Oh boy, Fox News again. Last Thursday Donna and I drove\u00a0to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base so she could renew her military identification\u00a0card. The pass & ID office was packed, and Fox News was playing on the TV in the waiting room.<\/p>\n
Yes, military members skew conservative. Yes, many of my colleagues\u00a0feel Fox News is “their” network, or at least more on their side than the others. I get that. But I wonder how many of my fellow servicemen and women see the naked partisanship of\u00a0Fox News, not merely in its editorial and commentary segments but in its “straight” news reporting as well.<\/p>\n
When I express my\u00a0concerns to military fans of Fox News, most react in one of two ways: they either deny any bias exists or they\u00a0embrace\u00a0it\u00a0as\u00a0a necessary counterbalance to other, more liberal news sources. Very few think it’s a matter of concern.<\/p>\n
The thing I find most problematic about\u00a0Fox News, in a military context, is its open hostility toward\u00a0President Obama and members of his administration. A\u00a0steady diet of Fox News, to the exclusion of all other news sources, can’t help but foment disrespect toward the commander in chief, which is\u00a0antithetical to the mission and the core values of military service.<\/p>\n
Many years ago the\u00a0Department of Defense issued guidance on\u00a0what could be shown on public area televisions in military facilities. When it came to news, the guidance called for the selection of\u00a0neutral, non-partisan news channels. At the time that meant CNN. Granted, CNN is a far different news network today, but it is still arguably closer to\u00a0neutral in its editorial outlook than Fox News or MSNBC.<\/p>\n
I don’t doubt the individual military services have their own regulations, supplementing DoD guidance. And\u00a0I’m certain airing Fox News in military waiting rooms\u00a0violates those regulations.<\/p>\n
As I did once\u00a0before, I’m writing a letter to the DMAFB commander\u00a0to express\u00a0my concern and ask that he direct units under his command to stop allowing\u00a0the airing of Fox News or other partisan news channels on public area TVs. I still believe letters … on paper, sent via snail mail … are the way to go with complaints or suggestions you want taken seriously.<\/p>\n