Glenn Beck vs. Fox News: A Visual Guide to the Divorce

What it looks like when a talk-TV host goes off the rails

A friend in the TV industry whose business it is to know these things has a persuasive theory about why Fox News dumped Glenn Beck: Beck simply wasn't toeing the company line. Whereas other Fox News personalities dutifully parroted the preferred mantra about Obama and the White House being a bunch of left-wingers, Beck--after initially targeting administration figures (Van Jones, etc.) and winning huge ratings--consistently departed on his loony flights of fantasy about caliphates, SDS, and even fish sticks (stick with me here). My friend wasn't just spit-balling; he had evidence to back it up. He'd kept a list of about two months' worth of the tease headlines for Beck's show. He also had a similar list for Bill O'Reilly, whom he perceived as representing the Fox News baseline. It makes for a fascinating contrast--and if you plug it into Wordle, one you can visualize.

To establish what Fox News is aiming for, here's O'Reilly's word cloud (teases below):

And here is Beck's (I missed his show about fish stick...are they Muslim?):

O'Reilly's teases:

• Has the tide turned against the American left?
• President Obama's message not getting through
• Another bizarre twist in the Arizona murder case
• Repealing Obamacare, part 10
• A fissure between President Obama and the left-wing
• Will illegal aliens decide 2012 presidential election?
• Are things getting better in America?
• Winning the future
• Battle between conservatives and liberals intensifies
• More danger in the Muslim world
• The far left and Egypt
• Michael Waltrip opens up about deadly
• Dale Earnhardt crash in new book
• President Obama talks Afghanistan, civility and Fox News
• Power shift in America
• A Mubarak double-cross
• Finally some good news for America overseas
• President Obama and spending our money
• 'The Factor' solves the deficit crisis
• Budget brawl gets personal
• Insurrection in Wisconsin
• Is Janeane Garofalo a hypocrite for her acting roles?
• Far left losing battle in Wisconsin
• Pro-union forces step it up in Wisconsin
• Is it possible to cover the union controversy fairly?
• President Obama takes big hit in leadership department
• Why Obama hasn't gone to Wisconsin
• Is Obama on top of the Libya chaos?
• Do Americans understand union uproar?
• The bad guys win
• Is liberal America going to win union controversy?
• Will NPR and PBS lose tax funding?
• Far left steps up to help union workers
• Who's afraid of the jihad?
• The media wars continue
• Gov. Walker wins in Wisconsin
• Death threats in Wisconsin
• High drama in Japan
• Is the nuclear threat growing in Japan?
• Is Japan misleading world about nuke danger?
• Obama catching it from both sides over Libya
• Conservative talk radio opens up on Obama
• Would you stand by and watch someone be murdered?
• Libya, hypocrisy and doing the right thing
• Examining President Obama's leadership War and money
• Crazy violence from fanatical Muslims and an insane Christian
• President Obama in reverse
• Pinheads on parade

Beck's teases:

• China is overtaking America in every direction
• Some folks believe you can't think for yourself
• How will China treat deadbeat borrowers?
• How the White House is making Congress irrelevant
• The solution to ending violence is not silence
• What's the difference between 'investing' and 'spending'?
• Like fish stick cookies, Reagan and Obama don't mix
• Politics won't solve our problems
• It's critical that you understand the crisis
• Who wants a caliphate in the Middle East?
• New caliphate? Author claims jihadists want to surround Mecca, Jerusalem
• While Egypt is on fire ...the TSA is unionizing
• Who stands against Islamic Socialism?
• Meet the new boss, same as the old boss?
• Red-Green Alliance: Troubling coalition unites against common enemy
• Egypt is free ...Now what?
• Inflation and you: We're on an unsustainable path
• Beware of Google: Search giant too cozy with government and hard-core leftists?
• Who is the 12th Imam? Author Joel Richardson weighs in
• Busy Week For Radicals: SDS ready to party like it's 1968
• Pain at the Pump: Oil prices at mercy of world events
• Lasting Lesson: Insight from my meeting with Billy Graham
• Nine days into the Libyan revolution and finally, the president speaks
• Soros Resurfaces: Billionaire activist claims he knows who the real Puppet Master is
• Tipping Point: As the nation faces a perfect storm, where do you stand?
• Hiroshima vs. Detroit: Which city embraced the American Dream?
• What's the American Dream? Equal opportunity or equal outcome?
• Seeds of Socialism: Propaganda creeping into our schools?
• Equal Justice or Social Justice: Obama administration makes its choice?
• Wisconsin police stand with Van Jones?
• What lessons can we learn from failed revolutions?
• Get government out of oil market?
• Elites Love Al-Jazeera: Media, administration officials trip over themselves to praise Arabic news source
• Constitution Ignored? President's troubling reversal on Gitmo
• Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely
• Who's afraid of the jihad?
• The media wars continue
• Moore Declares War: Filmmaker, activist sets sights on Wall Street fat cats
• Standing with Japan ... Against opportunists looking to take advantage of crisis
• You don't want to use coal, oil or nuclear power? OK, now what?
• Lasting Lesson From 'Three Little Pigs' The message is clear: prepare
• Violent Rhetoric in Wisconsin: Richard Trumka promises 'you ain't seen nothing yet'
• Set an Example: Be a beacon of hope, truth and friendship
• Good vs. Evil: Union protesters promise to 'release all hell'
• Radicals reveal their true agenda
• President quickly making Congress irrelevant
• Who stands with Israel? Key ally being left high and dry?
• Iranian regime prepping for the 12th Imam?
• Taxpayers funding terror? Financial jihad being waged against America?
• Progressives ready to 'fight back'? Unions hold 'We Are One' rallies
• Cutting $40 billion from the budget isn't 'dangerous.' It's a clerical error
• Wait. I thought we had to close Guantanamo Bay?
• My future and Fox News: Prepare to be a leader
• New World Order? Is America being squeezed out as global players form new alliances?