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O’Reilly Ambushing Reluctant Guests

Apr 16, 2009  •  Post A Comment

Bill O’Reilly’s show on the Fox News Channel has taken to ambushing people to get reluctant sources to appear on the show on camera, the New York Times says. Mike Hoyt, executive editor of The Columbia Journalism Review, is one of more than 50 people O’Reilly’s young producers have confronted in the past three year. He tells the Times the interviews were “really just an attempt to make you look bad.” In almost every case, O’Reilly uses the aggressive interviews to campaign for his point of view, the paper says.
—Jon Lafayette

9 Comments

  1. That this underhanded approach by Fox “News” surprises anyone is news to me!

  2. O’Reilly just fits the mold of the “Conservative” radio talkers today. Ambush and talk down to, and over, anyone who makes the mistake of attempting to engage in conversation with them on-the-air.
    I’ve been a talk show host and intend to do it again.
    Respect for others is an important factor not exibited by the current batch of On Air Bullies.
    I challenge any of them to give me their broadcasts while they rest their overstuffed windbags for a week.
    They’re all too insecure to do it, but I toss down the Gauntlet, just the same.
    Peter Bright

  3. Thugs. This shows a real lack of credibility on the part of Faux News. But that’s not what they’re going for, is it.

  4. I don’t care for Bill O’Reilly myself,but The New York Times is hardly a paragon of even-handed journalism itself so consider the source of the story.
    It is a interesting that this story comes on the heals of the White House attack on Rush Limbaugh.
    BTW, if nobody was listening to the”conservative” radio talkers, then they wouldn’t be on the air.

  5. David: I am not here to argue whether or not the radio bullies have an audience…I am here to argue that they lack professionalism and personal security to allow others to speak their minds without talking down, belittling, shouting over them, or cutting them off altogether.
    Interesting discourse brings about combined thoughts and, perhaps, a healthy resolution.
    Peter Bright

  6. Why not show up on his show and defend yourself? The reason why is they can’t defend the absurd things they’ve said.
    Dan Rather was a master at “ambush journalism” when he was at 60 Minutes in the 1970s. I don’t remember the NT Times complaining about Rather’s tactics then. The NY Times is now complaining because they have a personal axe to grind with O’Reilly, as he does with them.

  7. Peter, did you happen to see the CNN female “journalist” interview the man holding his daughter at one of the Tea Parties in Illinois? If you want a perfect example of “lack professionalism and personal security to allow others to speak their minds without talking down, belittling, shouting over them, or cutting them off altogether,” there’s your evidence right there. It happens all over with the media, not just Bill O’Reilly.
    I’m QUITE TIRED of everyone dismissing FOX and it’s viewers as ignorant or extremists. As evidenced by the massive amounts of protesters present at the Tea Parties (and the media’s dismissal and lack of coverage except to make vulgar comments about teabagging) apparently I’m not the only one. Get ready libs, revolution is coming and it can’t happen soon enough! We are sick of being silenced by the liberal media and our liberal govt.

  8. I’ve learned something these past 24 hours.
    Political dissent is bad when your side is the one opposed to it but it’s good when your side is the one instigating it. I’ve learned that on both sides of the political spectrum.
    When people disagree with a viewpoint, there are two ways you can react. Be open to that opinion and react thoughtfully if you disagree or shout on top of someone like a spoiled child that has to have it their way or no way. I find O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck, Limbaugh, Kudlow, and a few others take on the latter approach while Scarbourough, Will, Buchannan, Carlson, and others listen and thoughtfully disagree without looking and sounding like an ass. The latter segment of conservative commentators I can jive with and probably the only reason I’m not all the way a bleeding heart liberal.
    I don’t have a problem with O’Reilly sending paparazzi to interview folks. But I do have a problem with him blasting paparazzi for doing the same to celebrities. Can’t have it both ways.
    I’ve also learned that grassroots can be influenced by networks and media types with their own agenda. Of course, it isn’t grassroots. It’s astroturfing. It too happens on both sides of the political spectrum, though I’ve never seen Lifetime sponsor the Million Moms March. I did, however, see MTV sponsor Woodstock 1999 and Fox News sponsor the Tax Day Tea Party.
    I’ve learned that I have to send Glenn Beck the History of the Alamo. There’s a reason why Texans say “Remember The Alamo.” Quick hint: Americans fought against Mexicans and DIDN’T win that day.
    I’ve also learned that the media doesn’t extend to radio or Fox News. They’re not the media. They’re . . . there.
    I’ve also learned that bigots, racists, and xenophobes were present at the Tea Parties. I know conservatives don’t want to acknowledge that their side attracts those individuals, but you know what? There’s a reason they do, and those that don’t want to associate with those types should do all they can to root them out like the pigs they are. You know, they could stop giving them television and radio shows for starters.

  9. Hey Thurston: If I recall, it was “Texas” that fought against the Mexicans at the Alamo. Not America. Texas was not yet part of the US and would in fact, become an independent nation from Mexico before joining the United States. Americans did fight at the Alamo, but they did so as individuals.
    Maybe you need to read that history of the Alamo before dropping it in the mail to your friends over at Fox News.

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