This is in reference to Linda Heard’s excellent article “TV networks victims of West’s war on ideas” (Jan. 8). I don’t fail to read any of her articles because she is well informed about the Middle Eastern region. I would like to pick particularly what she had to say about Fox News. Readers might remember what Newt Gingrich, a contender for Republican nomination, had to say about Fox News once. He said that the fight for Republican nomination is no longer just candidate versus candidate. It’s candidate versus Fox News. The funny thing is that a lot of people think that Fox is controlled by the Republican Party. It’s actually the other way around: Fox controls the GOP. When Fox says jump, the candidates ask how high. If Fox decides to make an issue or a person target, the Republicans fall obediently in line, how sad it is? So, the Israeli — Palestinian issue is no exception.
Murdoch with his newspapers in the UK exerted the same influence with the Conservatives and then with Tony Blair. And then believe it or not, what a bad reputation he earned when it became known how low he would go to sell his newspapers. Can we expect such a situation in the US too? Finally, I would like to pay my compliment to Linda by saying “it’s a job well done” and I wish more strength to your elbow.
S.H. Moulana.
Riyadh
‘Foxing’ people in the West!
