Why Canada's liberals are terrified of Fox News

[caesar]

What about stopping Fox News from selling its product here?

That is not stopping free trade; that is simply preventing the pollution of our airwaves. It is not nor never was anything to do with free trade.

[ft.niagara]

That is not stopping free trade; that is simply preventing the pollution of our airwaves.  It is not nor never was anything to do with free trade.

Pollution of your airwaves is so condescendingly silly, it is a LOL laugh out loud. Look in the mirror whenever you refer to censorship. BTW, what are you afraid of? "Stupidity" is not contagious.

[Guest eureka]

Would the US give a Canadian channel carte blanche in America?

[ft.niagara]

Would the US give a Canadian channel carte blanche in America?

Sure, why not? The issue is economic. If enough Americans wished to see a Canadian cable channel, great. There is a Canadian sex therapist on the O channel, and here in Buffalo, one of the Canadian broadcast channels are on the lineup. It is entertainment, and believe me it can be entertaining.

[caesar]

Pollution of your airwaves is so condescendingly silly, it is a LOL laugh out loud. Look in the mirror whenever you refer to censorship. BTW, what are you afraid of? "Stupidity" is not contagious.

The stupidity of Fox may not be contagious but we have much more interesting, entertaining and honest programming to watch. We listen to enough American Propaganda already. Some foolish people believe that garbage.

[theloniusfleabag]

Taken from al-jazerra today,

Fox journalist rapped for fake news

Monday 04 October 2004, 2:54 Makka Time, 23:54 GMT

Fox 'news' article suggests John Kerry too image-conscious

Fox News Channel has disciplined one of its senior journalists for posting a falsified article about Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on its website.

Fox official Paul Schur said on Sunday chief political correspondent Carl Cameron had published a fake story with several made-up quotes attributed to Kerry.

The article lied about a post-debate rally at which the Massachusetts senator was purported to gush over his "metrosexual" appearance.

"Didn't my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate!" the article by Cameron read, purportedly quoting Kerry after the event.

"Women should like me! I do manicures," the story also quotes Kerry as telling the crowd. The article also has the Democratic candidate contrasting himself to US President George Bush

"I'm metrosexual - he's a cowboy," Cameron quoted Kerry as saying.

Apology

Officials for Fox, which has been criticised for being partial to the Republican party, declined to explain how the spoof article ended up on the network's website.

A statement by Fox on the website on Sunday apologised for the article, saying it was a joke.

"Foxnews.com erred ... on Friday, posting an item purporting to contain quotes attributable to Kerry," the statement read.

"The item was based on a reporter's partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. Foxnews.com also regrets that error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice."

[Slavik44]

Taken from al-jazerra today,

Fox journalist rapped for fake news

Monday 04 October 2004, 2:54 Makka Time, 23:54 GMT

Fox 'news' article suggests John Kerry too image-conscious

Fox News Channel has disciplined one of its senior journalists for posting a falsified article about Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on its website.

Fox official Paul Schur said on Sunday chief political correspondent Carl Cameron had published a fake story with several made-up quotes attributed to Kerry.

The article lied about a post-debate rally at which the Massachusetts senator was purported to gush over his "metrosexual" appearance.

"Didn't my nails and cuticles look great? What a good debate!" the article by Cameron read, purportedly quoting Kerry after the event.

"Women should like me! I do manicures," the story also quotes Kerry as telling the crowd. The article also has the Democratic candidate contrasting himself to US President George Bush

"I'm metrosexual - he's a cowboy," Cameron quoted Kerry as saying.

Apology

Officials for Fox, which has been criticised for being partial to the Republican party, declined to explain how the spoof article ended up on the network's website.

A statement by Fox on the website on Sunday apologised for the article, saying it was a joke.

"Foxnews.com erred ... on Friday, posting an item purporting to contain quotes attributable to Kerry," the statement read.

"The item was based on a reporter's partial script that had been written in jest and should not have been posted or broadcast. Foxnews.com also regrets that error, which occurred because of fatigue and bad judgment, not malice."

so then BS, I mean, CBS news isn't alone?

