News Hounds

Hannity Uses Mumbai Bombings To Attack New York Times

Reported by Ellen - Wed 01:48 AM

The Mumbai bombings were the top story on Hannity & Colmes last night (7/11/06) but for Sean Hannity, the incidents were just another excuse to attack the New York Times.

John Gibson, celebrating deficit news, bashes New York Times

Reported by Chrish - Tue 11:22 PM

The cheering continued on The Big Story today 7/11/06 as FOX drilled viewers that a downward revision in how badly the government has overspent our kids this year is cause for great glee and "I told you sos." Bill Kristol cheered the loudest but Juan Williams followed with a more reasonable, dare I say fair and balanced, evaluation of the news. All semblance of equality was blown away with Gibson's "My Word" rant, where he not only touted the new estimate but also attacked the New York Times and columnist Paul Krugman (a widely respected economist who disagrees strobgly with the Bush administration's methods).

Adult Supervision for 'Dayside'?

Reported by Judy - Tue 09:52 PM

The brass at Fox News may have decided that Mike Jerrick and Juliet Huddy need some adult supervision. One of the lowest-ranked shows on the "news" channel is getting a new executive producer.

Summertime, Summertime, Donation Drive

Reported by Donna - Tue 09:38 PM

Hello to all of our wonderful readers and commenters! If you've been around News Hounds for a while you know that we have 4 big fund raising times a year. For every season there is a donation drive.

Neil Cavuto's Formula for Success

Reported by Melanie - Tue 07:23 PM

Predictably, the first segment today (July 11, 2006) on Your World w/Cavuto was about the Bush administration cutting its forecast for this year's budget deficit by almost a third.

Cavuto opened the show saying that tax revenues are "piling up," and then he introduced Fox employee Tobin Smith, a regular on Fox's "business news" shows, and Jason Furman of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, for a discussion on whether or not Bush's tax cuts are a "formula for success." Smith and Cavuto, of course, thought they were but Furman tried - I said tried - to bring some perspective to the discussion but, being the partisan pro that he is, Cavuto kept that from happening.

Jerrick Displays Budget Ignorance Again

Reported by Judy - Tue 07:14 PM

Recently, "Dayside" co-host Mike Jerrick made accounting history by referring to a surplus in the federal budget under President Clinton as a "deficit on the plus side." On Tuesday (July 11, 2006), Jerrick was back defending George Bush's tax cuts, displaying his ignorance once again.

Fair and Balanced Out the Window on 'Dayside'

Reported by Judy - Tue 07:03 PM

Somebody forgot to tell the Fox News' "Dayside" crew that "fair and balanced" is the company mantra. Or maybe they have a different understanding of "fair and balanced" than the rest of the world.

The Bigoted Mayor of Bug-OH-dah, N. J.

Reported by Marie Therese - Tue 12:48 PM

Yesterday morning on FOX & Friends First, Steve Lonegan, Mayor of Bogota (pronounced Bug-OH-dah), New Jersey, proved that bigotry, pettiness, mean-spiritedness and prejudice are alive and well on FOX News Channel and, sadly, it seems, also in New Jersey. Mayor Lonegan is very, very, very upset that McDonalds has posted a Spanish-language billboard in his fair city of 8,000 (1,680 of whom are Hispanic) and is agitating to get them taken down.

Fox Spokeswoman Trashes Keith Olbermann

Reported by Janie - Tue 11:26 AM

In a New York Times article published today, a feature on MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, Fox spokeswoman Irina Briganti (who might be better known for referring to famed journalist Christiane Amanpour as a "spokeswoman for Al Qaeda" while admitting she's a "foot soldier for Bush") took the opportunity to comment on Olbermann.

“Because of his personal demons, Keith has imploded everywhere he’s worked, from lashing out at co-workers to personally attacking Bill O’Reilly and all things Fox, it’s obvious Keith is a train wreck waiting to happen. And like all train wrecks, people might tune in out of morbid curiosity, but they eventually tune out, as evidenced by Keith’s recent ratings decline. In the meantime, we hope he enjoys his paranoid view from the bottom of the ratings ladder and wish him well on his inevitable trip to oblivion."

A bit defensive and over the top for a spokeswoman. Maybe because she's seen this?

Hume Attacks the New York Times and Valerie Plame in One Breath

Reported by Janie - Tue 10:11 AM

During last night's (7/10) "Two Minutes of Hate" (AKA "Grapevine") segment on Special Report with Brit Hume, Hume attacked an article published by the Washington Post defending the recent New York Times article discussing the obvious fact the United States monitors terrorist financing. In the same 30-second snippet, Hume was not only able to attack the New York Times, but outed CIA Agent Valerie Plame as well.

Bill O'Reilly's false accusations du jour a trifecta of smears

Reported by Chrish - Tue 02:31 AM

Bill O'Reilly was back on The Factor tonight 7/10/06, more shrill than ever. The lies were fast and furious, beginning with his claim to be hosting a "no-spin zone." At issue were comments about the mental health of our troops in Iraq and recent recruiting numbers. Colonel David Hunt and Lt. General Thomas McInerney were on hand to triple-team the absent victims.

