I was at the San Francisco Int'l Airport yesterday, browsing at Hudson News (newspapers, books, chewing gum concessionaires at most large airports) when I noticed that their TV was tuned to FOX News. I don't usually do this type of thing, but I had just finished reading Conservatives Without Conscience by John Dean and was feeling it.
So I very respectfully asked the clerk to please change the channel while I shopped because I could not listen to FOX news and spend money at the same time. She laughed and said that the airport required them to leave it on FOX! I said, "The airport requires that you broadcast FOX? Not Hudson management?" She was clear: airport policy insists that they leave it on FOX.
I left the store and went to join my husband at a cafe nearby. And there at the bar was a TV tuned to CNN. I spoke to the manager, approving his broadcast of CNN, but expressing confusion based on the response at Hudson. He seemed puzzled - there is no airport "policy" - they tune in what they want. He said, "I don't know very much about this, but could you tell me why there is a problem with FOX? I never watch it." I explained that there is a grassroots movement to protest FOX in public areas because they are extremely biased and distort the truth.
I called Hudson this morning and spoke with customer service about my experience. They were very nice and promised to pursue my inquiry. I got a call back within the hour and was told, "Airport policy has nothing to do with it - Hudson News has a contract with FOX News to tune their in-store TV monitors to FOX."
I said, "FOX provides compensation to Hudson News to spew their version of the news to customers? Please relay to Hudson management that my husband and I will no longer patronize Hudson in protest."
Please join me in taking a tiny action to protest the propaganda platform FOX News has purchased from Hudson News.