May 23, 2011

"What happened after the Obama election, I think, is that Fox morphed into something that isn’t even recognizable as a form of media."

"It looks more like a political committee than what it looked like pre-Obama, which was essentially talk radio on television. It’s more dangerous now; it’s more lethal. And so as Fox has doubled down, we’ve doubled down."

We  = David Brock and his Foxophobic enterprise Media Matters for America.
Brock has used his buck-raking ability to turn Media Matters into a political force. What began in 2004 as a ten-person shop with a $3 million annual budget now has around 90 employees and plans to spend $15 million this year. In a fancy office building on Massachusetts Avenue, the organization’s researchers work in six-hour monitoring shifts, from five in the morning till one at night, watching Fox or listening to talk radio in the hope that Rush or Sean or some other conservative yakker will step in it. They’re seldom disappointed. “I knew that as soon as you started shining a light on these people,” Brock says, “there was enough outrageous and despicable and offensive and false commentary that you could make a splash.”
I appreciate their work! Keep clipping those clips and serving them up. As you monitor FoxNews and Limbaugh, I'll monitor you and whatever the hell you've morphed into. To me, it's all recognizable as media. And I'm always looking for juicy bits to chew on.
Part of Media Matters’ strength is its staff’s almost unfathomable endurance. “People who work here have to have a personality that enjoys getting angry watching Fox for six hours every day but then being patient enough to want to fact-check every second of it,” explains Ari Rabin-Havt, Media Matters’ executive vice-president. 
Ha. I love the way New York Magazine, writing this lengthy piece, goes to the Media Matters executives. I'd like to hear from those employees who do the detail work, "getting angry" for the rich execs. They're supposed to be all about truth and anger and for the left...  always for the left. How does that feel, as you comb through all those video files, looking for trouble truth — but only one perspective of the truth — and cull the clips that make the truth that your bosses want to tell as truthy as possible? Are you angry enough all the time, angry in the right way, angry about truth as you do the bidding of guys who are raking in money to get at the people you're paid to hate for them? What are you paid?
The group demands accuracy from those staffers. Last year, according to Rabin-Havt, Media Matters produced 20,000 pieces of content and issued only 24 corrections. “There’s the expectation that you can’t get something wrong,” he says. “There are consequences for mistakes. One person was fired for an error last year.”
Oh! How ineffably virtuous of you! Get to work, staffers! Stay angry, stay truthy, cut clips that stoke hatred of the right, but don't cut them to the point where we have to issue a correction, or we will cut you.

(Hey, that guy who got cut should write an exposé of what goes on inside Media Matters.)

82 comments:

AllenS said...

If Media Matters will fire someone for one mistake, those employees need to form a union.

Scott M said...

To me, it's all recognizable as media.

Abso-floggin'-lutely. This.

As far as the endurance thing, I will cede them that point only so far as it goes for unpaid people. During the 2008 election, I watched a LOT of MSNBC (was working from home at the time) to get their coverage of the Obama/Hillary infighting. Speaking from the other side of the isle from MM, I can easily see a "true believer" getting paid to watch their opponent's output for screw ups.

My question is...and they'll never admit it...how many of them quit and under what circumstances? I can easily a reasonable person tasked with watching the opposition coming up against the output vs their own, personal preconceived notions. If enough of those notions are shown to be false or at least assailable, one would think a reasonable person wouldn't have the zeal (because that's what it is...zealotry) to continue.

Automatic_Wing said...

90 employees seems like a hell of a lot to produce a blog with some embedded video clips. I wonder how many people Breitbart employs to do pretty much the same thing from a conservative perspective.

SGT Ted said...

Oh a propaganda puff piece for a bunch of hate filled leftwing propagandists and liars who cannot stand that anybody has a viewpoint that is different than theirs and seeks out of context sound bites to use as a cudgel to make the usual leftwing accusations of sexisrracisthomophobe at their political enemies. They have been caught out in many disortions and lies, far more than 24 they admit to.

How ordinary.

garage mahal said...

