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PUBLIC OPINION > Big News Is Bad News

SodaHead News 2012/06/28 16:00:00
CNN reported a massive drop in viewership this year, losing more than a third of its total audience. Fox News, on the other hand, is floating along nicely, only dropping about 1%. But we wanted to know how viewership looked at the ground level. What percentage of the public watches major news networks? We asked the public to find out.

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As ratings predicted, Fox News came out on top. However, even more respondents shunned the entire batch. That's evidence of two things. First, the so-called "major" news networks are hardly satisfactory outlets for news. They might have the most viewers, but as with the music charts, a high rating doesn't mean high quality. Second, it suggests most people are getting their news from alternative sources, because it's unlikely all these people are just ignoring world events completely. They're just sick of the major outlets. One commenter put it best: "If I want to hear nothing but lies, I'll talk to my ex wife."

Conservatives Back Fox

Naturally, all of these stations deny these claims of bias. Whether or not that's true is really a matter of opinion, but what is clear is that their viewers do lean. 77% of conservatives voted Fox, compared to 0% of liberals and progressives; 31% of liberals watch CNN or MSNBC, compared to 2% of conservatives. The vast majority of moderates (72%) avoid the major news channels all together.

The Internet Age

The reason "none of the above" was such a popular choice was clear in the age breakdown: People under 35 don't watch the news. Below that age, the difference in support between major networks was negligible. About two-thirds of them refused to pick one. And we think the reason for this is pretty obvious, too. Do they really expect us to wait 'til 11 when we could just check our personalized feed?

Alternative Sources

Simply saying that "the Internet" is an alternative source of news isn't specific enough. We wanted to see what other people were watching specifically. A quick glance through the comments revealed: YouTube, The Onion, Al Jazeera, C-SPAN, local news, college radio, The Weather Channel, and there were even a few hits for The History Channel.

If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our poll on major news networks. We'd love to hear from you!
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Top Opinion

  • JWnTX 2012/06/28 16:42:07
    JWnTX
    +16
    Funny how the liberals seem to be the experts on the alleged bias at Fox News, yet they never watch it. Of course, there have been studies--Pew Research, USC, and UCLA studies--that show that of all the networks, cable and broadcast, Fox News was the most balanced in the 2008 election. But don't bother bringing that up to a lib. They're so invested in their alternate reality that they could never bring themselves to admit that they've been wrong. Here's a great insight into the liberal mindset (this particular one refers to the end of the old Soviet Union, but it's just as applicable to our own leftists and their chosen faith):

    Vital resistance and resentment are the two main responses to the events of 1989. Vital resistance: the mind realizes its mistake – it admits, for example, that nationalization of the means of production does not produce a happy society, but rather laziness and constant shortages; it refuses, however, to let go of the idea because of its passionate attachment to it. Existence – adventures, friendships, successes – is nourished and permeated by this belief to such an extent that the belief becomes an identity; the individual cannot renounce it without committing a kind of symbolic suicide. No one can admit… that his existence reflects the echo of a failure.--Chantal Delsol, "Unlearned Lessons of the Twentieth Century"--hat tip to Ward Dorrity

