Fox News chairman assails media bias
Some point to Ailes' past involvement with Republican presidents as a conflict of interest with his role in journalism.
"The organization has the character of a political campaign more than a newsroom ... their point is always to be on attack," Hart said.
On Thursday night, Ailes refused to apologize to those who oppose his network. He said that if more conservative thought gets into Fox, "maybe it's because you don't see it elsewhere."
"Sometimes people would like you to apologize for things they don't like," Ailes said. "I don't do that."
By focusing on "an issue of the day," every aspect of the network, from news personalities to producers behind the scenes, hit home a specific message, in many ways analogous to a political campaign, Hart said. Fox News often draws criticism in other areas, including its visuals, hiring processes and one-on-one interviews.
"Ailes tactics are not in the service of journalism," Hart warned.
Kalb presented Ailes with a Pew Research study conducted by the University of Alabama that concluded 73 percent of Fox stories expressed opinion by either an anchor or reporter. Ailes dismissed Pew as a "liberal lobbying organization."
Ailes also addressed broader media issues, such as the tendency for news networks to spend weeks focusing on one issue such as the Scott Peterson or Michael Jackson trials.
"I think we're all guilty of following one story to the exclusion of everything else," Ailes said.
Ailes also defended the media for reporting on evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, saying journalists rely on sources for their information, and all sources said there were weapons.
"The organization has the character of a political campaign more than a newsroom ... their point is always to be on attack," Hart said.
On Thursday night, Ailes refused to apologize to those who oppose his network. He said that if more conservative thought gets into Fox, "maybe it's because you don't see it elsewhere."
"Sometimes people would like you to apologize for things they don't like," Ailes said. "I don't do that."
By focusing on "an issue of the day," every aspect of the network, from news personalities to producers behind the scenes, hit home a specific message, in many ways analogous to a political campaign, Hart said. Fox News often draws criticism in other areas, including its visuals, hiring processes and one-on-one interviews.
"Ailes tactics are not in the service of journalism," Hart warned.
Kalb presented Ailes with a Pew Research study conducted by the University of Alabama that concluded 73 percent of Fox stories expressed opinion by either an anchor or reporter. Ailes dismissed Pew as a "liberal lobbying organization."
Ailes also addressed broader media issues, such as the tendency for news networks to spend weeks focusing on one issue such as the Scott Peterson or Michael Jackson trials.
"I think we're all guilty of following one story to the exclusion of everything else," Ailes said.
Ailes also defended the media for reporting on evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, saying journalists rely on sources for their information, and all sources said there were weapons.