I like how Limbaugh and O'Reilly call websites that play video clips of them "hate sites".

Anonymous said...

How funny - that the measure of accuracy is how many corrections they chose to make.

It's like me telling God how many times I sinned this year.

(3, by the way.)

LYNNDH said...

There isn't 6 hr a day of political programing on Fox to warrant 24 hr watching. Of course, for them, any thing can be political and slanted. Must be nice to be so right all the time. Hope they don't break an arm patting themselves on the back.

Fred4Pres said...

What would be funny is how many of them are swayed to embrace conservatism from their exposure to such media.

Roger J. said...

Alright Quayle--you are making me carry your sin load--I am up to 47--pick up the slack Quayle

And does anyone in the United States give a shit about media matters? Nope--except the true believers--Fox has the audience share and the libs are sucking hind tit--in fact they are so far behind they may be sucking any other parts.

Audience share--thats what its all about.

Lyssa said...

I wish I could get a job like that-I mean, not for media matters, because they're insane, but to just watch news all day long and critique and fact check it- that would be awesome.

- Lyssa

Mark said...

“I knew that as soon as you started shining a light on these people,” Brock says, “there was enough outrageous and despicable and offensive and false commentary that you could make a splash.”

Sounds pretty hate-filled to me, Garage.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Media Matters exists to bully and extort.

Roger J. said...

Would someone tell me what splash MM has made? Orbitz just told them to fuck off and die.

Dont see where they have any significant input except for the true believers (just like right wing sites, except those have more true believers than brain damaged lefties who have dropped to much acid and toked on too much 412)

garage mahal said...

Fact checking = bullying!

Fred4Pres said...

Here is some content for the Media Matter folks to enjoy!

Original Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sal said...

They produced 20,000 pieces of content in one year? That's a lot. Where did it all go?

Maybe it's 20,000 words.

Original Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shanna said...

It’s more dangerous now; it’s more lethal.

What an absurd thing to say. Some people reporting news on tv that you disagree with are “lethal”. Particularly absurd considering the sheer number of options the public has for getting information (and the drivel that comes from some of the other networks).

Roger J. said...

Serious question: exactly what is media matters share of the media market? I suspect less than a fart in a whirlwind, but if anyone knows would welcome clarification.

They got nothing--Right wing radio eats them for lunch; orbitz tells them to fuck off--so exactly what is mm's cred except among the true believers?

Zip nada zilch--losers all

Henry said...

"unfathomable endurance" is an interesting phrase. It would take me unfathomable endurance to watch that much television a day, let alone news programming. Of any suasion.

But I don't think I'm that normal. Other people seem to like to watch television. News programming has its audience. When I lift at the gym in silence I watch the treadmill crowd plod along despondently with their heads plugged into Morning Joe or Today. It looks unbelievably banal. Barbie and Ken pretend to have emotions. Oh look, here's a guest expert on teenage royal wedding tornado planking. Let's emote.

Some people like being irritated. You can see, in the Facebook shares and Twitter retweets all the way up to the daily columnists the way people love to share their nuggets of gall. Those Media Matter staffers probably love their jobs. Then, when the day is done they can go home and watch more TV.

Original Mike said...

David Brock has admitted to lying, repeatedly, to advance his political agenda. Why would anybody give him the time of day?

Anonymous said...

Media Matters entire ouvre is feeding shit to mushrooms. And the result is always the same; they're still in the fucking dark.

Roger J. said...

Umm point of order: David Brooks is the RINO house ni##er for the NYT--David Brock is the male equivalent of Ariana Huffington who discovered her inner liberal in order to make a market splash--
Wonder what Soros thinks of Ariana

FloridaSteve said...

I feel sorry for people like this who still think that truth is an objective thing. I have a mental image of a room full of Golum like creatures sitting around hissing "you seeee... there there .. lies!... me precious.. me pretty.." blech.. what a hideous way to make a living..

edutcher said...

This is the best Media Matters can do, another warmed-over run at, "Fox is not a real news organization"?

Dr Evil is not getting his money's worth.

