FAIR is the national progressive media watchdog group, challenging corporate media bias, spin and misinformation.
In the days since Saddam Hussein’s pledge of full cooperation with U.N. weapons inspectors led President Clinton to cancel air attacks at the last minute, a strong wave of frustration has swept through American news media. The pattern is all too familiar, the refrain goes. Yet again, after a tense confrontation, the U.S. government ended […]
Every day, flashy ad campaigns push a lot of unhealthy food products. So, we may be glad to see that glamorous stars with white mustaches are appearing in advertisements that ask a very wholesome question: "Got milk?" But the ongoing media blitz for milk does not ask a more important question: "Got clogged arteries?" The […]
Many conservative politicians and pundits are now struggling with disappointment. Some can’t understand why voters confounded expectations and refused to move the country rightward. But the election results might seem less mysterious after pondering why the new movie “Pleasantville” has resonated with audiences across America. In state after state, the Republican candidates who lost on […]
Are you ready for the Internet Shopping Network? Ready or not, here it comes. The guy who pioneered home shopping channels on television, Barry Diller, is now blazing trails into cyberspace. Despite the stock market’s current jitters about such ventures, Diller plans to go forward next year with an initial public offering for the Internet […]
The recent arrest of Gen. Augusto Pinochet presented a challenge to American news media. For a quarter of a century — after a bloody coup brought Pinochet to power in Chile — he didn’t get much bad press in the United States. As time went on, it seemed that human memory had been buried alive. […]
Despite this year’s scandalmania, Bill Clinton now appears to be rather entrenched in the White House. A big reason is that he has been very careful to stay near the middle of America’s political spectrum. The “vital center” — a phrase that was dormant for several decades — became a mantra for Clinton’s second term. […]
For Benjamin Netanyahu, last month ended on an upbeat note. The Israeli prime minister got a warm reception in Washington — and the American news media hailed the renewal of the Middle East “peace process.” For Mordechai Vanunu, last month ended on a more downbeat note. The Israeli whistleblower finished his twelfth year in captivity […]
Two days after many TV networks aired every moment of Bill Clinton’s grand-jury testimony, several members of Congress teamed up with researchers and activists for a dramatic forum about "economic human rights." The independent hearing focused on matters of profound importance — and the big news media ignored it. The gathering took place on Capitol […]
The calendar says that autumn has arrived, but what’s more apparent is that Americans are up to their eyeballs in a deluge of media cliches. Ever since the Starr report became an instant classic of political pornography, news watchers have been wading through an endless flood of dubious truisms and easy platitudes. This media tempest […]
Right now, Mark McGwire is the ultimate American hero — and Bill Clinton is almost a media zero. For years, much of the Washington press corps fawned over President Clinton. Now, as his unsteady fall from media grace turns into a high-speed plunge, journalists are standing back and waiting for him to hit bottom. The […]
Labor Day may be a fitting tribute to America’s workers. But what about the other 364 days of the year? Despite all the talk about the importance and dignity of working people, they get little power or glory in the everyday world of news media. What if the situation were reversed? Once a year, big […]
During the week after U.S. missiles hit sites in Sudan and Afghanistan, some Americans seemed uncomfortable. A vocal minority even voiced opposition. But approval was routine among those who had learned a few easy Orwellian lessons. When terrorists attack, they’re terrorizing. When we attack, we’re retaliating. When they respond to our retaliation with further attacks, […]
Ten years ago, few Americans knew your name. Today, many wish they could forget it. This is your media life, Bill Clinton! When you jumped onto the national stage with peppy rhetoric about moving beyond the ideologies of left and right, you impressed mainstream news outlets. A lot of journalists wanted a "New Democrat," and […]
While preparing for his testimony to a grand jury, Bill Clinton has gotten plenty of pointers — not only from lawyers and White House aides but also from the media. For weeks, news outlets have provided a crescendo of advice for the president’s day of reckoning. Some of the recent coverage has been purposely odd, […]
Imagine sitting in front of a TV set that automatically blocks out commercials. A fantasy? Maybe not. The option could soon be available in the United States. Ever since politicians began to hype the V-chip, it has been heralded as a way for parents to protect kids from violence and sex on the tube. But […]
Let’s face it: Sensational news coverage of the Clinton- Lewinsky scandal is going to continue for a long time. Despite all the media criticism of Kenneth Starr, the co-dependent counsel is locked in a passionate embrace with the Washington press corps. They seem to need each other very badly. In this protracted drama, the players […]
Back in the early ’60s, Alan Shepard and Robert Young cast huge shadows on the national media stage. So, after the heroic astronaut and the famous actor both died last Tuesday night, the media coverage stirred up memories that are dim yet deep. On May 5, 1961, when Shepard became the first American to fly […]
During the last quarter century, many journalists have portrayed the Democratic Party as an uneasy mix of pragmatic moderates, unrealistic liberals and stubborn leftists. With attention now turning to the party’s next presidential nomination, such media themes will soon be surging again. Midway through the sixth year of the Clinton presidency, Al Gore is the […]
Judging from the uproar about recent retractions by CNN and Time magazine, you might conclude that American journalism maintains high standards for war-related reporting — and sets the record straight when those standards aren’t met. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Early this month, under enormous pressure, CNN and Time retracted their joint […]
Renowned baseball players will take the field Tuesday night for the All-Star game. It’s a major-league spectacle that happens with much fanfare every summer. But what would a team of media All-Stars look like? Here are some possibilities: STARTING PITCHER: Cokie Roberts Tossing a classic mix of curveballs and changeups, Roberts can baffle anyone with […]
