MSNBC Tops TV Ratings

Isn't this something! MSNBC beats out BOTH CNN and the Fox "news" channel in a critical rating!
Here's what Nielsen is reporting:

MSNBC beat CNN in primetime last month in the key Adults 25-54 demographic, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC was also the #1 ranked news network among younger viewers, 18-34, in August. MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olbermann,” “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “Hardball with Chris Matthews” all out-rated CNN among A25-54 in August. Following are MSNBC ratings highlights for August:
MSNBC out-rated CNN in August in A25-54 in primetime (M-Su, 8-11 p.m.) by 11 percent (276,000 vs. 248,000). MSNBC was also the #1 news network among younger viewers, Adults 18-34, in primetime, outdelivering CNN by 61 percent and FNC by 4 percent.
“Countdown with Keith Olbermann” continued its success, beating CNN’s “Campbell Brown” among Adults 25-54 by a huge 62 percent among A25-54 (345,000 vs. 213,000) and by 43 percent among total viewers (1,087,000 vs. 761,000). “Countdown” out-rated “Campbell Brown” among A18-34 by 114 percent last month (124,000 vs. 58,000).
“The Rachel Maddow Show” out-rated CNN’s “Larry King Live” among A25-54 in August (304,000 vs. 294,000). “TRMS” is the fastest growing cable news show at 9 p.m, up a huge 92 percent in total viewers versus August 2008 (996,000 vs. 519,000) and up 61 percent in A25-54 (304,000 vs. 188,000). “TRMS” also beat “Larry King” among younger viewers 18-34 in August by 29 percent (93,000 vs. 72,000).
“Hardball with Chris Matthews” at 7 p.m. beat CNN’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight” by 13 percent in A25-54 in August (198,000 vs. 175,000) and virtually tied CNN at 5 p.m. among A25-54 (148,000 vs. 149,000).

So much for progressive shows not being able to compete.

Poll: Healthcare Opposition Driven By Fox-Driven Lies

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow really puts the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll numbers on healthcare reform in perspective:

King One Eye on Daily Kos expands on this further:

new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll featured on the Rachel Maddow show included questions centered on the recent health care debate. What made this poll unique was that four of the questions sought to ascertain whether the respondents believed statements that were known to be untrue. Here are the results broken out by which news sources the respondents favored:

On Health Care Reform, Those Who Believe That It Will... MSNBC/CNN Viewers Fox News Viewers
Give Coverage To Illegal Immigrants: 41% 72%
Lead To A Government Takeover: 39% 79%
Pay For Abortions: 40% 69%
Stop Care To The Elderly: 30% 75%

Let me repeat: These are statements that are known to be untrue, yet Fox News viewers believe them in overwhelming numbers. It's bad enough that approximately 40% of MSNBC/CNN viewers believe these myths, but clearly Fox is producing an audience of vastly misinformed, cultural illiterates.
The problem with having a national news organization that is polluting the population with lies about critical public issues is that it makes democracy impossible. And that, of course, may be the goal of Fox and its corporate overseers. Democracy is such a messy affair, what with all the people voting and stuff. If your objective is to manipulate government, you can't get very far if voters are actually familiar with the issues and are capable of making sound judgments. So Fox News found it necessary to invent a platform of fake agendas to create fear and then purposefully indoctrinate their predominantly Republican and southern viewers to believe in them.

I wonder what would happen if you really opened the eyes of the Fox viewers and told them that what that network has fed them is lies. Do you think there wouldn't be an erosion of support for the OPPOSITION of health care reform?
I also wonder when the Obama administration will stop playing cutie with Republicans in their vain attempt for so-called "bi-partisan support" and really begin to call them and their insurance company/Fox "news" supporters what they really are-- liars-- and repeat it time and again.