Murdoch's fury at educated Fox

The FOX Network has denied a rift with boss Rupert Murdoch over its decision to teach its broadcasters to read and write. Fox instigated the plan as part of a nationwide initiative to encourage Americans to take education seriously. However, a source at FOX headquarters in New York revealed that media mogul Rupert Murdoch is furious at the plan.

The source explaines: "Murdoch is worried sick that the scheme might upset President Bush. After all, if more people are taught to read and write, it's only a matter of time before people start to look at the President's academic skills more closely."

Mr Murdoch's concerns are not justified according to White House spokesman Eli Werner: "I read the story to the President this morning and he thought it sounded a great scheme. He's always said that you don't have to be literate to run the country, but since being sworn in he feels that being able to read and write mightn't be a bad idea."

Fox News failed to report on the scheme on Fox & Friends this morning, as show hosts Seve Doocy, E.D. Hill and Brian Kilmeade are yet to master the alphabet and could not read the autocue, so instead relied on the usual mix of right wing bigotry and opinion.