News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch is reportedly pressuring Time Warner to pay a per subscriber fee, or else News Corp will pull Fox and all affiliated stations from Time Warner’s channel lineup. This has been referred to as the “Wingnut Tax.”

Apparently, Murdoch wants $1.00 per Time Warner subscriber, per month, but the cable company’s response indicates that they do not want to pass on that cost to customers. The accumulated fees would mean an additional $1billion for News Corp. Unfortunately, customers may demand that they pay up in order to keep such shows as American Idol, House, Family Guy, etc. on the Fox Network, in addition to Fox Sports channels, FX, Fox News Channel, etc.

Of course, if you still need (please note heavy use of sarcasm) to watch American Idol, you can use an antenna and converter box, or go online…

Original Story

Media Matters for America has released the following list exemplifying Fox News’ transition from a mere conservative “news” outlet to a complete right-wing political organization.

• Fox News personalities set goals to “get rid” of administration officials, “take the administration down.”
• Fox News led the charge against Van Jones and was widely credited for his resignation.
• Fox News repeatedly and falsely accused Kevin Jennings of unlawfully failing to report “statutory rape.”
• Hannity, in particular, crusaded against Jennings and has declared, “I want him fired.”
• Beck repeatedly targeted NEA’s Yosi Sergant; Sergant was reassigned, then resigned.
• Fox News figures advanced falsehoods about Cass Sunstein, including that he supports “forced sterilizations” and mandatory organ donations.
• Fox News figures falsely claimed John Holdren supported “forced abortions” and forced sterilization.
• Hannity repeatedly advanced dubious claim that Harold Koh supported the use of Sharia law in U.S. courts.
• Fox News targeted Anita Dunn over remarks about Mao Zedong.
• Beck launched 9-12 Project, which he said spurred “millions” to get “involved” in protests, including 9-12 march on Washington.
• Fox News relentlessly promoted 9-12 protest.
• Fox News heavily promoted April 15 tea parties.
• Fox News aired over 100 commercial promotions and over 20 segments in less than two weeks.
• Fox News’ coverage boosted protests, pushed other outlets to cover.
• Fox promoted anti-health care reform disruptions of town halls.
• Fox News’ town hall coverage amplified opponents of health care reform, ignored supporters.
• Bachmann: “[W]e began this on Sean Hannity’s show.”
• Hannity aired video from much larger 9-12 rally while discussing Bachmann’s rally.
• In 2008, Morris asked Fox viewers to “give funds to GOPTrust.com” without noting his apparent financial ties to the organization.
• After asking Fox News viewers for donations, Morris boasted about raising $2.5 million for ads against health care reform.
• Huckabee sends viewers to his PAC — which pays his daughter’s salary and supports Republican politicians –under the guise of signing a petition.
• Huck PAC asks “balancecutsave.com” petition signers to help remove Democratic health care proponents from office and campaign for conservative candidates.
• Fox News led charge against ACORN.
• O’Reilly: ACORN story “driven by Fox News almost entirely.”
• Republicans thanked Fox News for its ACORN advocacy.
• Hannity repeatedly pushed claim that Endangered Species Act protections are responsible for farmers’ hardship.
• Hannity reportedly persuaded to do show by Republican congressman.
• Hannity advocacy praised, seized on by Republicans.
• Fox News devoted round-the-clock coverage to Gingrich’s anti-Obama advocacy.
• Gingrich frequently promotes falsehoods, engages in advocacy on Fox News.

It’s been confirmed that Senator Al Franken (D-MN) was, in fact, instructed to enforce a rule that limits speeches to ten minutes. That didn’t stop Bill O’Reilly from spreading misinformation about Franken’s denial of Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (I-CT) request to continue speaking past the 10 minute mark.

O’REILLY: Franken, who was in a rotation presiding over the Senate, objected to Lieberman continuing his remarks in a stunning display of disrespect.

[...]

O’REILLY: But many others did take it personally, including John McCain.

McCAIN [clip]: I’ve been around here 20-some years. First time I’ve ever seen a member denied an extra minute or two to finish his remarks.

