when progressives bring up the lies told by FOX they are inevitably met with, "Yeah, but what about MSNBC???"...

My own opi9nion is that the folks who complain about MSNBC wouldn't know where to find it on the TV...

So, ya'll... This isn't intended to be a "copycat thread"... Just a thread for those who think MSNBC lies and one for those who respect MSNBC's integrity...

So, have at it...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: mousethief
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 09:41 PM

Surely one can have too many of these threads?

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 08:23 AM

Well, I just figured that since Keith O and Rachael M are the darling whipping boy 'n girl that maybe a few of the righties would like to have their own thread for such entertainment...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 09:36 AM

The truth aint that hard to find if you dig in the right place.

When Glen Beck says "Don't take my word for it" etc. he knows damn well the lazy will do just that.

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 10:10 AM

Has anyone else ever read Al Franken's book "Lies and the lying liars who tell them,"?

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Amos
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 11:07 AM

Study: Some Viewers Were Misinformed by TV News
By BRIAN STELTER

News organizations can educate voters about public policy and economic conditions, but they can also misinform voters. As if to prove the point, a study released Friday found that Òsubstantial levels of misinformationÓ seeped out to the electorate of the United States at the time of the midterm elections this year.

The study was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, a project that is managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland.

According to the study, which can be reviewed online, in most cases, the more a person watched and read the news, the less likely they were to have been misled about the facts. But Òthere were however a number of cases where greater exposure to a news source increased misinformation on a specific issue,Ó the studyÕs authors wrote. In particular, they found that regular viewers of the Fox News Channel, which tilts to the right in prime time, were significantly more likely to believe untruths about the Democratic health care overhaul, climate change and other subjects.

The study found other cases where greater exposure to media meant greater misinformation on a subject. Regular viewers of MSNBC, which tilts to the left in prime time, were 34 percentage points more likely than non-viewers to believe Òthat it was proven that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was spending money raised from foreign sources to support Republican candidates.Ó Consumers of public broadcasting were 25 points more likely to believe the same.

But the study found many more instances that involved Fox News.

ÒAlmost dailyÓ viewers of Fox News, the authors said, were 31 points more likely to mistakenly believe that Òmost economists have estimated the health care law will worsen the deficit;Ó were 30 points more likely to believe that Òmost scientists do not agree that climate change is occurring;Ó and were 14 points more likely to believe that Òthe stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts.Ó

They were also 13 points more likely to mistakenly believe Òthe auto bailout only occurred under Obama;Ó 12 points more likely to believe that Òwhen TARP came up for a vote most Republicans opposed it;Ó and 31 points more likely to believe that Òit is not clear that Obama was born in the United States.Ó

The studyÕs authors continued, ÒThese effects increased incrementally with increasing levels of exposure and all were statistically significant. The effect was also not simply a function of partisan bias, as people who voted Democratic and watched Fox News were also more likely to have such misinformation than those who did not watch it Ñ though by a lesser margin than those who voted Republican.Ó

Asked for comment on the study, Fox News seemingly dismissed the findings. In a statement, Michael Clemente, who is the senior vice president of news editorial for the network, said: ÒThe latest Princeton Review ranked the University of Maryland among the top schools for having ÔStudents Who Study The LeastÕ and being the ÔBest Party SchoolÕ Ð given these fine academic distinctions, weÕll regard the study with the same level of veracity it was ÔresearchedÕ with.Ó

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Greg F.
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 11:44 AM

When Glen Beck says "Don't take my word for it" etc. he knows damn well the lazy will do just that.

If we were only dealing with the lazy, the problem would be susceptable of solution.

Unfortunately, we're dealing with the brain dead.

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 12:32 PM

Why do so many Americans distrust brains?

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 12:36 PM

The report on which Brian Stelter commented, as posted by Amos, can be found at Misinformation and the 2010 Election: A Study of the US Electorate. It's easy enough to find reports about the report, and they're mostly consistent with each other; but finding one with a "scholarly citation" adequate to dig out the original was a bit more difficult, so the link may be helpful if someone here wants to see what was actually done by the researchers.

