Fox News

Why so controversial.

Let Bill O'Reilly and Charles Krauthammer say it first (and maybe best)
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4101945982001

I was a dedicated Cronkite man and then Huntley Brinkley, Harry Reasoner and for the longest time  Tom Brokaw. I was never much of a fan of Dan Rather and having him put out the false documents was the first time I said to myself - what, these folks lie?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killian_documents_controversy

I first started watching Fox with the evening news. The show started at 6pm instead of 6:30 and it seemed I was ready to make a drink and sit down for some down time before dinner. Brit Hume was the anchor then for Special Report and I liked him and the reporters. I particularly liked the commentary with the "panel" that analyzed three or four of the current days topics. I liked listening to people smarter than me discuss these important issues.
Current lineup

What really hooked me on the channel was Charles Krauthammer. He just made sense to me and had a great way of cutting through the bull that most politicians of either stripe slung.

Since then I have expanded my viewing across the channel and will record most everything from 5pm top 9pm. I may not watch it all but I do record it. This way I can skip past stuff I have already seen and spend time watching commentators that I admire when they are guests on the other shows. Some I particularly like:

• Brit Hume still makes a few appearances. 
• Charles Krauthammer can show up on almost any show at any time. 
• John Bolton is usually spot on with his critiques of our foreign entanglements.
• James Rosen- - Chief Washington corespondent - the one who Eric Holder wire tapped.
• John Henry - white house corespondent- oozes smarts
• James Carville - The Raging Cagun Double threat - smart and funny
• Andrew P. Napolitano - No nonsense libertarian
• Karl Rove and Joe Trippi - Often on together, they are smart on politics.
• You can look up the above here

5PM - The Five has become a sensation under the leadership and direction of Greg Gutfled who is as funny and witty as it gets in political circles. If he was born in the 1800's he would have worked at Punch. He is part of a rotating group of 7 co-hosts. Dana Perino is often the smartest explain-er of the white house in an administration that often defies explanation, She was GW's press secretary.

6PM - Special Report with Brett Baier - Arguably the best evening news show. I record NBC nightly news and watch that as well. It is like putting The News Hour (from NPR) up against GMA.

7PM - On The Record with Greta Van Susteren - Not my favorite but she occasionally gets good guests and has something to talk about. One hour is hard to fill when you follow SR.


8PM - The O'Reilly Factor - Bill is like Beef Jerky, you either love him or hate him. In small doses he goes well. Not afraid of ANY story his formula, like it or lump it, is the top rated cable "news" show (small n - it is really the Bill O'Reilly Pontificator show). His guests are really what make the show.
Bernie Goldberg is brilliant on the media (See also Howard Kurtz)

9PM - The Kelly File. There is no doubt that Megyn Kelly is a news rock start. She started doing legal analisys and held her own opposite Bill O'Reilly on the Factor, not an easy gig. Another double threat - Smart and attractive. I am not a regular watcher but think she will continue to do a good job.

10PM - Hannity - If you are still watching Fox at this point you are a nut and Hannity is there to throw red meat at you. With that said Hannity is still smart and has great guests, sometimes surprisingly good guests. His great American panel is lively and he will invite tough ones on as well such as radical English Imans and such.

What prompted this post
Googling the results "fox most trusted"
https://www.google.com/search?q=foxs+news+most+trusted&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/us/us03092015_Umepxt98.pdf
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2173

Five fun facts about Fox News
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/14/five-facts-about-fox-news/

Interesting dated article on Fox
The network has changed quite a bit since this came out in 2011
http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/the-most-biased-name-in-news/

Who is who
http://www.gallup.com/poll/166763/record-high-americans-identify-independents.aspx
Why more popular?
The main stream media is Liberal. There are several outlets of varying left of center variety starting at ABC and going all the way out to MSNBC.
Fox is the only outlet that is right of center and they have hard news (fair and balanced) and then progressively right of center varieties starting at Greta Van Sustren and going all the way out to Sean Hannity.
The US is (according to Gallup) roughly 31% Democrat 42% Independent and 25% Republican
Fox is more popular because the others essentially split the vote.