U.S. TV networks rebuked for coupling with Republicans to spread anti-China lies: media

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Fox News has been bending the truth on COVID-19 origins and other global concerns to push its conservative political view of the world, even though it claims to be "fair and balanced," Anthony Moretti, a U.S. scholar in communication, said in a recent opinion story on China Global Television Network.

Fox News is "at the top" of an array of U.S. news networks that U.S. Representative Michael McCaul and many likeminded politicians know any criticism of China about COVID-19 will lead to their "intensive and favorable coverage," said Moretti, an associate professor at Robert Morris University, on Wednesday.

His remarks came after Fox morning show "America's Newsroom" on Monday hosted an interview with McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to back his groundless claim that China covered up COVID-19 origins throughout 2019. Later during the day, Representative Niocle Malliotakis appeared on "The Story," a Fox prime-time show, questioning her Democratic colleagues for showing "little interest" to probe the Wuhan lab.

Moretti debunked that the news organization while "working hand in glove with a China-bashing politician" cannot taint the clear evidence that the lab leak idea lacks any credibility.