Glenn Beck to Join FOX News

Oh, BIG surprise... Following Huckabee, Glenn joins the dark side. Maybe it was because his ratings were so low...

Politico:

Drudge teased this earlier, and Fox News has announced that conservative radio and television host Glenn Beck is joining the network, leaving behind CNN's Headline News. Beck will host a show at 5 p.m. on Fox beginning in the spring (Full release after the jump).

It hasn't yet been determined when Beck's last day will be, but I've heard from a network source that Headline News was already preparing to re-air "Lou Dobbs Tonight" at 9pm, instead of Beck's show (which first airs at 7pm). When Beck leaves, Dobbs show will be in the 9pm slot, but no decision on 7pm.

"Glenn has been a terrific employee and colleague to many of us at CNN," a network spokesperson said in a statement. "We wish him well.”

LINK: Glenn Beck joins Fox News

Yeah, yeah. I know I've not been posting. I'm sorry, I'm still on a break.

-Mr. Joseph

FOX Business News has very low ratings!

Like Glenn Beck and Tucker Carlson, Rupert Murdoch's FBN is tanking...

NY Daily News...

Only 6,000 people are watching Rupert Murdoch's new all business cable network during the work day, according to Nielsen ratings data obtained by the Daily News.

And, after eight weeks on the air, Fox Business Channel is averaging just 15,000 viewers in prime time.

If the average number of viewers at night all got together, they wouldn't even fill Madison Square Garden.

For comparison, 284,000 viewers tune in to CNBC during the day, with 238,000 in prime time.

The folks at Fox aren't sweating the low preliminary returns.

"It's so early, I don't know what to make of them," FBC anchor Neil Cavuto said. "We're just coming out of the gate. Going in, I had so low expectations."

Cavuto said the numbers reminded him of 11 years ago, when he joined the then fledgling Fox News Channel. "For years after I left CNBC, it was as if I had entered the witness protection program," he said.

It took FNC several years to make a dent in the ratings and more than five years to beat CNN.

The FBC's audience peaks at 27,000 viewers at 8 p.m. weeknights, the data show. Another high point has been 2 p.m. weekdays, when 17,000 check in.

"I'm not a stranger to this sort of thing," Cavuto said. "I'm a realist. These things take time. It's tough to rate this kind of thing with an audience so small."

"It has not affected our ability to get the President of the United States, all of the candidates, every top-name CEO," he said.

FBN is available in 30 million homes, with an overwhelming majority of that only in homes with digital service. CNBC is in 94 million homes, all of it available to basic subscribers.

LINK: Fox Biz Channel all but invisible

No Fox News is good news...

-Mr. Joseph

FOXSports' Howie Long rips Al Gore while discussing football

This is absolutely absurd. So the business channel, the humor show, and now, the sports section of the FOX empire are all blindingly partisan?

Crooks and Liars...

This morning on Fox NFL Sunday’s pregame show, co-host and former NFL player, Howie Long, decided it would be a good idea to insult Al Gore to make a point about sports. Not only is this moron’s statement wrong, it’s unprofessional and he should be called out for it. Why do people like Howie and Al Michaels feel the need to mix politics with sports? You can write to FOXSports and tell them what you think about Howie’s hackery.

Long:”…Mike Martz suffers from a rare form of the Al Gore syndrome, where Al still thinks he’s the president and Mike Martz still thinks he’s the head coach…”

*Note to Keith Olbermann - If you’re looking for someone for your Worst Person In The NFL segment tonight, I think Howie is your man…

LINK: FOXSports Turns into FOXNews - Howie Long Insults Al Gore

Here's the video from YouTube...

LINK: Howie Long pokes Al Gore

So this "buckethead" has the nerve to insult Gore about wanting to "still" wanting to be the President even though Gore was never President and he is not currently running (although, he did win once...)?

Now granted, Howie was a spectacular football player, and I am proud to own this football card of him...
...but, it ridiculous of him to attempt to insert a *very* poor politically charged joke into the world of football.

So, all this means is that his political career is the same as his movie career: lame.

Also, check out this video of Howie losing it on air at commentator Joe Buck.

LINK: Howie Long Goes NUTZ on pregame

-Mr. Joseph

Typical FOX Caption: "All-Out Civil War in Iraq: Could It Be a Good Thing?"

Keeping with their legacy of baffling and partisan promos and captions, FOX adds another one for the records...

