Greenwald Targets FOX News with New Doc, Highlights Bias at Top U.S. Cable News Outlet

Greenwald Targets FOX News with New Doc, Highlights Bias at Top U.S. Cable News Outlet: "The latest film from producer/director Robert Greenwald asserts that the FOX News Channel, America's top-rated 24-hour cable news network, is biased and does little more than parrot the words and opinions of the Bush Administration and the Republican National Committee. 'Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism' joins the growing list of political documentaries that have gained widespread attention this year, including Michael Moore's Palme d'Or-winning 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' Jehane Noujaim's 'Control Room,' and Jennifer Abbot & Mark Achbar's 'The Corporation.' Greenwald co-hosted a news conference Monday afternoon in Manhattan to promote and discuss the film along with liberal groups The Center for American Progress and MoveOn.org.
The new movie, which will have its premiere tonight (Tuesday) in Manhattan and screen at MoveOn.org house parties next week, was sent to indieWIRE yesterday afternoon and also distributed to the media at the press conference, where clips were screened. It contains interviews with former FOX employees who allege that FOX News management are biased and the film details management directives to portray Republicans with a positive spin while casting Democrats and liberals negatively. In the film, Greenwald also alleges that FOX News management pressure employees to follow the Republican party line and function as a mouthpiece for the party.

"They're bullies at FOX News," Greenwald told journalists at Monday's gathering at the Ritz Carlton Hotel near Central Park. He went on to say that the "Fox-ification effect" was being compounded by media consolidation and that the network's business model is influencing other news organizations to follow suit in the interest of profits. "It's cheaper to have people [on television] ranting and raving [instead of] doing real research and reporting," Greenwald said, adding that although he did not have a "smoking gun," there were patterns that can be identified that expose FOX News's bias."


by Brian Brooks