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Opinions

  • DavidK 2012/06/30 17:47:59
    DavidK
    +1
    To get the FULL picture, ALL should be evaluated. How can anyone criticize another channel unless they've watched them?!?!? Obviously, those who have not watched FOX for any amount of time are in no position to give an accurate evaluation. Every second I'm on my computer, I'm also watching these channels. 4-5 hours a day off and on. Even in my office I have them on.
  • jacob crim 2012/06/30 10:56:54
    jacob crim
    All major news stations are bias, and even if they are not bias they feed you false information.Just yesterday news broke that the "Miami zombie" only had marijuana in his system when he ate the guys face, anyone who has ever smoked knows this is BS. But there will be tons of people who eat up this lie.
  • Karl 2012/06/30 04:28:38
    Karl
    +2
    Of course. As usual, the comments are filled with Conservatives ranting about how "correct" FOX News is. Every news source has an agenda, no exceptions.
  • PaulBot415 2012/06/29 21:08:44
    PaulBot415
    +1
    The news is depressing and mostly lies and biased opinions. I get my news from other countries, its more reliable.
  • Chokmah 2012/06/29 19:39:53
    Chokmah
    +1
    Marxists, Bolsheviks, and Nihilists watch MSNBC, as do the majority of Women and LGBT extremists
  • Grammar... Chokmah 2012/07/04 09:54:50
    Grammar Freak
    So, what you're saying then is that white, Fascist men watch Fox, then.
    Okay.
    I'll buy that.
  • Chokmah Grammar... 2012/07/04 16:44:11
    Chokmah
    +1
    No, Middle Class and Working Class, taxpaying Americans of all colors, creeds, and preferences watch Fox. Fasisist men watch CNBC.
  • Grammar... Chokmah 2012/07/05 10:50:36
    Grammar Freak
    Personally, I'd say, rather, that sheeple watch/believe mainstream "news" media, in general.

    I find it incredibly sad that the best, most objective, most accurate news analysis comes from a comedy network... & that's a fact. The so-called "news" outlets are simply outlets for propaganda... choose your personal favorite flavor, it really doesn't matter. They're all in the business of promoting hate for your neighbors in order to keep you preoccupied so that you don't notice when both "parties" vote bipartisan to remove our liberties.

    This topic is useful for only one thing: counting sheeple. Nothing more.

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
  • Chokmah Grammar... 2012/07/05 22:11:25
  • Scott W... Chokmah 2012/08/08 15:29:01
    Scott Wolfe
    +1
    MSNBC was Osama BIn Laden approved; he wanted Foxnews to die in anger.
  • clasact 2012/06/29 19:19:48
    clasact
    +1
    I watch them all only so you can hear from both sides and then make up my own mind on what to belive but the problem is they are not just reporting the news anymore they want to give you their opinions and try to get you to think the way they do
  • Grammar... clasact 2012/07/04 09:55:47
    Grammar Freak
    +1
    Best, most accurate, most sensible comment posted.
  • clasact Grammar... 2012/07/04 11:35:39
    clasact
    +1
    thank you
  • Gahnzo 2012/06/29 19:16:33
    Gahnzo
    +1
    The major news networks have gone completely over the top with partisan politics. And yes before anyone flames me.. I know Fox is conservative and leans that way. But I also find it interesting that Fox does have the other side on to have a DIALOGUE....looking at the left leaning media formats.. it is never subtle.. it's in your face, flaming rhetoric, or edit video to prove a point or make someone/thing look bad. And they make no apologies for it. CNBC edits video not once not twice but several times.. and they just keep on going. Chris Matthews has a man crush on the President and anyone who comes on his show that is not of his liking has to sit through a barrage of rapid fire questions with little or no chance to answer him.. And then he dismisses the guest as a loon, or kook, or not knowing what they are trying to convey. And the other media outlets do nothing about it.. To me it seems that It is way past the time when journalists actually looked for the truth in a story.. now it's who can get the top crawl on the bottom of the television screen. Who can fill up a 3 to 5 minute slot of time with fantastic and mouthwatering drivel and show how ridiculous or bad a person can be made to look We now have 500 channels and they run 24-7... too much time to actually fill up with ...
    The major news networks have gone completely over the top with partisan politics. And yes before anyone flames me.. I know Fox is conservative and leans that way. But I also find it interesting that Fox does have the other side on to have a DIALOGUE....looking at the left leaning media formats.. it is never subtle.. it's in your face, flaming rhetoric, or edit video to prove a point or make someone/thing look bad. And they make no apologies for it. CNBC edits video not once not twice but several times.. and they just keep on going. Chris Matthews has a man crush on the President and anyone who comes on his show that is not of his liking has to sit through a barrage of rapid fire questions with little or no chance to answer him.. And then he dismisses the guest as a loon, or kook, or not knowing what they are trying to convey. And the other media outlets do nothing about it.. To me it seems that It is way past the time when journalists actually looked for the truth in a story.. now it's who can get the top crawl on the bottom of the television screen. Who can fill up a 3 to 5 minute slot of time with fantastic and mouthwatering drivel and show how ridiculous or bad a person can be made to look We now have 500 channels and they run 24-7... too much time to actually fill up with real news.. so what gets put on is more news entertainment, than news that is worthy of watching/reading/caring about. Mainstream media... (Lamestream is more like it) has given up on journalism such as what Woodward and Bernstein did for Watergate. I am very dissapointed that some young enterprising journalist has not tried to look at Fast and Furious, deeply probe into the scandal and look behind the curtain to see what the wizard has done..and is doing.. too bad.. probably a Pulitzer in it for whoever had the courage to actually be a journalist.
    (more)
  • BigFig#9 Gahnzo 2012/06/29 19:24:22
    BigFig#9
    I watch MSNBC, CNN and FOX and find that both MSNBC and FOX will not necessarily bend over backwards to get contrary views on the air... I think in both cases they also tend to get less strident opposition voices on the air (ie: Michael Steele on MSNBC). I just don't think there is a broad enough pattern to draw any coinclusions and, at the ned of the day, these networks aren't journalism - they're entertainment searching for profitable viewership.
  • Gahnzo BigFig#9 2012/06/30 13:55:34
    Gahnzo
    +1
    Exactly my point.. we have toooooo many stations that have to fill up toooooo much time and space..so what happens.. we get one story on 167 channels with pundits from every walk of life analyzing the hell out of it. I just think that the information age has given us such a glut of "entertainment" that there is no room for actual news journalism. It's what will get us the ratings, whose going to say the most outrageous soundbite and how can we (stations) make it go viral...really sick of it..
  • shenendoah 2012/06/29 16:03:08
    shenendoah
    +4
    Liberals seem to prefer their news word of mouth from other liberals the blind leading the blind so to speak.
  • Groundskeeper Willy 2012/06/29 15:52:47
    Groundskeeper Willy
    +1
    CNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, and CNN.

    ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, have a far left lean even with the news. They couldn't be objective to save they arses.

    Fox News (not opinion guys) tends to be have the least bias of all, CNN does tend to show it's Ted Turner values in the news room.
  • BigFig#9 Grounds... 2012/06/29 19:27:38
    BigFig#9
    ABC seems a little center - right to me... , NBC-= Center-Left, MSNBC LEFT. I haven't watched CBS forever! Regardless, TV and CABLE news is not journalism, it's at best infotainment and more and more can't be dfferentiated from Entertainment Tonight. They alter their approach to win viewers not relay facts.
  • Fashionable60s 2012/06/29 15:47:31
    Fashionable60s
    +3
    Fox News channels
  • mobilsq 2012/06/29 15:46:38
    mobilsq
    tinyurl.com/foxnewsbias
  • AngryGabby 2012/06/29 14:38:29 (edited)
    AngryGabby
    It's either really good or really bad.

    "My fellow Americans...you're all going to blow up in 20 seconds. Have a nice day and God Bless America!"


    "America has gotten 4 trillion from aliens to pay off their national debt!"
    friendly aliens
  • Ashley 2012/06/29 13:40:49
    Ashley
    CNN was reporting Obamacare was struck down... they were wrong.
  • COMALite J Ashley 2012/06/29 23:30:34
    COMALite J
    Fox News also reported than the mandate was struck down, but only for a couple minutes, then corrected themselves. CNN kept on reporting that the mandate was struck down for almost ¼ hour!

    Fox News is biased. CNN, the inventor of the concept of the cable news network, has become a pathetic joke.
  • Torchmanner ~PWCM~JLA 2012/06/29 11:23:39
    Torchmanner ~PWCM~JLA
    +5
    The ONLY unbiased news is FOX news.

    I'm sick of the doctored videos, sickening perversion, race baiting and outright lies from the leftwing media that I no longer watch TV.