Media Matters notes this story...

Fox News featured two onscreen captions during a segment on escalating violence in Iraq that read: " 'Upside' To Civil War?" and "All-Out Civil War in Iraq: Could It Be a Good Thing?"

LINK: Only on FOX: "All-Out Civil War in Iraq: Could It Be a Good Thing?"

RELATED READING...

LINK: C&L: FOX NEWS Captions

"FOX News is partisan and misleading: Could It Be a Good Thing?"

-Mr. Joseph

Murdoch expands his empire

The Empire Strikes Again...

After purchasing the Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch has now acquired Beliefnet.com. MediaBistro reports...

Steve Waldman's belief paid off today when News Corp. purchased Beliefnet.com, the spirituality-based Web site Waldman founded in 1999 and has run as editor-in-chief since.

In response to an anonymous tip we received, a call to Waldman resulted in a return call from a Fox spokeswoman requesting that this item be held until tomorrow morning to be supplemented by further information. When offered the opportunity to deny the story, the response was "Okay, we're not going to comment."

Beliefnet.com, which boasts over 3.1 million unique visitors a month, won the General Excellence Online Ellie in 2007 this past May, beating out Slate and ESPN.com. On November 12, they launched a beta social networking portal aimed at religious devotees, spiritual leaders, and faith-based groups.

Specifics on the deal to follow...

LINK: News Corp. Buys Beliefnet.com

Beliefnet, Dow Jones, Myspace, and FOX? That's only the beginning: NewsCorp is a monster. This, of course, begs the question: Will Murdoch attempt to manipulate faith, too?

-Mr. Joseph

Sean Hannity is made the fool

While I was surfing YouTube today, and it did not take me very long to spot a few videos of Sean Hannity that quite entertaining.

First, WeAreChange (a pro-Ron Paul / 9/11 Conspiracy Theory group) confronts him at a book signing...

LINK: Sean Hannity meets CHANGE
...Wow, I was so happy to see him called that to his face...

Next, Howard Dean (who is coming to UWM in about two weeks!) "outfoxes" Sean by mentioning one of my favorite documentaries, Outfoxed.

LINK: Howard Dean outfoxing Sean Hannity

Beautiful.

This next one is particularly interesting -- I agree with Hannity in this argument. An obnoxious Catholic priest of some Right-to-Life group criticizes Hannity's position on birth control. I cheered for Hannity on this one (something which hasn't happened since this...)

LINK: Hannity Bullies Clergyman

Although it was rewarding to see Hannity be called a "heretic", I was quite disturbed when the priest said, "good!" when Hannity accused him of driving people away from the Catholic faith.

And finally, a little bit of humor at Sean's expense. A clip of a terrible rendition of "Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the "heretic" himself.

LINK: Sean Hannity singing "Devil Went Down To Georgia"

I actually laughed when I saw Colmes with his hands over his ears.

Watch Outfoxed,

-Mr. Joseph

9/11 Truthers Interrupt Bill Maher

I don't know how I feel about these "Truth about 9/11" people. I saw 9/11 in Plane Sight, I've been meaning to watch Loose Change, I interview a 9/11 conspiracy theorist, and I've had questions before. But when they pull stunts like these, it is ridiculous...

All videos via Youtube...


LINK: 911 TRUTHERS INFILTRATE BILL MAHER AUDIENCE

This was all probably in response to these comments...

LINK: BILL MAHER *9/11 TRUTHERS SHOULD BE MEDICATED*

LINK: Bill Maher brushes off 9/11 truth

LINK: Bill Maher attacks Charlie Sheen 9/8/06

Well, the "Truthers" got back at him...


LINK: 9/11 Truthers Respond to Bill Maher

Lame, huh?

Well -- they also struck at FOX News' Alan Colmes...


LINK: Change Confronts Alan Colmes

I really think these guys shoot themselves in the foot when they come off as such jackasses. Maher and Colmes are critical of the Bush Administration's response to 9/11, and that should be the focal point. What happened after 9/11, not if it were some inside job.

-Mr. Joseph

UPDATE (10/25/07):
Now they're going after Clinton...

LINK: Bill Clinton Takes On 9/11 Conspiracy Protesters

Friday Funnies

This was actually posted last Friday, but I couldn't help it...

