Media watch: AP = Fox?

For some time I’ve wondered about the balance of AP, the dominant source of newswire reporting. I couldn't put my finger on it, but now it looks like those reactions may have had some foundation.

It seems Ron Fournier, who became chief of AP’s Washington Bureau, has his own ideas about what reporting is, and feels free to dream up reports of Obama’s “arrogance.” Is that a classic case of looking for "whatever sticks" or what? Turns out he was also a great admirer of Karl Rove. So there’s your source for all those trailers at the bottom of screens everywhere, and those 15 second blurbs that sound a bit biased on the so-called TV and radio “news.” We’re into Vance Packard territory here -- subliminal devices as he wrote about back in the 50s in The Hidden Persuaders. Part of dealing with it is exposing it: AP, which above any press vehicle is supposed to be "just-the-facts-M'am," is pro-Republican, pro-Bush, pro-McCain.