Juan Williams and Why Fox News is Like Parker Lewis...

Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press

If you don't know by now (and if you don't know you must have been in space for the past few days) ex-NPR news analyst Juan Williams lost his job at NPR, only to gain a better job with FOX News to the tune of 2 million dollars. God I wish I could have this kind of luck in the job market. But honestly what's really going on? On Thursday, February 04, 2010 John Stewart gave one of the best breakdowns of Fox News ever, saying he believed, "Fox News is the most passionate and sells the clearest narrative of any news organization, if that's how — are you still referring to it in that manner?"

But how accurate is this? Very. The only problem is most other news organizations are all too ready to buy into the narrative. FOX News holds itself up as the David, a (small?) "fair and balanced" news agency against giant liberal Goliaths. But isn't this really more like wrestling? I mean you have sports and you have sports entertainment. FOX News is "News Entertainment."

The belief, if you're liberal, it that FOX News is an evil news organization that twist the news and feeds on hate and fear. If you're conservative, you believe that FOX News is one of the last bastions of sanity in the news/information arena. But really it's all a narrative that is too profitable to not take part in. View it like a rap beef. FOX is "Fiddy", NPR is "The Game". They come up with a reason to beef and after money is made on both sides they become friends again. (Or in the case of FOX and NPR causal enemies).

The firing and hiring of Juan Williams makes supporters rally for both sides. That equates to waking the dormant viewers (FOX) and listeners (NPR). But if you wanted to take down FOX News or anyone for that matter, you report the bad things they've done minus spin? These things should speak for themselves right?  Well it's not profitable.

Remember the Bill O'Reilly and the Sylvia's Resturaunt incident? It would be very easy to simply report the story accurately. O'Reilly's whole point was that African Americans were just like everyone else. His podcast even stated the only things many white people know about blacks mainly comes from television. But the spin was that somehow O'Reilly made a racist statement. But "Bill O'Reilly Discovers Great African American Dining Establishment" probably wouldn't move papers or get viewers. (Maybe a few, but not as much as a good negative spin story).

Of course people who watch FOX News see that the other news outlets intentionally spun the statements out of context. So it appears that FOX, again, is the underdog in a never ending battle. The other organizations seem to have a vested interest in being the Jokers to FOX's Batman.

It's no different than Whoppie Goldberg and Joy  Behar walking off the stage during the 11/14/2010 O'Reilly visit. And of course the older, wiser Walters, explaining how that should never happen. It's all Schitck. It's all for ratings. You think Behar or Goldberg didn't know that there would be a news blitz about it the next day. Who walks off their own show? Maybe Jay Leno, but who else? I wouldn't be surprised if it were all planned. You know if O'Reilly is on "The View" or even John Stewart goes on the "The Factor" it's all ratings. You know there will be fireworks and you come away disappointed if it doesn't happen. Not much difference than Kayne West at an MTV award show.

FOX News is like Parker Lewis because it can't lose. FOX cements itself as the underdog and other networks jump in on the "narrative". Everyone understands the game and plays their part. Only the viewer believes it's all a battle of good versus evil when it's really two sides of the same profit making coin.

Fact is Vivian Schiller is full of it. Her excuses don't explain away others on NPR who do the same type of things Williams did only...not on FOX News. But it makes her look real good to her/NPR's backers and makes Williams and FOX News look real good to theirs. Again, in this story, FOX appears to be the champion of free speech, standing up for the little guy and mom's apple pie. And everyone  makes money so no one's really too upset at the end of the day. Am I wrong? I mean everyone in question is doing well financially because of this whole thing right. And if Vivian Schiller gets the axe, won't she too pop up at some news outlet? Probably MSNBC.