LINK: Mother Goose and Grimm

-Mr. Joseph

FOX News Democrat Debate Cancelled

Considering that only Dennis Kucinich, Joe Biden, and Mike Gravel agreed to show up, it makes sense to call it off.

From The Raw Story...

Fox News has canceled a debate of Democratic presidential candidates next month after several candidates dropped out because they said the cable news network would not provide a fair forum, the Associated Press reports. Organizers hope to reschedule the debate.

The top three Democrats seeking the nomination -- Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards -- already indicated they would not participate in the debate, which is being cosponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus.

A statement from the CBC cites scheduling conflicts and does not mention complaints that had been raised about Fox News serving as host.

“The overwhelming number of party presidential debates has created a scheduling challenge. Revising the CBC Institute’s debate schedule will allow the time necessary to complete all debate logistics in an effective manner,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chairs the caucus.

Fox News President Roger Ailes said in a prepared statement that his network still planned to host the debate.

“We look forward to working with the CBC Institute and continuing a successful relationship that affords presidential candidates the ability to reach the largest possible audience in cable news,” he said.

The candidates said they did not believe Fox would provide a fair forum, and the Democratic National Committee refused to officially sanction the debate. And, earlier this year, the Nevada Democratic Party called off a Fox-sponsored debate after complaints from activists.

LINK: Fox-backe Democratic presidential debate called off

It's a good thing they cancelled it, otherwise FOX would have embarrassed itself.

-Mr. Joseph

Biden, Gravel, Kucinich To Attend CBC Debate On Fox

So, the three Democrats that are least likely to get the nomination are the only three that will show up on FOX's Democratic debate? Lame...

From Crooks and Liars...

Via Raw Story:

With the leading candidates for the Democratic nomination in 2008 shunning a presidential primary debate sponsored by Fox News and a thinktank associated with the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel have announced their readiness to stand in a controversial spotlight.[..]

Rep. Kucinich, known primarily for his push to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney and his strong anti-war position, criticized his opponents who were unwilling to show up to the CBC/Fox debate. Read more…

Pretty disappointing to see Kucinich completely missing the point of why others declined to go on the Fox debate. James Rucker explains why Kucinich with his calling out the other candidates undermines black voters and supports Fox.

LINK: Biden, Gravel, Kucinich To Attend CBC Debate On Fox

It is very disappointing to watch Kucinich miss the point like that.
-Mr. Joseph

SURVEY: Daily Show/Colbert Viewers Most Knowledgable, Fox News Viewers Rank Lowest

Think Progress reports...

A new study by the Pew Research Study shows that viewers of the Daily Show and the Colbert Report have the highest knowledge of national and international affairs, while Fox News viewers rank nearly dead last:

Despite significant technology shifts, however, Pew found that “today’s citizens are about as able to name their leaders, and are about as aware of major news events, as was the public nearly 20 years ago.”

The results about Fox News echo findings of previous surveys. In 2003, University of Maryland researchers studied the public’s belief in three false claims — that Iraq possessed WMD, that Iraq was involved in 9/11, and that there was international support for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

The researchers stated, “The extent of Americans’ misperceptions vary significantly depending on their source of news. Those who receive most of their news from Fox News are more likely than average to have misperceptions.” Fox News viewers were “three times more likely than the next nearest network to hold all three misperceptions.”

LINK: SURVEY: Daily Show/Colbert Viewers Most Knowledgable, Fox News Viewers Rank Lowest

Figures...
-Mr. Joseph

Clinton, Obama, Edwards to Skip FOX-Sponsored Debate

From the Washington Post...

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) yesterday joined former North Carolina senator John Edwards (D) in deciding to skip a debate scheduled for September that Fox News is co-sponsoring with the Congressional Black Caucus.

Liberal activists, particularly the online group Moveon.org, have called for Democratic presidential candidates not to participate in debates by Fox, which they say is biased against Democrats. Clinton campaign aides said she would participate only in the six events sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee and two other events she had already agreed to. Several candidates, including Edwards, last month withdrew from a debate that Fox was co-hosting with the Nevada Democratic Party and would have taken place in August in Reno.

Aides to Obama, Edwards and Clinton said the candidates will participate in a debate that the Congressional Black Caucus is co-sponsoring with CNN in January in South Carolina.

"CNN seemed like a more appropriate venue," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in explaining his campaign's decision.

Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), who used to head the Congressional Black Caucus, called the decision by Obama "unfortunate." Cummings noted that many Democratic presidential candidates, including Edwards, participated in two debates that the caucus put on with Fox in the 2004 primary process.