"Brock has used his buck-raking ability to turn Media Matters into a political force."

As they once noted in the Bombay Horse Artillery, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?". There is as much money as Dr Evil wants to waste on it.

Roger J. said...

Umm point of order: David Brooks is the RINO house ni##er for the NYT--David Brock is the male equivalent of Ariana Huffington who discovered her inner liberal in order to make a market splash--
Wonder what Soros thinks of Ariana


Probably what DSK thought of the maid.

WV "encycons" Brittanica salesaliens from Outer Space.

Anonymous said...

Garage---
"I like how Limbaugh and O'Reilly call websites that play video clips of them "hate sites"."

"Fact checking = bullying!"

Ah, garage, you used to be a star...

Anonymous said...

@Florida Steve. We live in the same town. I'm in San Marco.

Joanna said...

It'd be nice if they turned their watchful eye on MSNBC and did a comparative study.

Yeah, right.

Phil 314 said...

Does Media Matters do as much damage media criticism as they purport that Fox News does to news?

Jason said...

Media Matters came after me once, by way of Jack Kelly. And made utter asses of themselves.

http://iraqnow.blogspot.com/2005/09/david-brock-comes-after-me.html

I'm still waiting for the correction.

Original Mike said...

"I have a mental image of a room full of Golum like creatures sitting around hissing "you seeee... there there .. lies!... me precious.. me pretty.."

Now I have the same image. Thanks, Steve!

Phil 314 said...

Garage;
I like how Limbaugh and O'Reilly call websites that play video clips of them "hate sites".

I guess you got the "joke" then.

And you do see that MM is a choir-preaching organization, don't you?

Blair said...

I'm amused by these people who think they are "exposing" and "shining light on" Fox News when it's they highest rating news channel in the country. How much more "exposed" can you be? "But do you realise what they are saying on there?" Yes I do, I watch the damned thing every day, dumbarse.

Phil 314 said...

I found the lack of "mistakes" telling. Similar to surgeon's reviewing their own cases.

I guess MM doesn't have a broad understanding of the term "bias"

garage mahal said...

And you do see that MM is a choir-preaching organization, don't you?

Oh I don't know. I'm glad they do what they do I suppose. Keeping up with the right's bullshit is a daunting task. By the time you debunk something they're off with new nonsense in need of debunking. The MSM in this county is non-functional.

holdfast said...

To give MM its due, that's probably more people than the error-prone NYT fired for errors last year.

dbp said...

I bet I could find something risible in 90% of their "20,000 pieces of content"

section9 said...

Media Matters' job is not really to go after FOX, imho. It's to prevent Right Deviationism on the part of the MSM.

By attacking FOX the way they do, they keep the rest of the News Media from straying off the reservation and remaining good little acolytes of the Democratic Party and the Ruling Class. The last thing that the Ruling Party wants is a news media that would actually hold it to account.

FOX is hated precisely because its ideological orientation has had a cause and effect relationship with commercial profit. Media Matters and its left wing sponsor, George Soros, Bond Villain, know this but don't say it out loud. Leftism and lickspittle devotion to His Oneness don't exactly rake in record bucks. MSNBC isn't exactly raking in vast profits. Keith Olbermann is dying over on Current TV.

Media Matters wants to prevent people like Comcast shifting the editorial weight of outfits like MSNBC or CNN to a more centrist direction from the slavish devotion to the Obama Cult of Personality one sees today. THAT'S why Brock and his minions at Media Matters and allied outfits like the Center for American Progress attack FOX the way they do.

They will fail, because not even liberals can lie to money. Had they read Francisco D'Anconia's Speech On Money, they would understand this.

dbp said...

" garagemahal said...
I like how Limbaugh and O'Reilly call websites that play video clips of them "hate sites"."

If Limbaugh and O'Reilly used "like" the way you do, then they would be forced to call such websites, "like sites."

Joanna said...

I watch a lot of TV. Many nights, I flip between Fox & MSNBC. I yell at the TV a lot.

So, I took a stroll over to Media Matters to get a taste of their 20,000 pieces of content.

