What the heck is FABMA?

For a while now I’ve been toying with the idea of having a section of the blog called FABMA. No, it’s not another cutesy abbreviation for the latest Hollywood “it” couple. (Fabio Viviani and Padma Lakshmi, maybe?) It’s an acronym for what pops into my head every time I read or see something from Fox News: “fair and balanced, my ass.”

My idea is that every once in a while I will randomly pull an article or video clip from Fox’s coverage, and analyze just how objective its “news” is. My hypothesis is that this self-proclaimed “fair and balanced” source will reveal itself as just the opposite — FABMA.

Now, obviously, the fact that Fox is biased is not news to the vast majority of humankind. But there are some people — and I am amazed by how many of them are otherwise normal people — actually do not see this bias. So, while I doubt many of those people read my blog, this is in part for them. The other part is that I just think it’ll be fun. Infuriating, but fun.

Now, I don’t have interns to sit around and watch Fox all day looking for good fodder for my blog. (But let’s take  a moment to think about how awesome it would be if I did…ahhh, that was fun.) So for the kickoff of FABMA, I am going to let Jon Stewart do the work. Plus, I’m sick and I really would like to try to squeeze in a nap today. [EDITOR’S NOTE: That never happened.]

So, here is The Daily Show analyzing Sean Hannity’s coverage of conservatives protesting health care reform on Capitol Hill last week:

Fair? Balanced? My ass!!

Under recent fire from the Obama Administration, which has labeled Fox “opinion journalism masquerading as news,” Fox executives have defended distorted coverage from programs like Hannity and Glenn Beck by characterizing them as opinion programming. Last time I checked, “opinion” did not include blatant misrepresentation and outright lies. Wait, wait, let me check the definition again. Nope, still doesn’t.

But even if we throw Fox a bone and assume that anything goes on “opinion programming” on a news channel — and that’s one HUGE bone; we’re talking T. Rex bones here — that still doesn’t explain the coverage out of their “news programming.” Remember this classic?

In fairness, this idiot lost her job after that comment. And she’s also apparently not what Fox execs consider “news” programming. So, what is considered news on the Fox News Channel? Well, not much you’ve ever heard of.

Again, I’m not going to reinvent the wheel. Here’s Jon Stewart.  (For a short version, watch 3:26-6:22.)

Ok, so those big name talking heads are just pundits. What are the real newspeople on Fox saying? Well, this Special Report with Bret Baier, which indulges the fanatical “birther” movement by accusing the White House of “brush[ing] aside” inquiries into Obama’s citizenship (even after the Supreme Court dismissed two cases challenging the same), is considered news. (Be sure to stay tuned for the “fair and balanced” commercial that follows.)

One word: FABMA!

So now I’ve laid the groundwork. Keep an eye out for future installments of FABMA. And feel free to post links to your favorite golden nuggets below.

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