Irony Free TV

Ok, I just finished watching today's installment of "Fox News Watch" and have to say I haven't enjoyed a program on the Fox Network quite so much, although I suspect the reason for my enjoyment was far from intentional.

After spending several minutes soundly and correctly trashing ABC News for wasting a valuable network prime-time hour on such fluff as the Cory Clark/Paula Abdul/American Idol scandal - noting that ratings for News programs are dropping across the board as it becomes so much more difficult to keep up with competiting entertainment from so many varied sources, how one-sided the reporting on the program was, and how the program may have simply been an attempt to "ratings draft" like a stock-car on the Daytona Highbank from American Idol's success - your panel then quickly downshifted into discussing the alleged lack of even handedness by PBS and NPR. With nary of flicker of irony, this subject was suddenly: How they should now get off the public dole and "survive using only the free market".

Yes, I'm sure that competitive forces will do wonders to make PBS and NPR much more even handed, thorough, and far less prone to program hour after hour - in HDtv with 5.71 Surround Sound(tm) - of Paris Hilton's latest wardrobe dysfunction on her way to Jennifer Willbanks ex-gardener's, neighbor's place for a house-party/Bible reading with seriously-toned commentary by Jim Lehrer, and an indepth behind the scenes follow-up on "All Things Considered" with Kitty Feldy.

Clearly, a priceless moment.

Vyan