<>LINK: Clinton, Obama to Skip Fox-Sponsored Debate

So, who will be debating? Dennis Kucinich?

-Mr. Joseph

Breaking: Nevada Fox News debate killed

Think Progress documented this good news quite well...

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and the Nevada Democratic Party announced today that they are backing out of a Fox News-sponsored presidential debate in August following Fox President Roger Ailes’s recent remarks comparing Democratic Senator Barack Obama to al Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden. Fox News did not answer calls seeking reaction to the decision.”

UPDATE: Markos on the winners, the losers, and what comes next.

UPDATE II: Fox News responds attacks: “We have not received official word from the Nevada State Democratic Party disclosing a change in debate plans. Rumors are being circulated and if true, news organizations will want to think twice before getting involved in the Nevada Democratic Caucus which appears to be controlled by radical fringe out-of-state interest groups, not the Nevada Democratic Party.”

UPDATE III: Reaction from MoveOn, Robert Greenwald, Matt Stoller and others is HERE.

LINK: Breaking: Nevada Fox News debate killed.

Well done, Moveon.org...
-Mr. Joseph

Chuck Norris Guest-Hosts on Hannity and Colmes

What is wrong with this picture?Chuck Norris filled in for Sean Hannity recently on FOX News's Hannity & Colmes...

Here is the YouTube video...

LINK: Chuck Norris Hosts Hannity and Colmes Show

However, he slipped up a little bit --

LINK: Chuck Norris makes rare mistake on Hannity and Colmes

His home news site, World Net Daily advertised it for him...
LINK: Chuck Norris to co-host on Hannity & Colmes

RELATED READING:
Newshounds rips the performance apart...
LINK: Another FOX News Guest Blames Muslims For Anti-Muslim Bias

John Stewart ripped on it during his last rant at FOX News.
-Mr. Joseph

Rupert Murdoch Admits to Manipulating the Media

From Crooks and Liars...

While at Davos, Rupert Murdoch discusses the rise of the Internet and digital media, but tells us he used News Corp. to manipulate the news.

Asked if his News Corp. managed to shape the agenda on the war in Iraq, Murdoch said: "No, I don't think so. We tried." Asked by Rose for further comment, he said: "We basically supported the Bush policy in the Middle East…but we have been very critical of his execution."

Am I reading this correctly? I found the webcast and it seems they haven't included Rupert's admission in the 9 minutes or so that they posted? I emailed The World Economic Forum for the full video. A memo to Murdock: A news organization is supposed to report—–— the news, not support an agenda.

Mark Howard sent in the tip and has more…

Juan Cole…Murdoch's media have done more to cheapen American values…

LINK: Rupert Murdoch admits manipulating the media…Surprise…Surprise

"We tried"
-- Rupert Murdoch

-Mr. Joseph

Jon Stewart vs. FOX News ...again

Crooks and Liars put this great clip up...

C&L:

You knew it was only a matter of time before The Daily Show weighed in on FOX's Obama smear and boy, was it a doozy. Instead of summarizing, I'll just leave you with this instantly classic line…

"By the way, I actually believe the last time that Doocy used the phrase "this is huge" is when he and Hannity were caught in the broom closet at the Christmas party giving each other a sloppy Cronkite. What? You never had a sloppy Cronkite?!"

VIDEO / LINK: Jon Stewart Rips Apart FNC

-Mr. Joseph

FNC Humor: "...droppable, to say the least"

I predict a lot of really bad things coming from this show...

Radar Online:

Breathe easy, Jon Stewart. It's looking like the satire program billed as Fox News Channel's answer to The Daily Show will combine the timeliness of Newsweek with the incisive wit of Mallard Fillmore. So far, Fox has taped two episodes of The Half-Hour News Hour, as the show is being called. (Its working title, This Just In, had to be scrapped, as AOL has a broadband channel with that name.)

Producer Joel Surnow, whose credits also include 24, has described the show as a cross between Comedy Central's Daily Show and Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" segment. A source who attended the tapings describes the format as far more similar to the latter, with a two-anchor setup and skits interspersed with the talking-head segments. "It was hit and miss—some stuff was inspired, and some was droppable, to say the least," says the source. Not surprisingly, he adds, most of the jokes had a conservative slant.

