Fox's appropriation of the American Flag
I was clicking around the TV the other day, looking for information about the second spate of bombings in London, when I happened upon Fox news with a live reporter talking about the bombings. But my attention was distracted by a moving, cropped image of the American flag in the upper left-hand corner. I believe the text "FOX" sat proudly adjacent to the flag icon, or overlayed it partially. I immediately got that sick feeling DED Space describes. Then anger. BagnewsNotes has written on the flag as a propaganda tool in "Flagging":"Since 9/11, of course, the flag has served as the official wrapping paper of America's response and resolve, and well as the symbol by which to verify and affirmation [sic ] one's patriotism.
Fox is making a number of assertions through its appropriation of the American flag. It says to me: "We are the network for America. We are more patriotic than other stations - look, we even put the flag on our broadcasts! Other stations do not use the flag as an icon in their news broadcasts - isn't that suspicious? They're not to be trusted as much as Fox. Fox is the best station for news on America and American interests. If you criticize Fox, you criticize not only American reporting and a patriotic news station, but the United States as well.."
However, as the problems we face (or the problems arising from the supposedly simple and straight-forward solutions to those problems) reveal themselves to be more complex, the messages attached to the flag have become increasingly less obvious.
Perhaps that's why -- even though the flag and it's [sic ] display remains ubiquitous -- it has begun to stand out for me lately. Or, more specifically, it's [sic ] use as a propaganda vehicle has become more noticeable."
Fox hopes that, through their appropriation of the American flag, they will dodge criticism or scrutiny. They hope it lends them a greater air of authority. They seek to steal a whole load of values and historical weight attached to the flag. They seek to manipulate our emotions through use of the flag, as the flag is one of the most emotionally-charged symbols our country has.
In this context, used in this way, Fox's American flag is not my American flag.
Questions:
- How long has Fox been doing this?
- Has anyone else objected, in any way, shape, or form, to Fox News' flag graphic?
- Why is it acceptable for conservatives to use the flag in this way?
- How would you feel if you tuned in to ABC News, CBS News or NBC News and saw the American flag as a floating on-screen icon? Would it alter your view of the country? The media?
2 comments:
The flag has meaning to a lot of liberals and they need to fly it as much as possible, the way Al Gore did, in order to make the point that they are Americans (since they are always accused of not being Americans).
I don't watch Fox News, so I don't know how long they've been using the flag as a brand logo. I can't imagine anyone has protested; think, for a moment, about who watches Fox News.
As I have said before, I am sad that I no longer enjoy looking at the flag now that it has taken on a McCarthyesque tone. I have never flown an American flag and I never will because my core identity has never been associated with a nation. I used to like seeing the flag on government buildings, however, where I think it belongs. Now it has been completely cheapened, which is very sad.
Hi DED Space - Thanks for your comment.
"The flag has meaning to a lot of liberals and they need to fly it as much as possible, the way Al Gore did, in order to make the point that they are Americans (since they are always accused of not being Americans)."
Good point.
"I don't watch Fox News, so I don't know how long they've been using the flag as a brand logo."
Okay, thanks for addressing that question...
"As I have said before, I am sad that I no longer enjoy looking at the flag now that it has taken on a McCarthyesque tone."
YES! That really hits the nail on the head - it has taken on a "McCarthyesque tone".
- Sour Duck
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