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GLAAD, Courage Campaign and Equality Matters have contacted Orbitz CEO Barney Harford asking that the company no longer support Fox News through ad revenue. Orbitz has a gay-friendly travel site (see ads below) that has been warmly received, while Fox News has made their stance clear with comparisons of homosexuality to pedophilia and drug use, false claims about Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Bill O’Reilly making ridiculous claims about “dangers” of homosexuality and gay marriage.

“Orbitz risks alienating gay and lesbian customers by giving ad dollars to Fox News, a network that blatantly promotes an anti-gay political agenda,” said Ilyse Hogue, Senior Adviser at Media Matters. “Orbitz customers who value equality can and will take their business elsewhere, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Any company whose customer base values the diversity, civil rights, and journalistic standards should recognize that doing business with Fox will only cost them in the long run.”

“Companies, especially ones with strong track records of LGBT inclusion, should think twice before supporting Fox News’ pervasive pattern of indefensible bias against our community,” said GLAAD president Jarrett Barrios. “Orbitz is an industry leader in supporting our community and we urge them to send a message that Fox News’ attacks are unacceptable.”

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Apparently someone working for the Secret Service (the agency only joined the social media site Twitter earlier this month) thought they were on their personal account and made the following unofficial tweet about FOX:

The tweet was promptly deleted but Gawker and others were fast with the screen grab. Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan was equally swift on the draw with an official statement:

“An employee with access to the Secret Service’s Twitter account, who mistakenly believed they were on their personal account, posted an unapproved and inappropriate tweet,” Donovan said.

“The tweet contained no vulgarity, security or pertinent agency information. The tweet did not reflect the views of the U.S. Secret Service and it was immediately removed.”

“We apologize for this mistake, and the user no longer has access to our official account. Policies and practices which would have prevented this were not followed and will be reinforced for all account users.”

“We will ensure existing policies are strictly adhered to in order to prevent this mistake from being repeated, and we are conducting appropriate internal follow-up.”

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While it’s old news that Fox News is the king of spin and that there were many falsehoods reported by FNC personalities about the health care debate, here is a little proof that came to light recently. Internal memos show Fox News deliberately echoing GOP talking points.

Bill Sammon, Fox News’ controversial Washington managing editor, sent the following memo regarding the use of the phrase “public option.”

From: Sammon, Bill
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 8:23 AM
To: 054 -FNSunday; 169 -SPECIAL REPORT; 069 -Politics; 030 -Root (FoxNews.Com); 036 -FOX.WHU; 050 -Senior Producers; 051 -Producers
Subject: friendly reminder: let’s not slip back into calling it the “public option”

1)      Please use the term “government-run health insurance” or, when brevity is a concern, “government option,” whenever possible.

2)      When it is necessary to use the term “public option” (which is, after all, firmly ensconced in the nation’s lexicon), use the qualifier “so-called,” as in “the so-called public option.”

3)      Here’s another way to phrase it: “The public option, which is the government-run plan.”

4)      When newsmakers and sources use the term “public option” in our stories, there’s not a lot we can do about it, since quotes are of course sacrosanct.

Fox’s senior vice president for news, Michael Clemente sent he following reply, in which he said that he preferred Fox staffers use Sammon’s third phrasing: “The public option, which is the government-run plan.”

From: Clemente, Michael
To: Sammon, Bill; 054 -FNSunday; 169 -SPECIAL REPORT; 069 -Politics; 030 -Root (FoxNews.Com); 036 -FOX.WHU; 050 -Senior Producers; 051 -Producers
Sent: Tue Oct 27 08:45:29 2009
Subject: RE: friendly reminder: let’s not slip back into calling it the “public option”

Thank you Bill

#3 on your list is the preferred way to say it, write it, use it.

Michael Clemente

SVP-News

212.XXX.XXXX

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Fox News analyst: Assange is “treasonous, and he has broken every law of the United States. And I’m not for the death penalty, so…there’s only one way to do it: illegally shoot the son of a bitch.” The point also needs to be made that Assange is not a U.S. citizen (definition of treason), nor has he broken every “law of the United States.” Beckel also stated that “a dead man can’t leak stuff.” Beckel is ignorant of the fact that Assange is, in his own words, a lightening rod – WikiLeaks will continue to leak information long after Assange is out of the picture.

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You’re probably wondering two things: 1) why is there a post on FoxNewsBoycott.com about Keith Olbermann, and 2) don’t Fox News personalities frequently support conservative candidates? Answering the second question first, absolutely, which answers the first question.

Apparently MSNBC has decided to suspend political commentator (read not journalist) Keith Olbermann indefinitely, without pay. Olbermann donated the maximum amount to three candidates during the midterm election and someone higher up (MSNBC President Phil Griffin) got their panties in a bunch. Granted, journalists should be unbiased, but as with Fox News personalities like Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, he’s a commentator known for voicing his opinion. The difference, of course, is that his opinion is, typically, far more liberal than the others mentioned and/or Fox News does not have a similar policy covering this issue.