Comedians Kurt Long and Susan Yeagley share anchor duties, and toss to a cast of correspondents that includes original Daily Show cast member Brian Unger. Guests so far have included Rush Limbaugh (who bragged about appearing in a skit as the president, with Ann Coulter as his vice president), comedian Dom Irrera, and original Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall. While early reports on the show promised a January debut, as of now, no air date has been set.

LINK: FNC's Daily Show Rip-off Falls Flat

...

MediaBistro:

It sounds like Rush Limbaugh is making an appearance in FNC's news satire pilot:
"I went out and did some television Saturday in Los Angeles," the radio host said on Monday. "There's a new show that probably will air soon, I'm not sure when, but it's called The Half Hour NewsHour. That's the working title of it now. I guess that's subject to change. Well, actually it's not, because if it changes I gotta go back out there, but nevertheless it's a parody newscast, takeoff on liberal media newscasts, and I play the president of the United States in the opening segments of this program.
I went out and shot three takes. Ann Coulter is the vice president. (laughing) It's hilarious. The whole thing is hilarious..."

LINK: Rush Tapes Intro For FNC's News Satire?

Ugh...
-Mr. Joseph

UPDATE (12/9/07):
Crooks and Liars...

FOX Opinion Channels dreadful “Half Hour News Hour,” billed as the “right-wing answer to ‘The Daily Show;” has been canceled. It was really only a matter of time, wasn’t it?

Let’s take a look back at the show’s awful and short-lived life:

The Half Hour News Hour: Still Not Funny

Fox News 1/2 Hour News Hour Goes From Bad To Worse

Half Hour News Hour - Still Waiting For The Funny

LINK: R.I.P: FOX’s “Half Hour News Hour” Canceled

FOR REAL: O'Reilly vs. Colbert

My Way News picked this up...

It may feel like looking into the mirror for Bill O'Reilly and Stephen Colbert next week. The Fox News Channel host and Colbert, who has essentially based his comic character every evening on Comedy Central on him, will trade appearances on each other's programs Jan. 18.

"I'm really looking forward to speaking to a man who owes his entire career to me," O'Reilly said.

On "The Colbert Report," Colbert portrays a self-involved talk-show host who has tried to bring "truthiness" to the world. His character owes an obvious debt to O'Reilly, who holds court in the "no-spin zone" each evening.

On "The O'Reilly Factor," O'Reilly portrays a ... um, he hosts the top-rated program in cable news.

"I look forward to the evening," Colbert said. "It is an honor to speak face-to-face with a broadcasting legend, and I feel the same way about Mr. O'Reilly."

LINK: O'Reilly, Colbert to Trade Appearances

This will be good. I'll post videos ASAP.

-Mr. Joseph

Drudge Fires a Shot at Dems... and misses...

Matt Drudge must have been estatic when he posted this...

"DEM VOW ALREADY BROKEN: HOUSE SETS 4-DAY WORK WEEK
Sun Jan 07 2007 15:03:38 ET

Democrats ran to expand the work week in the House to 5 days.

But guess how long that lasted?

Not even one week!

"Culture Shock on Capitol Hill: House to Work 5 Days a Week" front-paged the WASHINGTON POST in December.

Majority leader Steny Hoyer said members of the House will be expected in the Capitol for votes each week by 6:30 p.m. Monday and will finish their business about 2 p.m. Friday.

Explained the POST: "Forget the minimum wage. Or outsourcing jobs overseas. The labor issue most on the minds of members of Congress yesterday was their own: They will have to work five days a week starting in January."

But on the morning after the night before, on the first full week of the new congress, Hoyer has pulled back from his vow!

A Hoyer press release obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT boldly declares: "Monday, January 8, 2007: The House is not in session."

Hill sources claim The House is taking Monday 'off' this week, because of the championship football game between Ohio State and the University of Florida.

And, of course, the following Monday is the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

100 hours...starting...soon

Developing..."

However, Crooks and Liars was quick put that rumor to rest...

"Sounds pretty bad, doesn't it? Problem is, Drudge is weaseling in telling the story. It's the truth, but without any context.

Guess where I found the context? FoxNews (I know, go figure)

It's only the first week of the 110th Congress, but Democrats have already called a time-out so lawmakers can enjoy a very important event - the BCS championship football game between University of Florida and the Ohio State University.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on Friday handed out this week's schedule. It noted that House legislative actions would not begin on Monday, but would be postponed until Tuesday.