    If I wanted to watch communist propaganda and perverts I would watch the obaaaama alphabet news.
  • COMALite J Torchma... 2012/06/29 23:31:30 (edited)
    COMALite J
    +1
    But you don’t mind doctored videos and photos, willfully out-of-context audio, etc. on Fox News?

  • Eric Al... COMALite J 2012/07/02 03:38:16
    Eric Albertson
    +3
    Faux News - We Distort, You Comply.
  • Energene 2012/06/29 11:03:22
    Energene
    +2
    Most of my news comes from the internet. Sometimes I watch Fox News. I am NOT under 35 and I do a LOT of research. The liberal media outlets are nothing but trash.
    Poor democratic home loan policies caused the creation of derivatives, to spread out the toxic loans - their default was too big for AIG to handle. This caused the economy to collapse. Obama made it much worse by spending 5.1 trillion.
  • Katie1234 2012/06/29 10:31:59 (edited)
    Katie1234
    +4
    FOX!!!! i don't wanna watch Moonbats Spouting Nothing But Crap (MSNBC) or Crappy Nuts Networking (CNN) THEY LIE!!!!
  • Eric Al... Katie1234 2012/06/29 10:43:12
    Eric Albertson
    +3
    Explain this explain
    explain
    explain
  • Katie1234 Eric Al... 2012/06/29 10:53:25
    Katie1234
    +3
    one picture is photoshopped, and plus, ur too imature to write down the facts! lol u don't know the truth so ur gonna sit here and post bloopers! lol MSNBC and CNN have had their share of their bloopers! lol besides youve already posted these, which tells me your stuck....you know im right! it's okay to not let your pride not get the best of you.
  • Eric Al... Katie1234 2012/06/29 10:59:15
    Eric Albertson
    +2
    FOX photoshopped it. I did it multiple time to make it public.
  • Katie1234 Eric Al... 2012/06/29 11:01:57
    Katie1234
    +2
    haha so desperate... make it public?! when people go through and they're scrolling down the page, the pics are so colorful and big that people know it's there! desperate!
  • COMALite J Katie1234 2012/07/02 22:09:21
    COMALite J
    +1
    Bloopers are forgivable. Deliberately altering a man’s face, especially in the context of a diatribe against altering photos for news purposes, is not.
  • Katie1234 COMALite J 2012/07/03 04:19:37
    Katie1234
    bottom line is: every news source has bloopers...
  • COMALite J Katie1234 2012/07/04 21:43:43
    COMALite J
    As I said, bloopers (e.g. mistyping a person’s name or Party affiliation) are forgivable. That’s human error, like typos. To be a blooper, it has to be accidental and unintentional.

    Deliberate alteration, deliberate out-of-context excerpting that alters or even reverses the intent (especially when said out-of-context excerpt is preceded by a snide remark that it was “a rare moment of honesty” for the person in question [I specifically refer to Hannity’s doing precisely that to Obama]), etc. are not “bloopers.” And they’re not forgivable for any news organization.

    Oh, and mis-typing a party affiliation may be a blooper if done once. But Fox did it with disgraced GOP Congressman Mark Foley three times in one show, on two different segments:

  • Katie1234 COMALite J 2012/07/06 22:35:12
    Katie1234
    1st) FOX news doesn't change things on purpose.... its by accident. btw, bet you CNN and MSNBC do the the intintional stuff
  • COMALite J Katie1234 2012/07/06 22:46:36
    COMALite J
    Altering those faces was not by accident. The Mark Foley thing may have been an accident had they done it once. Not three times.
  • Katie1234 COMALite J 2012/07/07 03:28:02
    Katie1234
    okay, maybe they did maybe they didn't BUT cnn and msnbc have had their share of crap-ups.
  • COMALite J Katie1234 2012/07/08 00:46:22
    COMALite J
    “B-b-but Mommy, my sister’s room is messy too!” never seemed to get me off the hook as a kid.

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