The first that caught my eye was
Beck, Purveyor Of Apocalyptic Theories, Ridicules Harold Camping And Those Who Believed In His Judgment Day Prediction
. There's a clip that demonstrates the second half of the premise, but no accompanying text to prove the first part of the premise ("purveyor of apoc theories"). But there are related links below. I tried the first one: Beck, Without A Hint Of Irony, Mocks May 21 Judgment Day Believers. Again, a clip but no text. But there are links below. So I tried the first link: Beck: "I Think These Are The Latter Days".
Finally, after going to the third clip, there is text.

They take a clip of Beck talking about Japan ("BECK: We can't see the connections here. Now look, I'm not saying God is, you know, causing earthquakes. Well -- I'm not saying that he -- I'm not not saying that either.") and compare it to Pat Robertson claiming Haiti "swore a pact to the devil" and has "been cursed". Huh?

Next, they said Beck said, "even if the earthquake was viewed in the context of the Book of Revelation, the earthquake should not be seen as a punishment, but instead as 'just a signal that these are the end of days,' adding, 'Are they? I don't know.'" HUH?? I'm still looking for proof of their foundational premise that Beck is a "Purveyor Of Apocalyptic Theories". He does say that he believes we are in the "latter days", but follows that up with something like "but no one knows how long that's gonna be. Could be 2000 years." (<-- my summary. I'm sick of looking at Media Matters.)

It drives me crazy when the pot calls the kettle black, especially when the dangerous pot has brainwashed so many of my friends and, if the pot would just turn on the light, it would see that the kettle is actually a sparkly chartreuse.

Strelnikov said...

These people always remind me of Alvie Singer, Woody Allen's character in "Annie Hall", saying, "I know, I know! I'm a bigot. But for the Left!"

Joanna said...

Well said, section9.

PaulV said...

section9, I was told that the lack of money is root of all evil.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Gee another left wing site that spews lies. What else is new?

Anonymous said...

The job of Media Matters is to continuously roll little snowballs down the media hill.
The ones that make it to the bottom get ping-ponged back and forth in the MSM, the ones that don't won't matter.

But they ALL get repeated at least once and that's what slimebag Soros is paying for.

Steve M. Galbraith said...

There are roughly 150 million adult Americans. On a good night, perhaps 3 million watch Fox News (that would be that crazy Irish guy at night).

Usually it's between 1 and 2 million.

So, we're talking about roughly less than 2% of adults. Or to put it otherwise, about 98% of Americans don't watch Fox News.

We can balance that off with the other cable channels, CBS, NBC, ABC. Add academia, Hollywood, newspapers, publishing...

Fox News versus all those other organizations.

It's pathetic that our liberal/progressive friends think Fox dominates news when you recognize those numbers.

David Brock needs a new career.

Carol_Herman said...

"Have Faith."

Obama is not the messiah. Though MESS is a pretty good way to tell people what he's done with opportunity.

And, I've noticed all the bumper stickers are gone. How is that? You mean people used a razor to scrape the bumper stickers off? (Heck, nobody told them if they kept it on, their cars would become "classic?") They'd pay less for gas?

What Fox has done is actually GREW in a media environment that spends enormous amounts of money ... and can't attract viewers and subscribers.

It's like Botox. Nancy Pelosi thinks Botox makes her look pretty. Yet, when she talks, people watch waiting for her face to fall off.

Here, let me make a prediction: The business that has been lost won't come back! You need audience. And, it seems technology just kicked those old war horses in the pants.

Carol_Herman said...

Oh, please.

Jimmy Breslin, so unhappy with the stories of pedophilia in his beloved church ... says that what's left of the priesthood, sermonizes about abortion. (To all the old ladies past menopause.) And, he added: IF 10% of those parishioners care, he'd be amazed.

Politicians and priests talk about abortions all of the time. Doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

Too bad the GOP is riddled with the label that they house religious zealots.

Phil 314 said...

FYI
Media critic does the right thing.

Phil 314 said...

Garage;
The MSM in this county is non-functional.

