Fox News Viewers

A recent study has revealed that viewers of Rupert Murdoch's Fox News are the most likely to be misinformed on a variety of political news stories. The study showed that viewers were more likely to believe such utter hogwash as:

• Most economists estimate the stimulus caused job losses (12 points more likely)
• Most economists have estimated the health care law will worsen the deficit (31 points)
• The economy is getting worse (26 points)
• Most scientists do not agree that climate change is occurring (30 points)
• The stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts (14 points)
• Their own income taxes have gone up (14 points)
• The auto bailout only occurred under Obama (13 points)
• When TARP came up for a vote most Republicans opposed it (12 points)
• And that it is not clear that Obama was born in the United States (31 points)

For some reason I am not surprised by any of this. Perhaps it's because this is the same channel that employs such great minds as Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin. I feel so sorry for any liberal-minded person who tries to go on there to defend something sensible like the health care bill...

In a case of unfortunate timing, Mark Thompson (Director General of the BBC) has stated that he wants the impartiality rules on TV news in the UK to be laxed to allow for 'opinionated journalism'. Yes, I can totally see why that is a good idea...