It was claimed that Franken’s enforcement of the rule was “disrespectful” and “unprecedented.” He also allowed Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to claim that Franken was “[a]bsolutely not” telling the truth in regards to the instructions that Franken was following.

O’REILLY: Is Franken telling the truth?

DeMINT: Absolutely not. I can’t believe he’s throwing Harry Reid under the bus.

However, both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Lieberman himself have confirmed that Franken was following instructions.

Additionally, Senator John McCain, who claimed that it was “unprecedented” actually imposed a similar limit in the past.

Original Story

Glenn Beck has repeatedly called progressive activist Robert Creamer an “unrepentant convicted felon,” but Beck conveniently ignores the facts and his own previous statement that make this assertion false.

BECK: But first I want to show you the latest video clip from Robert Creamer – thanks Kyle Olson and Andrew Breitbart from BigGovernment.com. They sent this in to us. He is the unrepentant convicted felon who wrote a book while in prison on how to achieve progressive goals.

[...]

BECK: Wow. Let that marinate for a second here, America. An unrepentant convicted felon is trying to help out for the fundamental transformation that Obama will bring home. Fundamental transformation – I know I have heard that someplace before. Where, where?

Robert Creamer has stated that his actions (federal bank fraud and tax charges) were “serious errors in judgement,” he was “foolish” and he pleaded “guilty.” Not only that, but he paid back the money he owed to the IRS. Also worth noting is Beck’s own admittance on December 8 that Creamer apologized.

BECK: Creamer apologized for his conduct, but claimed just to be overzealous while working for a good cause.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first smear – Beck has also compared Creamer to Bernie Madoff and a sexual predator. Beck also invented a conspiracy theory that the security breach at the November 24 White House State Dinner was intended to divert attention from Creamer.

Original Story

Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck are upset about a character on the fictional TV show Law & Order mentioning their spreading of hate and ignorance, so Keith Olbermann calls them out and dares them to sue. Of course, if they take this to the U.S. courts, and not the court of public opinion of like-minded viewers, their spreading of hate and ignorance will be used against them. They would rather play the victim and whine about it on TV where nobody can debate them. Here is Keith Olbermann’s response:

As reported, Fox & Friends manipulated a Rasmussen poll to show that more people think that scientists falsified data to support Global Warming. The error was obvious and inexcusable, especially in light of the new Fox News “zero tolerance policy” for such mistakes.

Media Matters for America sent an open letter to Fox News senior vice president Michael Clemente regarding the “zero tolerance for on-screen errors.”

The erroneous percentages Fox & Friends showed in its graphic added up to 120 percent (even without the 15 percent who responded that they weren’t sure).,” wrote Ari Rabin-Havt, Media Matters’ vice president of communications and research. “More importantly, Fox News’ presentation of the data made it seem as though 94 percent of Americans think it’s at least “somewhat likely” that climate scientists falsify their research data.

Unfortunately, Fox & Friends executive producer Lauren Petterson defended the erroneous reporting.

PETTERSON: We were just talking about three interesting pieces of information from Rasmussen… We didn’t put on the screen that it added up to 100 percent… The mistake I do see is we could have been a little clearer here

Media Matters has responded to Petterson’s statements:

Lauren Petterson clearly did not watch the segment in question. Host Steve Doocy agreed with Media Matters’ interpretation seeing as he attempted to add up these numbers as they appeared on air and said “so you get 90 – you got a lot of people.” On Fox News, percentages don’t add up to 100 and, apparently, “zero tolerance” means unless we get caught

So, there are a few possible scenarios here: 1) Lauren Petterson does not understand percentages, 2) Petterson does understand percentages but is inept at displaying data correctly, 3) Petterson did not watch the segment and responded without fact checking, or 4) Petterson, executive producer of the show that made the mistake, is an outright liar.

Original Story

It’s been pointed out numerous times that Glenn Beck’s statement(s) about Van Jones being a “convicted felon” were false. It’s taken four months, but Glenn Beck has finally admitted that he was wrong – that Van Jones IS NOT a convicted felon as Beck previously stated – thus proving that Beck is a shoot first, research later and admit fault much much much later (if at a all) type of commentator.