What are the hallmarks of a "functional" media?

How is it that you can find "truth" but apparently the MSM "fails" so many others?

Can you cite an example where the MSM, in spite of itself, didn't fail as relates to a story sympathetic to right of center sensibilities?

Fen said...

MediaMatters: Soros-funded propaganda machine.

Fen said...

However, I would like to thank MediaMatters and all the other MSM shills for keeping the Left ignorant.

I'm *still* collecting scalps from AGW Libtards who have never heard of the CRU hack. Its a gift that keeps on giving.

gerry said...

After what - 7 PM EDT? - Fox is all commentary, isn't it?

paminwi said...

What the oldies have to say about the new reporters in the White House: http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/05/17/veteran-journalists-todays-white-house-reporters-are-too-timid

shiloh said...

As fixednoise has and always will be a branch of the RNC, a premise in search of an argument.

And yes, MSNBC is an extension of the DNC, but they did say goodbye to Olbermann.

And fixed/ailes gave Beck the boot and it's "reported" ailes thinks mama grizzly is dumb as a rock.

apologies to rocks

Jim said...

How funny - that the measure of accuracy is how many corrections they chose to make.

THIS. A THOUSAND TIMES THIS.

Media Matters gets exposed by bloggers pretty much every day for intentionally cutting clips, getting the story wrong, flat out lying, etc.

It would be more difficult to find the factually uncontestable Media Matters post than it would be to find one that isn't.

Media Matters isn't media. And it isn't media criticism. It's no more "media" than the DNC press office is "media."

On Fox News, you can hear a Democratic party representative give their take on the day's latest news. Where is the Republican response on Media Matters? Oh that's right. There isn't one because they're not interested in truth or balance or accurate information.

Since when does a "media" organization attempt to organize boycotts? Isn't that the act of a purely POLITICAL operation?

So by what standards exactly does Media Matters qualify as a media organization except in the eyes of those who have ZERO interest in anything other than advances partisan Democratic interests?

SGT Ted said...

you can always count on having a leftwinger tell you what someone REALLY said, because you are too stupid to see it.

Whats interesting and revealing is them using propaganda techniques of failed, genocidal, totalitarian Communist nations.

Jim said...

As fixednoise has and always will be a branch of the RNC...

You do realize that idiots such as yourself who do nothing but come up with new and every more moronic nicknames for FoxNews are automatically dismissed by everyone outside your personal echo chamber as soon as you actually attempt to use that nickname, right?

Talk about self-editing yourself out of the conversation...

Dave E. said...

Media Matters:

"The truth, (snip), and nothing but the truth."

shiloh said...

are automatically dismissed

Re: dismissed

You do realize you replied to my post.

You do realize most of the conservatives at this blog have called Obama an anti-christ Muslim born in Kenya who wakes up every morning hating America and Americans yada yada yada.

Pot/Kettle

I'm Full of Soup said...

Althouse - you really should post a link to the home-made cartoons that mock Media Matters and Soros. I'd do it if I knew how.

Roger J. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
shiloh said...

Such a douchebag.

hmm, did I strike a nerve ~ rhetorical question.

Let the record show Roger J is a generic AA lemming, no surprise.

shiloh said...

As one of AA's flock deletes their post ~ too funny!

Oops!

Roger J. said...

Mr/Ms Shiloh--at some point you might want to address substantive arguments rather than spouting what you think is evidence--
dont think you have it in you, but some one might even think of your arguments as serious

as it is now, you are just a shill and a rather foolish one at that.

Clearly you have some need to be noticed and have chosen the role of douchebag to make up for the fact that you werent breastfed as an infant.

come on son/girl--up your game--your an idiot

shiloh said...

your an idiot

perhaps you meant you're an idiot as your emotions are getting the better of you.

take care

damikesc said...

You do realize most of the conservatives at this blog have called Obama an anti-christ Muslim born in Kenya who wakes up every morning hating America and Americans yada yada yada.

"Most" have called him that?

