The O'Reilly Factor: Examined (legal, CNN, biased, compared)

[ontheroad]

Somehow I don't, or rather can't equate listening audience with "hard to argue with the facts." What facts are we talking about? Is it that people like to listen to Mr. O'Reilly? Is it that Mr. O'Reilly speaks for his audience?

What exactly are the facts? My facts often differ with the clips I see of the commentator. He seems to start off, really good, steady on, and then in the course of his comments, he gets so off base, I wonder how he went from that smiling, seemingly intelligent man to a red face rave-machine... blustering all over the place, and making unfounded allegations (in all and any direction).

So, explain why people enjoy listening to someone that shuts people up and off, takes their mikes away from them, and plum distorts the news in his broadcast.

[lilypad]

I think that is what his ratings are all about, he is exciting and unpredictable, you know, like a shock jock. It is what we require today of our media. But will say, I trust his "facts" more than I would any one on MSNBC or CNN, with the exception of Lou Dobbs.

[Sooner_Nation_60]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Somehow I don't, or rather can't equate listening audience with "hard to argue with the facts." What facts are we talking about? Is it that people like to listen to Mr. O'Reilly? Is it that Mr. O'Reilly speaks for his audience?

What exactly are the facts? My facts often differ with the clips I see of the commentator. He seems to start off, really good, steady on, and then in the course of his comments, he gets so off base, I wonder how he went from that smiling, seemingly intelligent man to a red face rave-machine... blustering all over the place, and making unfounded allegations (in all and any direction).

So, explain why people enjoy listening to someone that shuts people up and off, takes their mikes away from them, and plum distorts the news in his broadcast.

You'll have to ask the 2.2 millions viewers why they LOVE Mr. O'Reilly. My guess....he's right.

[ontheroad]

My guess...they are amused, easily distracted, and like the bad mouthing....he is more often wrong than right, but we can't win them all.

Originally Posted by Sooner_Nation_60

You'll have to ask the 2.2 millions viewers why they LOVE Mr. O'Reilly. My guess....he's right.

[Sooner_Nation_60]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

My guess...they are amused, easily distracted, and like the bad mouthing....he is more often wrong than right, but we can't win them all.

More often wrong, in your opinion. More often right, in mine.

Given the fact that Bill heads up the most popular series on the most popular cable news network, he's probably got unlimited resources at his disposal to make certain he's getting it right.

And I find it interesting that you've drawn your conclusions about him by watching just clips?? Maybe you're not getting the whole story before deciding.....a lot of people make that mistake.

[ontheroad]

Yes, clips, but I watch them carefully, and we are entitled, fully to different opinions.

How many folks watch him doesn't impress me. After all, the country voted in President Bush twice, and I voted agin him twice.

I must be out of step!

(off topic, have some good friends from Norman)

Originally Posted by Sooner_Nation_60

More often wrong, in your opinion. More often right, in mine.

Given the fact that Bill heads up the most popular series on the most popular cable news network, he's probably got unlimited resources at his disposal to make certain he's getting it right.

And I find it interesting that you've drawn your conclusions about him by watching just clips?? Maybe you're not getting the whole story before deciding.....a lot of people make that mistake.

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Sooner_Nation_60

More often wrong, in your opinion. More often right, in mine.

Given the fact that Bill heads up the most popular series on the most popular cable news network, he's probably got unlimited resources at his disposal to make certain he's getting it right.

And I find it interesting that you've drawn your conclusions about him by watching just clips?? Maybe you're not getting the whole story before deciding.....a lot of people make that mistake.

Media Matters, one of ole' Falafel Bill's latest targets of two minutes of hate, has a bevy of O'Reilly distortions and "factual inacuracies":

Search Results: Bill O'Reilly - Media Matters (http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?qstring=Bill+O%27Reilly - broken link)

[ontheroad]

Thanks TriMT7---I was going to post this, but thought better of it.

Originally Posted by TriMT7

Media Matters, one of ole' Falafel Bill's latest targets of two minutes of hate, has a bevy of O'Reilly distortions and "factual inacuracies":

Search Results: Bill O'Reilly - Media Matters (http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?qstring=Bill+O%27Reilly - broken link)

[TriMT7]

Originally Posted by Sooner_Nation_60

Can you provide a link to the research that shows the stats of Bill's average viewer age being 71?? I find only a NY Times article that says MSNBC conducted a little "study" and that was their findings. I'd be hard-pressed to believe them. Anything by a credible survey corporation such as Nielsen?

Interesting also: Bill's 11pm re-broadcast rakes in more viewers than any other cable news program in their PRIME-TIME SLOT (according to Nielsen). Bill is well-liked and respected, he's the most-watched on TV and his radio show is the #1 listened to....hard to argue with the facts.

Ok, so you don't trust this survey. It's actually not far off however, and we DO have a snapshot of his "overall audience," from a study done by Neilsen/Annenberg comparing the two audiences after O'Reilly called Daily Show viewers a bunch of "Dopey Kids" and "Stoned Slackers":

In response to Bill O'Reilly's "stoned slackers" and "dopey kids" comments
during his September 17 interview of Jon Stewart on Fox News Channel's "The
O'Reilly Factor":

* The median age of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" 11:00 p.m.
(premiere) airing is 35, while its median income is $67,000.

* The median age of "The O'Reilly Factor" 8:00 p.m. (premiere) airing is
63, while its median income is $54,000.


* Viewers of "The Daily Show" are 78% more likely than the average adult
to have four or more years of college education.

* Viewers of "The O'Reilly Factor" are only 24% more likely than the
average adult to have four or more years of college education.


* Viewers of "The Daily Show" are 42% more likely than the average adult
to have a household income of $75,000+.

* Viewers of "The O'Reilly Factor" are only 6% more likely the average
adult to have a household income of $75,000+.


* Viewers of "The Daily Show" are 26% more likely than the average adult
to have a household income of $100,000+.

* Viewers of "The O'Reilly Factor" are only 11% more likely than the
average adult to have a household income of $100,000+.

* Viewers of "The Daily Show" are 74% more likely than the average adult
to have a household income of $75,000+ and an occupation of
"professional, owner or manager."

* Viewers of "The O'Reilly Factor" are 15% less likely than the average
adult to have a household income of $75,000+ and an occupation of
"professional, owner or manager."

* Viewers of "The Daily Show" are 37% more likely than the average adult
to be in a "white collar" profession.

* Viewers of "The O'Reilly Factor" are 15% less likely the average adult
to be in a "white collar" profession.

Source: Nielsen Media Research
NPower - median age & income of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (11:00 p.m.), "The O'Reilly Factor" (8:00 p.m.)
Marketbreaks - "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" 7:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.
airings; "The O'Reilly Factor" 8:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. airings. Indexed
to total US population, 18+.

Bill O'Reilly Calls Viewers of 'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart' A Bunch of 'Stoned Slackers' and 'Dopey Kids' During Interview With Jon Stewart on 'The O'Reilly Factor'

Hard to argue with the "facts" huh?

[JoeP]

The premise is wrong. It's not news. it's entertaiment. As mentioned above, he's no different than a shock jock. It's all about ratings and in his (and Fox's case) his (and their) agenda so create the schitck and entain the masses who don't know much about politics etc and buy into his routine. It works for Rush etc too.