Jon Stewart on MSM: Fox agenda-driven but ABC, CBS, NBC, NY Times are not

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Daily Caller:

This is the appearance we’ve been waiting for – Comedy Central host Jon Stewart making an appearance on a Sunday morning national public affairs program, especially one on a network he so often ridicules.

On Sunday’s “Fox News Sunday,” with host Chris Wallace, “The Daily Show” host explained why he thinks Fox News is different from other news organizations which are criticized by some for being “as liberal as Fox News is conservative.”

WALLACE: [Y]ou love to take shots at Fox News.
STEWART: Yes I do.
WALLACE: Over the years, you have called us –and we’re going to put this on the screen because this is heavy stuff: ‘A biased organization, relentlessly promoting an ideological agenda under the rubric of being a news organization.’
STEWART: Rubric?
WALLACE: And I think that was slightly the wrong use of the word – ‘a relentless agenda-driven, 24-hour news propaganda delivery system.’ Where do you come up with this stuff?
STEWART: It’s easy when you feel it. You have to feel it in your soul.
WALLACE: Well, here is the deal – are you willing to say the same thing about the mainstream media, ABC, CBS, NBC, Washington Post, New York Times?
STEWART: No.
WALLACE: Would you say the same thing about them that they are, in your words, a ‘propaganda-delivery system relentlessly pushing a liberal agenda’?
STEWART: No, I wouldn’t say that.
WALLACE: Why not?
STEWART: MSNBC is attempting that. I think they’re attempting — they have looked at your business model and they have seen the success of it and I think they’re attempting to be a more activist organization.
WALLACE: You don’t think The New York Times is a liberal organization now pushing a liberal agenda?
STEWART: The New York Times – no. I think they are to a certain extent. Do I think they’re relentlessly activist? No. In a purely liberal partisan way? No, I don’t. I think this is — Fox is a very special.

Stewart went on to defend some of the material on his shows, including a montage comparing a video released by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to a herpes medication commercial. However, he said that ridiculing conservatives for the sake of promoting an agenda isn’t his primary focus.

“Here is the difference between you and I,” Stewart said. “I’m a comedian first. My comedy is informed by an ideological background – there’s no question about that. The thing that you will never understand and the thing that conservative activists in some respects will never understand is that Hollywood – yeah, they’re liberal. But that’s not their primary motivating force. I’m not an activist. I’m a comedian.”
________

When he wants to be, Jon Stewart can be very funny. The rest of the time, not so much.

[Argyle58]

About what you'd expect from Anthony Weiner's former roommate.

[Valin]

Stewart vs. Wallace

Pat Sajak

6/20/11

 

The Sunday “debate” between Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace and comedian Jon Stewart was interesting and entertaining, and I thought both men came off okay, though I would give the match to Stewart on points. I feel the same way about conservatives who criticize Stewart’s show as I do about liberals who rip Rush Limbaugh’s radio program. Both are entertainment shows—comedy shows, if you will—and they each carry the political imprint of its host. Holding them up to some sort of balanced journalistic standards doesn’t make any sense.

 

Sure, Stewart seemed either naïve or disingenuous when asked about liberal bias in the press, but Wallace seemed to be stretching to find some “gotcha” quotes from Stewart. Are there people who think they’ve gotten the day’s news when they watch The Daily Show? I suppose so, but that’s not Jon Stewart’s fault. If the smirks and funny pictures and audience applause don’t clue you in, there’s probably not much hope for you anyway. I think Stewart is smart and funny and probably more politically motivated than he admits even to himself, but so what?

 

(Snip)

[Rheo]

Love the line after the snip.

 

edited to add: snip in Sajak article.

[Geee]

I don't think Rush would appreciate being called a comedy show