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Fox Unleashes Attack Dogs on Other Media

Station's PR team jumps at criticism 'like a political campaign'

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 7, 2008 8:31 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Fox News public relations machine makes no bones about skewering those it perceives as foes, writes David Carr in the New York Times. “At Fox News, media relations is a kind of rolling opposition research operation intended to keep reporters in line by feeding and sometimes maiming them,” Carr notes. It deals with the press “more like a political campaign” than a news organization, says one reporter.

When a Times reporter recently wrote an objective piece on CNN’s progress in cable-news ratings, Fox News presenters labeled him an “attack dog” alongside his image, altered to give him a bigger nose and ears. Other reporters deemed opponents are crushed in the blogosphere. “We are an aggressive department in a passive industry,” explained the station’s PR head. "We embrace controversy."

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney takes a question from Chris Wallace on the set of FOX News Sunday in Manchester, N.H., Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly appears on the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" on Jan. 18, 2007 in New York. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)

Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren listens as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivers his address from New York, Monday, Sept. 24, 2007, at the National Press Club in Washington. (AP Photo)

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Fox Unleashes Attack Dogs on Other Media

Station's PR team jumps at criticism 'like a political campaign'

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Fox Unleashes Attack Dogs on Other Media

Station's PR team jumps at criticism 'like a political campaign'

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

cable TV • journalism • Fox News • public relations • David Carr • News Corp • reporting

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Actually, Fox Is a Legit News Operation

Obama must start following through on campaign promises

News Corp Sets Up Worker Snitch Line

Journalists urged to report ethics violations

Don't Trust Ron Suskind on Politics

New book on Obama full of dubious claims: Jacob Weisberg

WSJ : Our Murdoch Coverage Wasn't Good Enough

Was lax on owner, but says it's better now

Former Exec: Fox News Hacked Phones, Too

'Black ops office' existed to do 'counter intelligence' work: Dan Cooper

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

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What is Newser?