Media critic and Fox News host Howard Kurtz blasted his own network on Sunday for its silence on Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy’s widely condemned comments about blacks and slavery.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Bundy wondered aloud during a press conference whether blacks were “better off as slaves, picking cotton” than “under government subsidy.”
On Sunday’s “MediaBuzz,” Kurtz called Bundy’s remarks “blatantly racist” and said that in his view Fox News “fell seriously short” in its coverage — when the story circulated on Thursday, he said, there was “virtually no mention” of the racist remarks on the network.
“I think that to ignore a major story that was on the front page of the New York Times, at a time when the network, among others, had devoted a lot of time to covering this to story and to building up Clive (sic) Bundy, I think that gives ammunition to Fox’s detractors,” he said.
Fox News host Sean Hannity in particular championed Bundy’s side of the federal land use conflict. He brought Bundy onto his primetime program several times as a guest and at one point heavily implied that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) were planning a secret raid on the Bundy ranch along with federal authorities. Hannity called the rancher’s comments “beyond despicable” Thursday on his radio show.
Watch below, via Media Matters:
Anyone who doesn’t get that Fox News only cares about inflammatory stories that will increase ratings, as well as contributions to conservative PACs, and has no interest at all in actual news, hasn’t been paying attention.
Fox isn’t news and neither is Chive Bumdy. Time to tune 'em both out. But nice shot, otherwise, Mr. Kurts.
I take it the feed from Fox is down. At least it is on my computer.
Kurtz can get it right every once in a while. He did here. Bundy is a net negative for Fox and the conservative media.
My question remains, didn’t Fox have full crews at the Bundy ranch? Didn’t the producers notice the Aryan Nation types all over the place? If so, why didn’t the tell the folks at headquarters that this might not be the fight they wanted to cover? I am thinking there was a big fail in the Fox production department.
I love these little interludes when he pretends to have integrity.
It’s in his contract. At least once a year he is allowed to take his testicles out of the mason jar Roger Ailes keeps them in and actually do his job.