As reported on before, there may be a conflict of interest in Glenn Beck’s promotion of gold investment companies while fear mongering about the economy and the state of the dollar, not to mention promoting his own investments. Now, according to Daily Finance, it appears that Fox News has taken notice and Beck may be in hot water.

Goldline International features Glenn Beck’s picture on their web site and his voice on their radio ads. Due to being a radio personality who does “live reads,” or live commercials, and a commentator, rather than an anchor, some of the normal contract terms have been relaxed. However, Fox News seems to have an issue with the personal nature of Becks relationship with Goldline. The exemption, apparently, is only intended for the live reads and a Fox spokesperson is discussing the matter with Beck’s agent.

Regardless, many journalism watchdogs have noticed the conflict of interest in taking money from a gold vendor while voicing views about the devaluation of the US dollar. Couple this with the fact that Glenn Beck is a gold buyer and is using his listeners to possibly inflate the value of his own investment. Beck calls Goldline a “top notch organization” – one that is mentioned on Ripoff Report here and here.

Politico reports that another company that has sponsored Beck is Merit Financial Services. The president, Peter Epstein had this to say about their relationship with Fox News:

“You pay anybody on any network and they say what you pay them to say… They’re bought and sold.” and “I could care less what people think of him… We advertise on Fox because it makes the phone ring.” He said gold resonates more with Fox’s viewers “because it’s the angry white man audience – it’s the conservative audience. … They are distrustful of the government, of the regime.”

In a previous response received from another precious metals investment company, Wholesale Direct Metals, Damon Geller made it clear who their business caters to and why they chose to advertise on Beck’s show.

With all due respect… the product I sell is notoriously partisan and biased. Very few demographics buy physical gold as an investment of as an asset of last resort.  Those that have, have made a lot of money the last 8 years and sleep better at night.  If it wasn’t for FOX I wouldn’t have your business to lose anyway because you wouldn’t even know about my company.  I probably have nothing to worry about anyway because you either have no interest in owning real gold or no $$$ to buy any.  I seriously doubt you are a gold owner/investor.  Do you own any gold?  Or is your money in CDs at the bank earning nothing and just going backward slowly while the federal reserve prints more worthless dollar bills any robs you while you’re not looking?  LOL. [...] Get smart and get some Gold.. or go push your BS agenda on someone stupid enough to care about it. If all the companies in America were all more efficient and successful THAT’s what will build a better America.  Not you fear mongering small business that are trying to keep people employed.  And BTW… EVERY client that has ever bought gold from me has a portfolio that has risen in value… can the stock brokers and bankers of America say that??

Of course, since he called President Obama a “racist” and the ColorOfChange.org boycott started, Beck has lost over 80 advertisers. It’s no wonder these are the types of sponsors to stick around and that Beck is one of their biggest promoters.

Contact information for companies mentioned:

Goldline International, Inc.
1601 Cloverfield Boulevard
100 South Tower
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: 1-877-376-2646
Fax: 1-310-319-0265
info@goldline.com
http://www.goldline.com/about-goldline/contact-goldline.html

Merit Financial Services
1300 4th Street, Suite 303
Santa Monica, CA 90401
1.866.787.3465
Phone 310.394.7577
Fax 310.393.7020

http://www.meritfinancial.com/Contact_Us.aspx

Wholesale Direct Metals, Inc.
15200 Sunset Blvd. Suite 202
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
tel: (866) 925-6626
fax: (310) 454-2194
info@wholesaledirectmetals.com
https://twitter.com/wdmgold
http://www.wholesaledirectmetals.net/contact-us.php

Glenn Beck‘s live show based on his book, The Christmas Sweater, was simulcast to hundreds of movie theaters across the country. In large cities, it flopped. Badly.

In New York, Beck sold 17 tickets. In Boston, another 17. And in Washington, D.C., the hotbed of political activism, his tearful film drew only 30

The two hour 15 minute movie performed better in more rural areas, selling out in some, including the closest theater to his home town of Mt. Vernon, WA. 10 miles away, in Seattle, only 70 of 415 tickets were sold.

All attendees were charged $20, double the cost of a non-matinee movie ticket and around three times the cost in smaller theaters. So much for catering to the “little guy.”

Original Story

Fox & Friends used a Rasmussen poll to show how people feel about scientists falsifying research to support Global Warming. Fox News then took the poll results, did some manipulation, and displayed the results… totaling 120%.

Apparently, the actual poll results were as follows: According to the poll, 35 percent thought it very likely, 24 percent somewhat likely, 21 percent not very likely, and 5 percent not likely at all (15 percent weren’t sure).

Fox News added the “very likely” and “somewhat likely” figures together, which total 59% and retained the “somewhat likely” label. They then included the 35% “very likely” in their graphic in addition to the new “somewhat likely” votes. The result shows a total of 120% and that doesn’t include the 15% who weren’t sure…

Original Story

Early last year Eric Burns, who had been with Fox News since its creation over a decade ago, was fired by the cable news network. He claims that Fox News did not give him a reason for the termination. Burns has since written on Huffington Post that Fox News is a “right-wing partial-news-but-mostly-opinion network.” He also has so not-so-kind words for Glenn Beck…

I speak out now because it is the time of year when one is supposed to count blessings. I have several. Among them is that I do not have to face the ethical problem of sharing an employer with Glenn Beck.

Actually, Beck is a problem of taste as well as ethics. He laughs and cries; he pouts and giggles; he makes funny faces and grins like a cartoon character; he makes earnest faces yet insists he is a clown; he cavorts like a victim of St. Vitus’s Dance. His means of communicating are, in other words, so wide-ranging as to suggest derangement as much as versatility.

[...]

[Beck] is an embarrassment to all true conservatives, men and women who believe sincerely, thoughtfully and sensibly that the role of government in American life should be limited.

Original Story

When President Obama spoke at West Point about sending more troops to Afghanistan, there were several instances where he mentioned success. However, Fox & Friends would have you believe he didn’t:

DOOCY: Interestingly enough, of the 4,581 words in his speech, one word was missing. That word was “win.”

Similarly, The Fox Nation web site states that there was no mention of “victory.” Here’s a screenshot:

Here are a few examples from Obama’s speech that prove Steve Doocy and The Fox Nation wrong:

OBAMA: Good evening. To the United States Corps of Cadets, to the men and women of our Armed Services, and to my fellow Americans: I want to speak to you tonight about our effort in Afghanistan — the nature of our commitment there, the scope of our interests, and the strategy that my administration will pursue to bring this war to a successful conclusion. It’s an extraordinary honor for me to do so here at West Point — where so many men and women have prepared to stand up for our security, and to represent what is finest about our country.

[...]

OBAMA: Because this is an international effort, I’ve asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we’re confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. And now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what’s at stake is not simply a test of NATO’s credibility — what’s at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world.

[...]

OBAMA: Third, we will act with the full recognition that our success in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan.

Obviously Fox News is playing a petty game of semantics. In the future, perhaps, the President and his speech writers should try and figure out what word Fox News will try to use against him and then whip out the ol’ thesaurus (i.e. Win – v.: finish first, succeed, achieve, be first, be victorious, beat, carry the day, come in first, conquer, edge, finish in front, finish off, gain, gain victory, overcome, overwhelm, prevail, run circles around, shut out, sink, take the prize, triumph, upset, walk away with, walk off with).

Or not… A better idea would be to send a thesaurus to Fox News so they can look up synonyms for “win,” or “victory,” and not keep making the same idiotic mistakes, like they did with Obama’s stance on terrorism.

Original Story

Normally, Fox News Channel airs a taped version of The O’Reilly Factor, but last night’s was, apparently, a live broadcast, which Bill O’Reilly seemed to forget at one moment. When he mistakenly started to refer to Osama bin Laden as “Obama,” he mentioned having to “cut that again.”

O’REILLY: Pinheads and patriots, on deck, tonight starring a Congressman who says, you’re never going to believe it, Pres. Bush allowed Obam…uh…Osama…I’m going to have to cut that again.

Of course, it could have been worse… it could have looked like this:

Original Story