[August1991]

The stupidity of Fox may not be contagious but we have much more interesting, entertaining and honest programming to watch. We listen to enough American Propaganda already. Some foolish people believe that garbage.

eureka, should they not be allowed to form their own opinion?

In any case, is this not an example where the Canadian government is restricting an American firm from selling its product here?

[caesar]

No, they offered; we declined. If the product is not wanted or needed that is our right. Fox News seems to be the Jerry Springer of the news.

[caesar]

CBS 's report was an honest mistake; Fox news article is foolishness and possible libelous.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

In any case, is this not an example where the Canadian government is restricting an American firm from selling its product here?

Indeed it is, but there must be some controls over what is acceptable. The KKK, for example, should not be allowed to run it's version of how it sees the world and call it 'news' either. After having viewed Fox and Al-jazeera news sites, I would say the latter is more reputable.

[Guest eureka]

I might, it is a stretch, defend the right of a Canadian KKK to have a news channel. I will not defend the right of an American channel to "sell its product" here. There is no such thing as an unfettered right of a foreign organization to sell anything here. Even manufactured products under the Free Trade agreements are subject to rules and safety regulations.

We might have heard excerpts of Lord Haw Haw's rantings in WWII: we might even have listened to his broadcasts. Would we have given the Reich a license to "sell the product.?

[BigDookie6]

Would the US give a Canadian channel carte blanche in America?

We get South Park on Comedy Channel!

[August1991]

I will not defend the right of an American channel to "sell its product" here. There is no such thing as an unfettered right of a foreign organization to sell anything here.

eureka, if you so choose, then you are free not to buy a foreign product. But I don't see why you should have the ability to forbid me from buying a foreign product.

If sufficient Canadians want the service and are willing to pay for it, then fettering the foreigner's right to sell here in fact harms Canadians.

Trade, and co-operation, isa two-way street.

[caesar]

Why should we bring biased American propaganda to Canadian air waves. We get lots of their point of views as it is.Who wants or needs it.

[Guest eureka]

Fox News is not a commodity to be traded and it is not a vehicle for cooperation. It is a biased media service that promotes an extremist viewpoint. It has, indisputably participated in the deception of the American public. We do not need it here any more than we would needed Pravda.

The job of the CRTC is to maintain a balanced range of views in Canada. I would support a Marxist right to publish in Canada: I would support, and do, the right of that equally biased rag, the National Post. I would support the importation of a foreign publication for different ideas of any sort that I can imagine. I will not support the idea of any propaganda machine having free reign in Canada.

[August1991]

Who wants or needs it.

Caesar, if other Canadians say they want or need it, and are prepared to pay for it, who are you to judge?

Neither you nor eureka have given me an argument other than to say "I don't like coffee so no one should have coffee."

[takeanumber]

To borrow an old arguement from a neo-con poster here:

"Would somebody please think of the children?"

God knows I can't be home all the time, and my little Johny, who's only 16, might accidentally stumble upon Fox news. I don't want my johny getting infected with that kind of hatred.

Would somebody please think of the children?

---------------------

In all seriousness: I doubt there's even a market in Canada for that kind of tripe. So long as it's not being subsidized by the American consevative establishment, then why not let them try?

But, the momment that it becomes an outlet to provide cover for the Alliance crypto-facists, that'll be the line, and we'll have to crack down.

Yet again, if you give a neo-con an inch, they will take a mile.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

Caesar, if other Canadians say they want or need it, and are prepared to pay for it, who are you to judge?

A wide open statement, to be sure. Do you believe in no controls? Society would be freer, but not neccesarily better. Fox 'News' is 'infotainment', not a reputable news channel. They are 'brainwashers'.

As Bernard Lewis wrote in the Wall Street Journal in Sept. 2002, regarding the contempt Islamists feel about America.