Can you back up this claim? I've not seen him called the anti-Christ. I've seen most feel the only thing he worships is himself, so he isn't really Muslim. One or two went big on Birtherism and were, mind you, roundly mocked by pretty much everybody else as being idiotic.

So, can you back up your claim? Or are you just like, well, Media Matters?

damikesc said...

perhaps you meant you're an idiot as your emotions are getting the better of you.

Somebody incapable of capitalizing properly is in poor position to critique.

Roger J. said...

only fucking idiots criticize the minor typos that characterize blogs--I feel no need to review my posts for accuracy--clearly Shiloh thinks it a shortcoming, but he/she is an idiot to start with.

I found it interesting that Shiloh felt no need to express some sympathy for the victims of the Joplin tornado but instead focused on hillbillies and typos--

Again, Shiloh-- you are a fool and preening idiot.

You epitomize the American Left--souless, brainless and humorless

shiloh said...

Roger J., this is not a thread about the Joplin tornado, but your pathetic deflection is duly noted.

As is your personal obsession re: my veracity. Your childish, conservative ad hominems/insults notwithstanding.

take care

Roger J. said...

Ahh shiloh-- i will match my ad homs about you when you withdraw your ad homs about althouse hillbilles--which of course is your major schtick.

Agreed?

blessings to you as well, namaste and all of that

Roger J. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
shiloh said...

Roger J. the truth shall set you free!

btw, I'm seeing double ...

Roger J. said...

Ahh shiloh-- i will match my ad homs about you when you withdraw your ad homs about althouse hillbilles--which of course is your major schtick.

Agreed?

blessings to you as well, namaste and all of that

5/23/11 5:09 PM

Roger J. said...

Ahh shiloh-- i will withdraw my ad homs about you when you withdraw your ad homs about althouse hillbilles--which of course is your major schtick.

Agreed?

blessings to you as well, namaste and all of that

5/23/11 5:10 PM
~~~~~


When you're in a hole, stop digging!

ciao

Terrye said...

I watch Fox, but I don't listen to Rush..where does that leave me?

People like Brock are beyond parity, they really are.

shiloh said...

where does that leave me?

W/out a radio? or perhaps you wisely prefer Rock 'n' Roll music to Rush. As always, life comes down to choices.

Synova said...

What happened during the Obama election was that FOX was elevated and portrayed and demonized as a political tactic. Obama called out FOX by name, refused to participate in FOX hosted debates, etc.,

Wow.

And David Brock is complaining that it worked?

Excuse me?

Francisco D said...

Garbage,

Just admit it. You are a college sophomore with AD/HD and no dates. Thus, you spend all your life spewing DailyKos talking points on this site.

Nothing to be ashamed about. Unless, intellectual honesty matters.

roesch-voltaire said...

It is easy to see how they could come up with 20,000 examples of distortions and maybe even lies by just watching Fox. For example all the outrage over Obama mentioning the 67 border for starting of negotiation interestingly skips over this quote from George W.
Ultimately, Israelis and Palestinians must address the core issues that divide them if there is to be a real peace, resolving all claims and ending the conflict between them. This means that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 will be ended through a settlement negotiated between the parties, based on U.N. Resolutions 242 and 338, with Israeli withdrawal to secure and recognize borders

DADvocate said...

Suffolk University study shows Fox News and Bill O'Reilly most trusted.

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/05/20/poll-fox-oreilly-most-trusted-news-sources

Epic fail of MM.

jeff said...

"You do realize most of the conservatives at this blog have called Obama an anti-christ Muslim born in Kenya who wakes up every morning hating America and Americans yada yada yada."

Most huh? Shoot, how about finding 10 such comments from conservatives here. We'll stipulate that is "most". Just 10 people. All we need is anti-christ, muslim, born in Kenya, waking up every morning hating America.

jeff said...

"For example all the outrage over Obama mentioning the 67 border for starting of negotiation interestingly skips over this quote from George W."

But what if the people who were outraged were because of that policy? And didn't base their outrage based on the party in the whitehouse? I know, that sort of thinking is foreign to you.