Fox News is throwing some serious promotional resources behind its coverage of the conservative-driven, anti-tax "Tea Party" movement. The network is encouraging viewers to participate in protests, which it plans to cover live from at least four locations across the country. Now Media Matters says, the network has gone one teabag too far.
Fox News is making a mockery of its famous slogan, the progressive media watchdog says:
Despite its repeated insistence that its coverage is "fair and balanced" and its invitation to viewers to "say 'no' to biased media," Fox News has frequently aired segments encouraging viewers to get involved with "tea party" protests across the country, which the channel has described as primarily a response to President Obama's fiscal policies.
The Media Matters item goes on to beat up Fox for dozens of recent on-air statements it views as too favorable of the tea party movement, such as Glenn Beck's exhortation to "celebrate with Fox News" on tax day.
Fox's Tea Party cheerleading stands in stark contrast to the studied silence observed by CNBC, whose own Rick Santelli got this whole movement started. Since Santelli's impromptu rant blasting government spending on bank bailouts and mortgage relief, he and his network have kept their distance.
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