"The basic reason for this contempt is what they perceive as the rampant immorality and degeneracy of the American way-contemptible but also dangerous, because of it's influence on Muslim [and Canadian?] societies. What did the Ayatollah Khomeini mean when he repeatedly called America the "Great Satan"? The answer is clear. Satan is not an invader, an imperialist, an exploiter. He is a tempter, a seducer, who, in the words of the Koran, "Whispers in the hearts of men".

Quoted from "Imperial Hubris", page 211 by 'Anonymous', 2004.

Evidently Usama felt Khomeini was a bit soft on America.

[August1991]

The basic reason for this contempt is what they perceive as the rampant immorality and degeneracy of the American way

I'll ignore the possiblility that, from an Islamist perspective, Canadians are every bit as immoral or degenerate as Americans - if not moreso.

Instead, I'll consider your idea Thelonious.

If Americans introduce "immoral and degeneracy" into Canadian society, maybe we should forbid inter-marriage? That is, maybe we should forbid Canadians from marrying Americans?

After all, if Canadians marry Americans, after awhile, there won't be any Canada left.

[theloniusfleabag]

Dear August1991,

I'll ignore the possiblility that, from an Islamist perspective, Canadians are every bit as immoral or degenerate as Americans - if not moreso.

Moreso? Surely you jest. However, Canadians are not seen as 'the pushers', more like 'the addicts'.

With reference to inter-marriage, my wife's sister moved to the US and married a fellow from Texas. They live in North Carolina now, and he works for the Bank of America. They are in the process of moving to Canada, as they cannot wait to get away from the 'lunatics' in the US.

Another close friend of mine lived in New Jersey for a few years, and coudn't believe the ignorance, and narrow-mindedness of the people in the US. He moved back to Canada when his wife got pregnant, because he said there was no way he would raise a child there.

Perhaps these are isolated incidents, but I doubt it.

[caesar]

Neither you nor eureka have given me an argument other than to say "I don't like coffee so no one should have coffee."

This has nothing to do with coffee. It is garbage. We have enough of our own thanks with the National Post. Besides, where are all this "Canadians" that want fox news???? If you want to be a biased yankee doodle dandie. You have my permission to move to the USA and get your fill of biased propaganda and poor taste.

I have a hard time not throwing something at the TV when Bush appears. Please consider the danger to tvs

[Black Dog]

I personally don't have aproblem with allowing Fox news in. If we can make room on our airwaves for channels like the Food network or the Outdoor Living Network, surely we can allow the Joseph Gobbels Memorial Propaganda Network its place in the pantheon of specialty channels.

[August1991]

Moreso? Surely you jest. However, Canadians are not seen as 'the pushers', more like 'the addicts'.

Canadians seem to be less traditional about certain sexual matters than Americans.

If we can make room on our airwaves for channels like the Food network or the Outdoor Living Network, surely we can allow the Joseph Gobbels Memorial Propaganda Network its place in the pantheon of specialty channels.

Good one, BD. (I have a personal dislike of bowling on TV.)

If you want to be a biased yankee doodle dandie. You have my permission to move to the USA and get your fill of biased propaganda and poor taste.

It appears our open-mindedness in sexual matters does not extend to political opinions.

[Black Dog]

This has nothing to do with coffee. It is garbage. We have enough of our own thanks with the National Post. Besides, where are all this "Canadians" that want fox news???? If you want to be a biased yankee doodle dandie. You have my permission to move to the USA and get your fill of biased propaganda and poor taste.

Y'know, I've a major problem with this thinking. For one thing, it plays into the hands of the stereotype of the meddling leftist who knows what's good for everybody and will use the power of the state to do enforce their view. It's not helpful.

For another, it's manifestly against what a free society should stand for. The beauty of such a society is that we can hold and express differing opinions and have the freedom to turn away from those we violently disagree with. Basically, if you don't like Faux News, don't watch it.

The idea that we should ban something because it offends our delicate sensebilities is not a progressive idea. Indeed, it bears a striking resemblence to the kind iof thinking employed by the puritanical right when tilting against a microsecond of exposed flesh at the SuperBowl or any other windmill of indecency.