Phil Griffin: MSNBC’s Embedded Fox News Groupie

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=3141

Phil Griffin: MSNBC’s Embeded Fox News Groupie
Posted by Mark on November 5, 2010 at 6:58 pm.


I was reminded of an article I wrote last May by a Twitterer who apparently knows my work better than I do. Below are a few choice excerpts that paint a clearer picture of the man that just put Keith Olbermann on suspension.
Phil Griffin Of MSNBC ♥’s Roger Ailes Of Fox News


Phil Griffin, president of MSNBC, was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune and provided an outstanding example of the sort of clueless, illogical, journalistic myopia that is rotting away the American press. When asked about his rival Roger Ailes at Fox News, he gave an almost fawning response that makes one wonder if they are really rivals at all.



Indeed. Roger Ailes changed media – for the worse! His “brilliant” idea was to transform the news into a rancorous, talk-radio style, shoutfest that manufactured conflict and spun every story as far to the right as their ideological wheel could turn. The inspiration behind Fox’s brand loyalty is talk-radio, soap operas, and tabloid news vendors like the National Enquirer.

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If Griffin really believes that his mission is to emulate Fox from the opposite end of the political spectrum, he will only succeed in further debasing the media. In addition, he will miss the opportunity to effectively compete in the cable news marketplace. He needs to realize that, not being a news network, Fox is no more his competition than is Nickelodeon (which I’ve said before is a better source than Fox for news and plays to a smarter audience).

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If Griffin were to apply basic fundamentals of entertainment to a more journalistically ethical approach he could attract a much larger and more loyal audience. He needs to give news consumers a little more credit for being discriminating, skeptical, curious, and capable of understanding the issues that bear directly on their lives. The last thing we need is more of the cheapening of journalism that Ailes has proffered. And we certainly should not be honoring him for the damage he has already done.

Why does MSNBC have a president who idolizes Roger Ailes? He should not be a role model for anyone who reveres journalism and public service. If there is any justice in this world Olbermann will be back on the air next week and Griffin will be suspended for incompetence and a debilitating lack of vision.

you watched CNN lately. Think back CNN 4 years ago.

I'm really considering sending Ted Turner to Hell for allowing that to happen.

Send the ones who forced him out.

Keeping an objective open mind about it...although Roger Ailes is vile i actually agree with Griffin in that Ailes realized the opportunity to exploit the news concept and manipulate (or rather, deform it) into a style that will better increase ratings and ultimately the bottom line.

Because there is no real rules about telling the truth in American news as there are set in other countries like Canada (you cannot lie in the News or you will get a serious fine, etc) it only makes sense that someone exploit this to its proper end.

Fox News was the first to realize the ability to capitalize on fear that clearly drives the Conservative voters while CNN continued to be, well, whatever CNN is....Fox News has for years now crafted what exactly is needed to be said to get these fear driven people to watch all the time. Most of their audience is over 65 -- an age group fearful of change and consistent at the vote box. And there ratings place them in virtually all the top spots in Cable news.

MSNBC, although not as ideologue in their approach as Fox, has decided to appeal more to the Left which is a very smart business strategy. A counterweight to Fox. However, because the left is not driven by fear, but actually by absolute honest Facts and the age group tend to be significantly younger than Fox and hence, dont care to watch much politics, their job is much harder to do than Fox. But nonetheless programs like Keith Olbermann's Countdown has become very popular! It was through Keith that MSNBC decided to lean left (at least during Prime time programming with the exception of Tweety who is just an unknown entity) and tremendous success followed. So much so that MSNBC is the #2 cable news network and contains the only viable competitors to Fox News.

It's all about ratings and when you take emotion out of it Ailes was clever to figure this out. Although i despise Fox News for the lies and trumpeting none issues i respect the cleverness in working the system to their own gain -- making money.

This is why i think having a cable news networks like MSNBC is important. To serve as the true counterweight to Fox. One that will expose those lies and keep the world sane. If there was no MSNBC all news would be Fox news fabrications.

Until the system changes where the MSM is required to report the Facts in an honest way cable networks like Fox will be allowed to prosper. But it does show that honest networks like MSNBC can thrive by way of leaning left.

What surprises me though is why CNN, the only other big cable news network has not decided to clone Fox entirely? Yes they have some conservative programming (most notable was the now gone Lou Dobbs shit hour).

Also i didnt even get to the other problem with news...the lack of News due to their desire for Access. If they report too truthfully that affects someone powerful then they potentially lose access which could have an adverse affect on ratings which means lower profits. Again, in this situation Fox News has the advantage. Because their base, Right Conservatives, are on the belief that Big business (which includes War itself) can do no wrong Fox can openly withhold and/or manipulate news that strengths their Access privleges with corrupt companies and/or war profiteers. MSNBC, because they too want to make profit but at the same time need to appeal to their base, Left Progressives, by speaking the truth have to walk a tight rope which is why i think only their Prime time programming is is very progressive while their morning/afternoon is less open to speaking truths that would hurt their Access.

In the end, it seems the best news will always come from those who are not motivated by profit...and so PBS might actually be the most truthful of things.