FOX News Gets Quiet When It Comes To Reporting LGBT Suicides And Civil Rights Victories
In the two weeks following Jamey Rodemeyer’s suicide, CNN mentioned the story nine times, MSNBC mentioned the story five times and Fox kinda-sorta mentioned Rodemeyer’s suicide once, though not by name. It was during a story about proposed anti-bullying legislation in New York. But don’t think that FOX News doesn’t cover gay news—oh they do… they just do it FOX News style!
In the two weeks following Rodemeyer’s suicide, FOX busied itself by producing nine segments criticizing Vanderbilt University for its non-discrimination policy prohibiting religious groups from excluding LGBT students. They also aired another two segments in defense of anti-gay student Dakota Ary and anti-marriage clerk Rose Marie Belforti. See that counts as gay news, right?
The LGBT rights group Equality Matters noticed that FOX largely underreported New York’s marriage equality, the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” repeal, Marcus Bachmann’s ex-gay clinic, and has regularly depicted anti-LGBT bullying efforts as radical and unnecessary. Equality Matters also notes that:
There’s a legitimate debate to be had about the risks of over-sensationalizing stories about bullying-related suicide in the media. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Fox’s approach – ignoring real bullying stories while attacking anti-bullying efforts – is aimed at making the problem of anti-LGBT bullying seem exaggerated and trivial.
So FOX does cover gay news, just not in the way you pinko, commie, liberal homos want.
Thumbnail image via digitalprimate
What, you want Fox to change its slogan to a rainbow flag? Fox is simply playing to its base, just like—ahem—Queerty plays to us. What people of the liberal persuasion seldom seem to acknowledge is that before Fox, the news media was almost nothing but a left-wing machine; Fox just gave the public a choice. And because that choice doesn’t jibe with liberal points of view, you want to call that bias. What I call it is “liberty.”
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@Politically Incorrect Thug: I don’t think the problem with FOX News is that they lean to the right, the problem in my humble opinion is that they openly lie to their viewers without ever attempting to correct themselves when they’re called on it.
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@Matt: When you say “they” lie, you’re referring of course to all of Fox’s producers, hosts, reporters, contributors, etc? One big right-wing conspiracy, is that still the left’s mantra? Listen, for every instance of a Fox reporter or other non-editorial staff dodging an issue they erroneously reported on, I can cite a dozen more—no, make that a hundred—from liberal TV and publications.
@Steve: How very original of you, calling it “faux news.” And so, so funny. Seriously—I have laugh-cramps. Please, entertain us with more of your fresh and funny humor. Your audience awaits.
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@Politically Incorrect Thug: When I say “they”, I’m referring to Fox News as a news corporation. Also, you admit they lie because you say they dodge issues they erroneously report on. Glad we agree. And I’m totally willing to admit they’re probably some super left-wing organizations that lie about the right, but there is no left-wing equivalent to that has the power or influence of Fox News.
Side note, are you a gay man? If so, how do you feel about Fox News’ bashing of gay rights? And if you’re not gay, why are you here?
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@Matt: The “power and influence” you attribute to Fox is, as I stated, due to a dearth of balanced reporting in the history of reporting. Virtually every well-known news organization has conspicuously leaned left, and the presence of an alternate point-of-view is what has grabbed the big audience. And if you want an immediate example of lefty journolistic bias, simply turn on the news tonight and watch how MSNBC or CNN fawn all over the OWS protesters like they’re the answer to everyone’s problems, while Fox will show you how aimless they are.
@Roger Moore: Not ironic at all, actually. Those who automatically believe gay = liberal are living in a bubble.
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As I stated before, I’m fine with a news organization offing a more conservative point of view. However I do believe that point of view should be based on facts and not half truths or outright lies. Fox News was even barred from opening up shop in Canada because of a law in their country that prohibits news organizations from broadcasting lies to the public. We as people should want that same standard for our news organizations.
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Personally, I love Glenn Beck. I enjoy watching his show. However, I don’t actually believe anything he says.
Beck, Hannity and the rest are entertainers, not reporters. They’re like a much more subtle version of Colbert. Its obvious to anyone with half a brain that these people don’t believe what they say.
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@ Ricker, I agree with your post, however I do believe that Beck, Hannity and the rest DO believe in SOME of the things they say…. true not all but yes some and I think that SOME is in the majority. When Beck’s show was broadcast on a local station years ago his material seemed to be more in the center. Now his material leans a lot more to the right. Hannity is a bag of wind almost as bad as Rush.
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well, DUH. Fox News caters to the lowest common denominator – it’s an opinion-network for the dumbest people in America. This is not news. It’s the go-to station for every racist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, idiot scumbag in the country. It cares only about things that appeal to white heterosexual christians and anyone who says otherwise is a complete fucking idiot.
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Ignore Politically Incorrect Thug – he voted for John McCain/Sarah Palin and hates “liberals” – all because his parents hate gays and he needs to hate “liberal gays” in order to gain their tolerance. pity him.
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@Little Dick: Been banned from any good websites lately, moose jockey?
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good ones? nope. :D poor poor queer supremacist. supporting Karger, eh? yeah. that’ll work ;-)
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@Little Kiwi: And you’re still supporting an anti-marriage equality corporatist breeder.
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Just because gays are employed at Fox News, it doesn’t mean it’s a gay rights-friendly organization. There are tons of same sex-oriented people working at homophobic organizations throughout the land. Just look at the Catholic Church.
Jason’s take-home message of the day: never, ever assume that gay people are automatically going to be gay rights-friendly. Gays are the biggest Uncle Toms around – they’ll do anything for a buck and will work for homophobic organizations at the drop of a hat.
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i stopped watching the news…
my mom watches fox… i hate it like they just irk me, my mom sees the liberals trying to use my rights as bait for their cause and at least the republicans arent lying to me, and i dont think my grandparents see anything wrong with bachmann which pisses me off the most…
and i dont like either side now.
>.< makes me want to grab my man and flee the country…
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Duh, It’s a homophobic network news channel. Does this surprise anyone?