Whats News Depends On Where You Are Watching It

Cable news networks and particularly Fox News is known to focus on sensational stories over 'hard news' in order to boost their ratings and advertising dollars. Plenty of figures have been posted in the past on how many stories and time is devoted to missing white women, Michael Jackson and Paris Hilton. The latest study from the first quarter of 2007 shows that not much has changed. Fox still talks about crap and avoids real news while CNN and MSNBC are better but still lacking.

From Media Bistro:

According to PEJ's first quarter News Coverage Index, "MSNBC and CNN were much more consumed with the war in Iraq than was Fox." (See the chart to the right.)

In daytime, FNC devoted 6 percent of its time to Iraq, and 17 percent of its time to Anna Nicole. For CNN, the mix was 20 percent Iraq, 5 percent Anna; for MSNBC, the mix was 18 percent Iraq, 10 percent Anna.

"Fox also stood out for its lack of coverage on the firings of the U.S. attorneys, compared with the other channels. The story, which gained real momentum in mid March, consumed a mere 2% of Fox’s total airtime. CNN devoted twice that percent (4%) and MSNBC four times (8%)," the report says...

Fox still garners the largest share of cable news viewers which really isn't that surprising. Fox gets it that most people really do not want to hear what is going on in the country. Ignorance is bliss for many cable-owning Americans. It is a sad reality that so many people choose to be deluded with 'riveting' nonstop coverage on who Anna Nicole Smith's baby's daddy is rather than be informed on how Republicans keep flushing our country down the drain.