The following statement was released to Politico:

OLBERMANN: One week ago, on the night of Thursday October 28 2010, after a discussion with a friend about the state of politics in Arizona, I donated $2,400 each to the re-election campaigns of Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. I also donated the same amount to the campaign of Democratic Senatorial candidate Jack Conway in Kentucky…I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level.

So, what about Fox News?

Over 30 people on Fox News’ payroll have shown their support of the GOP over 600 times during the midterm elections. Here’s who they are, should Fox News decide to hold their employees up to the same standard that MSNBC did:

• Fred Barnes, Fox News contributor
• Glenn Beck, host of Fox News’ Glenn Beck
• Eric Bolling, host of Fox Business’ Follow the Money
• John Bolton, Fox News contributor
• Tammy Bruce, Fox News contributor
• Elaine Chao, Fox News contributor
• Monica Crowley, Fox News contributor
• Mike Gallagher, Fox News contributor
• Newt Gingrich, Fox News contributor
• Sean Hannity, host of Fox News’ Hannity
• Mike Huckabee, host of Fox News’ Huckabee and Twentieth Television’s The Huckabee Show
• David Hunt, Fox News contributor
• Laura Ingraham, Fox News contributor
• John Kasich, former host and contributor
• Brian Kilmeade, co-host of Fox News’ Fox & Friends and host of Fox News Radio’s Kilmeade & Friends
• William Kristol, Fox News contributor
• Michelle Malkin, Fox News contributor
• KT McFarland, Fox News national security analyst and host of FoxNews.com’s DEFCON 3
• Angela McGlowan, Fox News contributor
• Dennis Miller, Fox News contributor
• Dick Morris, Fox News contributor
• Rupert Murdoch, CEO and chairman of News Corp., parent company of Fox News
• Andrew Napolitano, Fox News senior judicial analyst and host of Fox Business’ Freedom Watch
• Sarah Palin, Fox News contributor and host of Fox News’ Real American Stories
• Dana Perino, Fox News contributor
• Dave Ramsey, listed Fox Business personality and former host of Fox Business’ The Dave Ramsey Show (through June)
• Sandy Rios, Fox News contributor
• Karl Rove, Fox News contributor
• Rick Santorum, Fox News contributor
• Doug Schoen, Fox News contributor
• Andrea Tantaros, Fox News contributor
• Stuart Varney, Fox News contributor and host of Fox Business’ Varney & Co.

Check out Fox News’ GOP Connections here.

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EMERGENCY Call to Action: New Yorkers Say Stop the Bigots, Stop the Hate! Hold Fox News Accountable!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23RD … Rally at South Central Park Gate (59th and 8th Ave) 11AM March to Fox News Headquarters (6th Ave b/w 47th and 48th) 1PM http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157690534262490

Over the past few months there has been an escalation of hate crimes and bigotry growing throughout our city and country. In particular Muslims, immigrants, and LGBT (lesbian, gay bisexual, and transgendered) people have come under attack and been vilified by hate-mongering politicians such as Paladino and encouraged by media outlets such as Fox News. We must stand together to say no to hatred and violence no matter what group of people is targeted.

Fox news must be held accountable for their hate. On the View, Bill O’Reilly said that “Muslims killed us on 9/11.” This type of racism encourages violent retaliation against all Muslims. When bigots like Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck and others from FOX NEWS attack gays, muslims, and immigrants each day on mainstream television, we should not be surprised when these attacks begin to take place.

In the past month, at least six LGBT people have committed suicide. A Muslim boy was beaten in his school while being called a “terrorist.” Hate crimes and harassment have increased against Latinos in schools, workplaces and on the streets. The progressive community needs to come together and take a stand against hatred in all its forms. If we do not stand up to this hate, it will continue to grow!

Join an ad-hoc committee in saying NO TO HATRED! NO TO BIGOTRY! AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!

Spread the word far and wide!

Join a mass organizing conference call for the march. Individual activists as well as representatives from organizations are welcome.

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Fox demanded a 50% rate increase and DISH Network dropped them like a bad habit (for now anyway).

Dear Valued DISH Network Customer,

Thank you for your recent communication regarding your channel.

We regret that FOX Networks, the owner of some Regional Sports Networks, FX and National Geographic Channel, removed their channels from the DISH Network line-up. FOX has demanded a rate increase of more than 50%. An increase this large would force DISH Network to pass these costs on to our customers, which we are unwilling to do during these tough economic times.