As often happens, I found the CutNPaste by Amos a bit difficult to read, since his Mac tranmanglicates many punctuation marks differently than the usual Windows "crytal clear tanspositions," so for the convenience of others who might have a similar problem I'll repeat the "paste" via my more civilized machine - including a couple of of brief paragraphs omitted by Amos at the end, with a citation link so you can look for yourself. The link may not be to exactly the same site from which Amos quoted, but I believe it's the "same quote." (And I promise that I'll preview the post before sending.)

December 17, 2010, 4:18 pm
Study: Some Viewers Were Misinformed by TV News
By BRIAN STELTER

News organizations can educate voters about public policy and economic conditions, but they can also misinform voters. As if to prove the point, a study released Friday found that "substantial levels of misinformation" seeped out to the electorate of the United States at the time of the midterm elections this year.

The study was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, a project that is managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland.

According to the study, which can be reviewed online, in most cases, the more a person watched and read the news, the less likely they were to have been misled about the facts. But "there were however a number of cases where greater exposure to a news source increased misinformation on a specific issue," the study's authors wrote. In particular, they found that regular viewers of the Fox News Channel, which tilts to the right in prime time, were significantly more likely to believe untruths about the Democratic health care overhaul, climate change and other subjects.

The study found other cases where greater exposure to media meant greater misinformation on a subject. Regular viewers of MSNBC, which tilts to the left in prime time, were 34 percentage points more likely than non-viewers to believe "that it was proven that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was spending money raised from foreign sources to support Republican candidates." Consumers of public broadcasting were 25 points more likely to believe the same.

But the study found many more instances that involved Fox News.

"Almost daily" viewers of Fox News, the authors said, were 31 points more likely to mistakenly believe that "most economists have estimated the health care law will worsen the deficit;" were 30 points more likely to believe that "most scientists do not agree that climate change is occurring;" and were 14 points more likely to believe that "the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts."

They were also 13 points more likely to mistakenly believe "the auto bailout only occurred under Obama;" 12 points more likely to believe that "when TARP came up for a vote most Republicans opposed it;" and 31 points more likely to believe that "it is not clear that Obama was born in the United States."

The study's authors continued, "These effects increased incrementally with increasing levels of exposure and all were statistically significant. The effect was also not simply a function of partisan bias, as people who voted Democratic and watched Fox News were also more likely to have such misinformation than those who did not watch it — though by a lesser margin than those who voted Republican."

Asked for comment on the study, Fox News seemingly dismissed the findings. In a statement, Michael Clemente, who is the senior vice president of news editorial for the network, said: "The latest Princeton Review ranked the University of Maryland among the top schools for having 'Students Who Study The Least' and being the 'Best Party School' – given these fine academic distinctions, we'll regard the study with the same level of veracity it was 'researched' with."

Mr. Clemente oversees every hour of objective news programming on Fox News, which is by far the nation's most popular cable news channel.

For the record, the Princeton Review says the University of Maryland ranks among the "Best Northeastern Colleges." It was No. 19 on the Review's list of "Best Party Schools."

The study was backed by two parts of the University of Maryland, the Center on Policy Attitudes and the Center for International and Security Studies.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: ollaimh
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 01:47 PM

when i was getting msnbc, back a few yrears ago they were fine for an american/ laissez faire capitalist news point of view. however i wish people woild remember that that very lassiez faire capitalism has caused most of the wars since 1945 (and arguabley long before) and has brought us to the brink of financial and enviornmental collapse. they like most us news never question that deregulation brought us the great wealth threft of this decade and did so under regan with the chicago mercantile exchange scandal and the keating bank scandal. in addition they have dragged their feet so long on climate change that we have probably passed the point of no return. the oceans will be dead an a decade and earth will not be able to sustain higher forms of life --except ina few enclaves--within fifty years.

gee they don't worry much about that.

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 07:56 PM

It's kinda like this, ollaimh.... Yeah, it would be nice to fight the revolution but before that we gotta stop the bleeding from the recent Repub assault on the entire idea of having a federal government...

Kinda like going to the Emergency Room with a broken leg and a head cold... Ya treat the broken leg first...

I think that MSNBC has its priorities in the correct order...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Nick E
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 09:58 PM

This just in...
all a bunch of bullshit

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: Bobert
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 10:19 PM

Which "all" is that, Nick???

Subject: RE: BS: Lies about MSNBC
From: mousethief
Date: 19 Dec 10 - 01:49 AM

Best to read from multiple news sources and average it all out. Fox Noise is not a news source.