Hannity’s Bullyboy Theatrics No Match For U of W Instructor Kevin Barrett

Reported by Ellen - Tue 01:33 AM

University of Wisconsin instructor Kevin Barrett proved yet again last night (7/10/06) that a smart, well-prepared guest can leave Sean Hannity in the dust. Watch the video and laugh as Barrett out-talks Hannity from the get-go and gives him a talking-to about FOX News. Also worth noting is how Hannity’s demeanor changes from bullyboy to almost bemused once he realizes he’s not going to get the better of Barrett.

FOX News Hypes World War III

Reported by Ellen - Tue 12:47 AM

FOX News is so eager for another war that only hawkish guests were allowed during the top story on Hannity & Colmes last night (7/10/06), a discussion that conveniently lumped together North Korea, Iran and the terrorist plot against New York City. A question on the screen asked, “Is the World on the brink of World War III?”

O'Reilly Calls Grieving Mother "Opposite Of Cindy Sheehan"

Reported by Deborah - Mon 09:48 PM

Ryan Cummings, a soldier killed in Iraq, was singled out during the Bush press conference in Chicago. Tonight Bill O'Reilly interviewed the soldier's mother,Janice Cummings, describing her as the "opposite of Cindy Sheehan" and then asked for her opinion of Sheehan. 7/10/06

Fox Falls in Love With Some Marching-in-the-Street, Banner-Waving Protesters

Reported by Melanie - Mon 08:25 PM

You won't see coverage of the Troops Home Fast protest on Fox's Your World w/Cavuto. You won't see coverage of a protest staged last weekend by members of the Egyptian media over a proposed new law they say will limit their freedom. You won't see coverage of today's protest in Damascus in support of the Palestinians. You won't see coverage tomorrow of a planned protest by Bay Area nurses who oppose a National Labor Relations Board ruling.

Sunnis and Shiites Killing Each Other - Just Passing News

Reported by Donna - Mon 07:07 PM

Studio B with Shepard Smith was just a mish mosh of news, i.e., serial killings in Phoenix, North Korean Missile test, Saddam boycotting the rest of his trial, that by the time they goit to any real news, it was just in passing.

The point of Stuido B is to cram as many quick news stories into a program that they can. The real news, which deserved a little more time was none other that the news of the Sunni/Shiite fighting and killing that is going on in Iraq.

Fox News Using Audience as a Political Tool

Reported by Judy - Mon 04:24 PM

Democrats who appear on Fox News already have to do battle with hostile "journalists" who base their stories on slanted premises, pose unfair questions, and cut off the discussion if it goes against them. Recently, however, the "Dayside" crew has been honing a new tool to intimidate Democratic commentators and guests -- using the studio audience to try to drown out what guests are saying.

Will Murdoch campaign contributions influence what you can see on TV?

Reported by Chrish - Mon 11:34 AM

Phillip Swann at TVPredictions.com sure seems to think so. He speculates about the timing of Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) acceptance of significant campaign contributions from Murdoch employees ("nearly 10 percent of the senator's 2005-2006 individual campaign contributions have come from employees of companies owned by Murdoch, such as News Corp., Fox and DIRECTV.") and the Senator's "pushing legislation that could give the Rupert Murdoch owned-DIRECTV a huge advantage over the cable TV industry."

Outrageous Quote of the Week - Week of July 3rd

Reported by Janie - Mon 10:05 AM

Last week's Outrageous Quote winner was virtually a landslide. Brian Kilmeade garnered 58% of the vote for suggesting the United States ignore the 1st Amendment and establish an "Office of Censorship" to approve newspaper articles:

"See, I'm more into the ends justifying the means. And what they do is you can sunset this, Judge. The same way they have the Patriot Act sunsetted. You put up the Office of Censorship. You get a consensus to journalists to analyze and then you realize what FDR realized early. Winning is everything. Freedom is -- you don't have any freedom if the Nazis are the victors. You have no one to trade with if Western Europe falls. That's the reality. You're in love with the law, but I'm in love with survival." - Brian Kilmeade arguing for an "Office of Censorship" on Fox News Radio's Brian & The Judge, 6/29/06

Let's all hope Kilmeade takes off for China, where he will apparently feel right at home. For this week's choice selection, take a look below the fold!

Pete Hoekstra demands Congressional oversight in "terror" surveillance

Reported by Chrish - Mon 01:09 AM

Republican Rep.Pete Hoekstra appeared on Fox News Sunday today 7/9/07 and in a significant break with the Bush administration he has "accused them of failing to inform Congress of ongoing intelligence surveillance programs." Host Chris Wallace reported that Hoekstra sent a "sharply worded" letter to Bush in May, in which the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said that the White House may have violated the law by concealing the secret activities.