We know these channels are important to you which is why during the FOX Sports lock-out, we’re pleased to bring you 20 additional sports channels at no cost. We assure you that we are doing everything possible to restore these channels. In the meantime, you will not miss a single MLB playoff game or NFL Game. The Solutions Tab has a full list of alternative sports options available to you while we continue to negotiate with FOX.
DISH Network will continue to work tirelessly for a fair agreement in order to bring these channels back at the earliest possible time.  Feel free to share your thoughts and concerns by e-mailing us at president@dishnetwork.com. We assure you that we will read every e-mail we receive.Thank you for your patience during this process and for being a valued DISH Network customer.

Sincerely,
DISH Network

While they didn’t specifically mention Fox News Channel, and subscribers may still see the channels DISH did mention, it should be evident on November 1 whether or not FNC is part of the package in question…

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Thanks for joining the Turn Off Fox effort. We’re already off to a great start — you and more than 125,000 people are calling on public establishments to stop playing Fox News.

The next step is critical — we’re trying to identify businesses and public places where Fox News is playing. Do you know of any? Just letting us know is a great first step. If you can explain to them why they should turn it off, even better.

Registering a business takes seconds, and we provide step-by-step instructions and a flyer you can print which makes the case against Fox, should you choose to talk with a business. Also, if you know of places that would want to declare themselves Fox Free zones, you can sign them up as well using the site. Just click on “Document Fox Free Zones” after you follow the link below.

Click here to get started:
http://www.turnofffox.org/tools/report/

We have a real opportunity to reduce Fox News’s ability to spread misinformation and stoke division in our communities. Identifying businesses and other public establishments that play Fox News on their televisions is the first step, and it’s critical to the overall effort. Please take a moment to let us know where you’ve seen Fox News playing on TVs in public places, or if there are places you know that would be willing to declare themselves Fox Free:

http://www.turnofffox.org/tools/report/

Thanks and Peace,

– James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Milton, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
September 15th, 2010

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU — your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

https://secure.colorofchange.org/contribute/

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White House correspondent for Fox News, Major Garrett, has left the network and TV, returning to print journalism. This comes after Garrett helped Fox News gain the coveted front row seat at the White House Briefing Room. Wendell Goler and Mike Emanuel will share the White House beat.

“Throughout my television career, I’ve known with certainty I would someday return to my roots in print journalism,” Garrett said in the announcement. “That day has come. I will soon announce an exciting new phase of my career — one made possible in no small part by FOX News’ consistent support. It would take a lot – something near perfection – to lure me away from the best job I’ve ever had. Details to come.”

Garrett has accepted a job at National Journal, returning to his roots in print journalism. National Journal Editor-in-Chief Ron Fournier said in a separate announcement. “He is known across Washington as one of the hardest-working journalists in the business, a fierce competitor on his beat, and a good and decent man. It is a rare combination, and one we’re incredibly lucky to be bringing into our newsroom.”

“We think Major Garrett is a legitimate reporter,” former White House Communications Director Anita Dunn said in the midst of the administration’s battle against the network.

Of course, if you want an example of Major Garrett twisting President Obama’s words, here you go. And, if you want to see Wendell Goler taking an Obama quote out of context, you can find that here. But Goler has also provided a voice of reason about the czar issue.

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As early as Sunday, the White House Correspondents’ Association will decide which news organization will be awarded a recently-vacated front-row center seat in the White House briefing room.

The contenders? National Public Radio, Bloomberg News—and Fox.

Yes, Fox—which we all know is actually a tool in the right-wing propaganda machine, not a legitimate news organization. They simply don’t deserve the best seat in the White House briefing room—a seat held for years by journalist Helen Thomas until she retired recently.

So we’re joining our friends at CREDO Action to petition the Correspondents’ Association to award the seat to a real, public news organization: NPR.

Can you sign the petition today? Tell the Correspondents’ Association to give the best seat in the briefing room to NPR, not Fox.

http://pol.moveon.org/nprvsfox/

The petition says, “Give Helen Thomas’ former briefing room seat to NPR, which has provided public interest coverage for decades—not Fox, which is a right-wing propaganda tool, not a legitimate news organization.”

Then, please forward this email to your friends and post on Facebook and Twitter so we can spread the news faster. Already 140,000 people have signed onto this call through CREDO Action. Help us get up to 250,000 before the meeting on Sunday!

Winning this seat would give Fox legitimacy it simply doesn’t deserve—not after years of race-baiting, smears against progressives and Democrats, and spreading right-wing propaganda 24/7.

So instead we’re calling on the Association to award the seat to one of our nation’s premiere news organizations, which has served the public for years and currently reaches an audience of 27 million.

Will you sign the petition today? Just click here:

http://pol.moveon.org/nprvsfox/

Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Marika, Jeff, Duncan, and the rest of the team

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Two years ago, today, Fox News showed their complete lack of ethics and Photoshop skills with these edits of photos of New York Times editor Steven Reddicliffe and reporter Jacques Steinberg.

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Who needs to point out the depths to which Fox News will stoop when they will do that for you… Here’s a video from four years ago, today, that shows them talking about their piece of the “trailer trash pie.”

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