Fox News Vs. MSNBC

After quite a lot of time was invested into MSNBC news and coverage
right through the first and second terms of the Obama Presidency, i may
have emerged with some sense of the difference between the two media
power houses.

This project was undertaken after experiencing some of the intellectual
back and forth between these two giants.
Maybe the few punches that were thrown are justified, what they are
though is distracting at least from the bigger picture.
The effect of these battles is great if it can be restricted or drawn
away from the companies that were designed to deliver content. But this
can prove challenging especially because of the personalities that are
involved and this is at the heart of these two media houses.

Delivery of news in MSNBC is designed around strong single personalities
whereas Fox News seems to focus more on groups of personalities. The
former is good because it allows you to narrow the target of the attack
and to place the blame on individuals should there be any errors. The
latter allows you to disperse the possible effects of error by absorbing
negative thoughts and ideas through a larger group of characters.

To explain this a little further, it means that one anchor presents the
news with one unique view or perspective. MSNBC then designs the news
show around these individuals who have to be on top of their game and
controversial enough to draw in the crowds. Each show therefore is built
around this individual who must decide what direction to take and who to
invite and what issue to tackle. This also gives MSNBC an opportunity to
fish for more talent by monitoring the usual set of contributors that
appear on these shows. The arrival of social media also simplifies this
task so that viewers can establish the popularity of guests and hosts
and topics.

Fox on the other hand depends on groups which are tougher to manage as
conversation can only take place between two and indirectly to the
viewer. In a sense they also have adopted to the MSNBC-like model except
they depend on personalities for prime time shows with a strong edge on
investigative journalism and big stories with big individuals.

A strength of the Fox News model though is the street feel that is used
with the delivery of some of its content. While shows are presented by
two or three individuals, the viewer is given 'access' to the city (in
the background). You get the sense that you are talking to individuals
in your own living room. You also get the feeling that your 'guests'
are also on the street. In contrast to this, MSNBC prefers to function
in a studio with special shows where the settings change around the time
when major elections are held.

The third outstanding feature that comes with Fox News is the 'Fox and
Friends' feature which rakes in American musicians in a stage
performance often involving the hosts of the show.

You need to be an enthusiast to get a feel of what your hosts think and
their perceptions of life. If however you are a regular on MSNBC, you
will often come across brief clips in which each of the major hosts
gives you his/her approach to news and ideas in general thereby sending
an indirect invitation to participate.