But they seem to have missed the fact that 85% of what Fox News Channel presents as 'straight news' is essentially fact-free and 'opinion-driven'.
Pew Research Center:
According to the study, by Pew's calculation, MSNBC offers 'straight news' only in programming hosted by Chris Jansen and Thomas Roberts in the morning, and Andrea Mitchell and Tamron Hall in the afternoon, which in total makes up four hours of 'straight news' delivery per day. Now, while I agree that of all the programming at MSNBC those four hours are basically not influenced right or left ideologically, I don't know if you can consider Andrea Mitchell's obvious inside-the-beltway 'conventional wisdom of the serious people' non-ideological. Beltway ideology is a whole category in itself. It's kind of a strange hybrid of corporate political views swathed in red, and tinged with a hint of blueish hue that's for the most part disconnected to what everyday Americans would consider either liberal or conservative.
But, in the same respect, just because a show's not liberal and not [blatantly] conservative doesn't mean it's strictly 'straight news'. Myself, I would categorize Mitchell's show alongside MSNBC shows like Chuck Todd's "The Daily Rundown," Chris Matthews' "Hardball" and even Joe Scarborough's "Morning Joke Joe."
This study implies that MSNBC's prime-time, 'opinion-driven' shows hosted by Rachel Maddow, Ed Shultz, Lawrence O'Donnell, and soon-to-come Chris Hayes lack veracity. As if those programs are somehow equal to what Fox presents as opinion, let alone 'straight news'.
Pew doesn't seem to understand the concept of expressing your political leanings while still remaining steadfastly within the parameters of truth.
Even the most pro-Obama pundit on the entire MSNBC network, Al Sharpton, doesn't present lies as truth and obfuscation as clarity. You just can't say that about Fox. And it's getting increasingly difficult to say it about CNN.
From Pew:
On cable, the news structure of the three channels--the mix of interviews, packaged segments and live coverage--has changed. After relying on significantly distinct formats five years ago, the three rivals now look strikingly similar.
At the same time, some of the differences that demarcated daytime cable from prime time have also eroded in the past five years. Traditionally known for its attention to breaking news, daytime cable's cuts in live event coverage and its growing reliance on interviews suggest it may be moving more toward the talk-oriented evening shows. This transition may cut the costs of having a crew and correspondent provide live event coverage.
CNN, which has branded itself around reporting resources and reach, cut back between 2007 and 2012 on two areas tied to that brand--in-depth story packages and live event coverage. Even so, CNN is the only one of the three big cable news channels to produce more straight reporting than commentary over all. At the other end of that spectrum lies MSNBC, where opinion fills a full 85% of the channel's airtime.
To not see CNN's identity crisis manifested in their delivery of the news is just plain myopic. CNN is so afraid of castigation from the right for seemingly taking a liberal view of the news that they end up overcompensating and appearing very much conservative. With shows anchored by the likes of Wolf Blitzer, Erin Burnett and Jake Tapper, it's difficult sometimes to distinguish them from their counterparts on Fox. In my opinion, Anderson Cooper and Piers Morgan are the only anchors on CNN that could
conceivably be considered skewing ever-so-slightly to the left, and even both of them go out of their way sometimes to appear less liberal.
Moreover, Pew totally misses the point that MSNBC being 'opinion-driven' doesn't exclude them from delivering news that's actually based in reality. I'd choose MSNBC's opinion-driven delivery over both CNN's and Fox's... and not just because I'm a liberal.
It's because I prefer the truth...
And, that brings us to the Fox News Channel... NAH, let's not go there. lol
Much more drivel at the Pew website: