In a historic move, Fox News (FNC) has adopted the AP Stylebook suggestion to refer to terrorists as “militants.”
While many haven’t noticed the change, it was egregious enough for Scott W. Johnson of Power Line to write about it after witnessing the news organization refer to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) by the AP-approved, more benign-sounding term.
The United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan and New Zealand have designated PIJ a terrorist organization.
Johnson argues the change in style threatens to deceive FNC’s audience.
He notes that host Bret Baier and Fox News Digital reporter Anders Hagstrom used it in stories about PIJ. Hagstorm’s article described how “Gaza militants” fired a rocket barrage into Israel last week:
The usage is not accurate or clarifying. It is obscurantist at best. I have written Bret Baier twice to ask him when and explain why “terrorists” have became “militants” at Fox News. I also wrote Anders Hagstrom with the same question.
Fox News lists executive Irena Briganti as its media contact. Fox News Digital lists executive Porter Berry. I wrote both of them with the same inquiry.
Baier, Hagstrom, Briganti, and Berry all declined to comment, as they say. More accurately, they all failed to respond. Any Fox News insiders willing to shed light on the issue are invited to write me at [email protected].
Fox News’ legal troubles from its 2020 presidential election coverage remain far from over. Despite resolving its case with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million, the conservative news network faces a $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit from electronic voting systems company Smartmatic for airing debunked election claims.
Fox denies that such exchanges were part of a disinformation campaign.
At the same time, Canada’s broadcasting regulator may banish FNC from its airwaves. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) turned its sights on FNC after an LGBTQ advocacy group alleged that then-host Tucker Carlson was trying to “provoke hatred and violence” against the LGBTQ community.
While FNC has relatively few viewers in Canada, at least one Canadian columnist is urging the government not to ban it from cable TV packages.
Writing for the Toronto Star, Andrew Phillips warns of a dangerous precedent:
On the issue of principle, didn’t Voltaire famously say back in the 18th century, “I don’t like Fox News but I will defend to the death your right to watch it” (or something along those lines)? We should think long and hard before we start banning news outlets, even those we find offensive. Surely, Canada’s democracy is not so feeble that it can’t stand exposure to this one network, and surely it’s up to Canadians to decide what they watch.
No Canadian, of course, is forced to watch Fox or to pay for it. It isn’t part of basic cable packages. You have to pay extra, and the solution for those who hate it is 1) don’t pay for it and 2) persuade others to do the same. You could even pressure your cable provider to delist Fox (which would be a private commercial decision, not a mandate from a federal agency).
…
The fact is anyone who truly wants to see Fox News, or news outlets even further to the right, can do that simply by going online and using a few easy workarounds. Trying to ban Fox by expelling it from the cable world is futile as well as wrong-headed. The CRTC should not go down that road.
READ NEXT: Fox News, Dominion Voting Systems Break Silence On Tucker Carlson Ouster
doesn’t ‘ap style’ encapsulate the whole of mainstream media these days? all agenda, no substance.
Stainless?
Instead of referring to terrorists as “militants”, we should start pressuring media outlets to refer to them what they really are…………. “Unhinged Democrats”.
Another reason to keep us away from Fox. We haven’t missed it at all and this justifies our decision. GO Tucker! Love Twitter now.
Yes!!!
Just like CBS NBC ABC etc Join the club
Watch NewsMax
America used to be a country of leaders. It’s now a country of feeble minded, non-thinking people that to men as women and women as men. If ever have a war the majority of this country would be like their illustrious President and hide under their beds.
To call Muslim terrorists “militants” is outrageous, Jew-hating, Nazi-style propaganda! I am now totally done with Fox News!
Wolf in sheeps clothing. Fox is more dangerous than CNN. Just another social engineering propaganda outlet disguised as conservative.
Fox News should decide whether it will bend to the Will of the Mass media or actually report news Good or Bad from Truthful sources, not politically affiliated, Non-Partisan, Real news, without Fear or Favor, because it would be a refreshing change and it just might elevate their ratings, because America Wants and Needs the Truth and Fox needs to be appreciated as leaders not taking a knee as followers! The ball is in their court, the prize is either a Goal or Foul, two choices!
So FOX has joined the terrorists too!
I’ve found Newsmax to be an acceptable replacement. Already several of their commentators are from FOX and we must expect others will follow.