"Megyn Kelly goes apeshit on Obama's bemused spokesman Bill Burton."

[ProSense]

Sticking In My Eye

By: Spencer Ackerman

Via Oliver Willis, watch as Fox News' Megyn Kelly goes apeshit on Obama's bemused spokesman Bill Burton.

<...>

Fox has kind of set itself a trap here. Even casual viewers of the network understand what's before their eyes: a presentation of the news designed to appeal to a right-wing worldview. That's not to say that everything Fox puts on the air has a conservative slant. It's to say that Fox understands a certain type of viewer; understands what s/he doesn't get from other news outlets; and caters to that viewer's preconceptions, grievances, desires and tastes. It's not interested in appealing to your typical Rachel Maddow viewer.

Except that's where the trap is coiled to spring. For reasons I don't quite understand, Fox has decided that its core viewership needs to believe that it's getting the true news, free not of the lowest-common-demoninator crap, but of the encumbrances of liberal dogmas. Hence the fairandbalanced fetishization. But as is clear from the grin on Burton's face, no one who hasn't already stepped inside the Kuhnian circle of the network could ever consider that credible. And all it takes is the warm, slightly-condescending exasperation of a Burton to send Megyn Kelly into an outside-voice-employing fit.

All of this is an unforced error. Why shouldn't Fox simply admit that it caters to the tastes of a certain demographic, much as it relentlessly accuses the rest of the media of doing? There isn't a single thing wrong with presenting the news from a conservative standpoint -- after all, there are millions of conservatives out there, and it's perfectly natural to cater to that market. I would never pretend my journalism doesn't reflect a progressive standpoint, nor that it doesn't cater to a liberal demographic. It simply wouldn't be credible for me to pretend that what's so obviously the case isn't the case -- nor should it be the business of journalists to obscure what they present to their audiences. Just judge us all on our intellectual honesty and our rigor. In the end, Fox will find that's what its viewers are actually doing already.

[ProSense]

1. No comment?

Laughter? LOL!

[Starry Messenger]

8. The blogger himself posted this a bit ago on DU:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7628827

Great minds think alike!

[msedano]

2. that's hilarious, she talks over him but

accuses him of interrupting her. what's really sidesplitting is his farewell, he says, "all right maggot".

thanx for posting that crap.

mvs

[Cha]

3. I like what I read..now I'll

go watch..

[ecstatic]

4. Why does she talk so loud?

Her projection is more appropriate for a play with no mics or something.

[Cha]

5. I'm sorry..I just can't listen to

shit like that.

At least I know what Bill Burton is like now..Very nice but being yelled at by a faux pitbull must suck.

[progressivebydesign]

6. Is she from the Barbara West KWTF? School of Journalism?

I watched the first few minutes of that and could not stomach anymore. Are there REALLY people out there that believe Fox is NEWS? I mean.. it's so obvious that she's a snarky witch right off the bat. She's a vapid viper, just like that right winger nutjob Barbara West in Orlando. Nothing is quite so ugly as vile words leaving the mouth of a tarted up bleach blonde.

[Jennicut]

7. Megyn (nice spelling by her parents) is a complete waste of a "journalist"

She is not a bimbo like the other Faux news gals but she is overly biased and has the Palin love, you guys get the idea. Sad because she seems like a smart young woman but terribly misguided.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

9. "Not a bimbo like the others". I agree, but I ask myself why I agree. Maybe it's just the

confidence in her voice as she, just like the others, gets out all the Republican talking points of the day. Or maybe it's the amount of airtime she gets, unusual for a female on Fox.

[Jennicut]

12. She is an attorney and went to Syracuse U.

Not stupid but definitely ignorant.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

13. Pretty hot too. I do have to give fox that, it's my favorite news channel on mute.

[Jennicut]

14. LOL! My husband says the same thing. Lots of bimbos but no real reporters.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

10. Isn't she an attorney?

I thought I heard that.

David

[Jennicut]

11. Yes, she is.