Here's the best part: Steny Hoyer took particular care to name a colleague who he was sure would really appreciate the day off to watch the game…his friend from Ohio. Republican and House Minority Leader John Boehner

"…In the spirit of comity, and I know if Maryland were playing, I would want to be accommodated and I want to accommodate my friend, Mr. Boehner," Hoyer said in reference to new House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Now granted, the following week has Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, making a second four day week, but that's hardly dropping down the 109th's 2 1/2 day work week, is it?"

LINK: Drudge Weasels To Jab At The Dems

I don't care what people say. I still like Matt Drudge.
-Mr. Joseph

Hannity's America?

I'm glad Media Matters picked up on this. I heard about this last night. I think it's ridiculous. He has his own radio program and half a TV Show. He doesn't need another one. And when is FOX going to give a liberal his/her own show?

Here's the story from my hometown paper, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel...

The already hard-working Sean Hannity adds another shift to his schedule this weekend with the launch of "Hannity's America" on the Fox News Channel.

Hannity's new magazine show - airing Sundays at 8 - joins his nightly "Hannity & Colmes" on Fox News, and his radio show, airing on WISN-AM (1130) at 6 weeknights.

"I love what I'm doing," the 45-year-old Hannity tells Inside TV & Radio. "I love radio, I love TV, I think I have the greatest life, I have a passion for what I do every day.

"There are things that I've wanted to do for a long time, aspects or sort of segments you can't do in a debate-oriented show," he says.

Fox has tried out a number of weekend pilots, including something called "Hannity on America." That led to this program, a natural choice since Hannity's already co-host of the No. 2 show in cable news.

He says "Hannity's America" will open with news, and then go to "stories that I think and others think need to be covered and are not being covered."

"Look, anybody that follows the news knows that there's a lot of stories out there that never seem to get the attention they deserve."

His first show will feature a face-to-face with anti-Iraq war activist Cindy Sheehan in his new "Hot Seat" segment.

"What I'm trying to do is sort of avoid the problem of 'answer the question, answer the question,' " he explains.

"We're going to start off the segment with five yes-or-no questions and then, after we finish that, we're going to go more in depth.

"Everybody will know ahead what the rules are."

Another scheduled guest is Elisabeth Hasselbeck of ABC's "The View," who'll talk about the ongoing Donald Trump-Rosie O'Donnell feud, a staple of cable TV "news" shows.

For the record, Hannity says that'll be him live on Sundays, not a mere recorded image.

"I'm coming in Sunday night, which, by the way, is a night that I always worked anyway," he says. "After I went to church and took my kids out to dinner every Sunday, which is part of our family tradition, or Sunday brunch, then by 6 o'clock I'd start winding down, turn on '60 Minutes' and start doing all my prep for the week."

The entire conversation with Hannity is available on the latest podcast edition of Inside TV & Radio - the 50th installment - available at www.jsonline.com/links/cuprisin. You also can subscribe to the podcast for free at the iTunes Store.

LINK: Hannity will try out a new format in 'America'

MM:

On January 7, Fox News will premiere a new weekly show, Hannity's America, starring Sean Hannity, who currently co-hosts the Fox News show Hannity & Colmes along with Alan Colmes. Hannity and others have defended themselves against charges that Fox News leans conservative by pointing to the purported conservative/liberal balance represented by the co-hosts of Hannity & Colmes, but Colmes apparently will not be a co-host of Hannity's America.

According to a January 4 Hollywood Reporter article, Hannity's America will "blend the debate style that Hannity is noted for on TV and syndicated radio," featuring interviews and reports and a "debate component, called 'Hannity's Hot Seat,' [that] will feature a lightning round of five yes or no questions put to a liberal and then a debate." Each show will also reportedly include "the naming of a 'Great American' ... 'people that on a daily basis make this a great country and never get noticed." According to a Fox News advertisement that aired during the January 2 edition of Hannity & Colmes, Hannity's America will air every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET; Hannity will continue to co-host Hannity & Colmes and his daily ABC Radio Networks show.

As Media Matters for America has noted, several people, including Hannity himself, have previously defended Fox News against charges it skews to the right in part by pointing to the pairing of Hannity and Colmes on their show.

LINK: Despite touting Colmes as "balance," Hannity to host own Fox News show

Another Right-Wing hawk show... great...
-Mr. Joseph