America's most unrepentant news network has issued a string of on-air
apologies for broadcasting erroneous information, including an
expression of regret to "the people of France and England".
Fox News hosts apologised on four separate occasions in the space of 12 hours, concluding with a lengthy mea culpa for having televised a commentator's wild claims that Birmingham was a "Muslim-only city" where non-Muslims "just simply don't go".
David Cameron said that when he heard about the clip he choked on is porridge. Photo / AP
Steven Emerson made the assertions as he appeared on Fox News a week ago to discuss the terror attacks in Paris. His comments inspired outrage and ridicule in equal measure. David Cameron said that when he heard about the clip: "I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fool's Day. This guy's clearly a complete idiot."
Birmingham City Council invited Fox News to visit the city, which has a population of one million - around 22 per cent of whom are Muslim.
Emerson retracted his claims and pledged to make a donation to Birmingham Children's Hospital. On Sunday Fox
said it "deeply regrets" airing the segment. A spokesman for the
network said last week that it was "highly unlikely" Emerson would "ever
be booked again".
Fox host Jeanine Pirro, who was interviewing Emerson when he made the remarks, delivered the apology on her show.
During Fox & Friends, host Anna Kooiman admitted a "map of neighbourhoods in France labelled as no-go zones" had been "highlighted incorrectly". Just a couple of hours later, however, former US Marine and Fox contributor Jessie Jane Duff asserted on air that an EU poll had found that "69 per cent of the Muslims in France support Isis".
Three hours later Fox retracted the claims.
Fox News hosts apologised on four separate occasions in the space of 12 hours, concluding with a lengthy mea culpa for having televised a commentator's wild claims that Birmingham was a "Muslim-only city" where non-Muslims "just simply don't go".
Steven Emerson made the assertions as he appeared on Fox News a week ago to discuss the terror attacks in Paris. His comments inspired outrage and ridicule in equal measure. David Cameron said that when he heard about the clip: "I choked on my porridge and I thought it must be April Fool's Day. This guy's clearly a complete idiot."
Birmingham City Council invited Fox News to visit the city, which has a population of one million - around 22 per cent of whom are Muslim.
Fox host Jeanine Pirro, who was interviewing Emerson when he made the remarks, delivered the apology on her show.
During Fox & Friends, host Anna Kooiman admitted a "map of neighbourhoods in France labelled as no-go zones" had been "highlighted incorrectly". Just a couple of hours later, however, former US Marine and Fox contributor Jessie Jane Duff asserted on air that an EU poll had found that "69 per cent of the Muslims in France support Isis".
Three hours later Fox retracted the claims.
