Why is Fox News successful?
Despite the frequent lies and distortions pushed forth by Fox News, and specifically by the likes of Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, Fox News continues to drive a plurality of viewers to its TV shows. Why would anyone watch Fox News’ reports if they are so deceptive and misleading?
1. A strong market for protestant-Christian views in the United States.
Where else can you go to watch criticism on evolution, and non-Christian values? For non-stop criticism on evolution, you’d have to go to the creationist history museum. For a more liberal twist on religion you could watch CNN bash and ridicule atheists and agnostics; but for profit, and at the expense of reason, the major news networks acknowledge that religious controversies are better fueled than ignored. The invention of new controversies like “wars on Christmas” or whether Barack Obama is actually a practicing Muslim in disguise (and by implicit extension whether he is a terrorist or not), generates viewership, regardless of the merit of the fabricated story.
2. A jingoist and elitist “journalistic” culture.
What other news network displays red, white and blue, or the U.S. flag, non-stop? Whether the controversy is illegal immigration or the war in Iraq, no one will enrage you more than Bill O’Reilly’s tabloid journalism, regardless of whether you agree with his talking points or not. Tabloid journalism is not new, however, the sleek computer-generated graphics and the disappointingly-intelligent, self-important commentators can capture the attention of even some well-educated viewers, who if not fooled by the misleading, fabricated, or poorly-sourced material, are accused of being or implied to be un-American through a psychological (but clearly fallacious) tactic reminiscent of 1950s McCarthyism.
The underlying message typically is, if you don’t agree with our “news” or our interpretation, then you are a traitor. Bush said so. We can’t afford to think otherwise.
The same group mentality is fostered by the deceptively-playful morning shows, where the participants (news anchors is not a good title,) go from one pointless or mundane story to the next, talking casually as buddies or friends, but intermittently highlighting a real or manufactured political event to inject a Christian-conservative slant on the controversy of the day.
Whether or not you agree with the content or lack thereof, it is difficult to turn off the channel. Controversy is interesting, and tabloids sell. But when the controversy appeals to your dogmatic and/or erroneous beliefs, your only source of semi-intelligent debate comes from the mouth of Bill O’Reilly.
In other words, if you can’t normally defend your jingoist, “Christian”, or elitist political views (because they are just wrong), Fox News provides you with the ammunition to do so.
3. The symbiotic relationship with the Bush Administration.
Because the agendas of Fox News and the Bush administration coincide in large part, Fox News can deceive the public to enable the Bush administration, and the Bush administration can send exclusive leads to Fox News before they are made available to other networks.
4. We are in danger all the time.
If you follow the Homeland Security terror alert (eternally present on Fox News’ news ticker), or listen to Fox News, we are constantly under attack by terrorists from Osama Bin Laden to Barack Obama and his “sugar mama”. Fear captivates. If Bill O’Reilly can get away with scaring old people (the plurality of his viewers are old people) into believing that Christmas is going to end this year, he will. If he can shock Christians with indecent pictures of young actresses, or perhaps entice them to watch his show safely with the pretext of outrage, he will do that too.
For a commentator who pretends to oppose nudity and embrace Christian values, his show and others on Fox News certainly appear to do the opposite most of the time.
5. No significant alternatives in U.S. media.
It’s not necessary to place all the blame on FOX News. Lou Dobbs on CNN does plenty of fear-mongering about immigrants and the potential demise of the English language. Or watch any presidential debate and watch the subtle manipulation via the choice and number of questions for the candidates.
Why would the choice questions make a difference? Well, if you consider that a network-favored candidate will receive more opportunities to clarify a statement, will receive more airtime, and will therefore be more familiar to the average voter. Voters vote based on familiarity when not informed. These voters influence the next set of poll results, which are not necessarily a reflection of true political preference, but rather simple name recognition.
Real News.
People who are serious about understanding politics won’t rely only any single source. A good portion of the news we get from CNN and CBS and Fox News is much closer to entertainment than news-worthy information, and even when the information is intended as news, it is filtered, distorted and framed to be controversial, or entertaining, or to fit a point of view. Other countries and cultures also have an influence on their national news, but it is widely acknowledged that serious international sources tend to be more neutral and objective when reporting news.
Sadly, there is less demand for accurate news than there is for thrilling-ambulance-chasing-tabloid material or news that appeals to religious and jingoist nuts. And even if there were more demand for accurate news, most of us in this part of the world couldn’t tell the difference.
This is why Fox News is successful.
Comment by Clarice | September 16th, 2008
I have listened for days abo the Domocrates blaming the republicans for the mortage industry. Why don’t we blame the person who is really responsibly for the mess. Angelo Mazello the founder of Country Wide that greedy b______ collected millions and an founded the junk loans. He was the one that went public with the fact that there was a problem with housing market and lending industry. Before the company closed, there was an idea to help the lending industry and he refused to start the plan because he didn’t care to. He is at fault.
the second thing is that anyone with half a brain knows you do not raise taxes on the very companies that employ workers. They will leave the country and find a less expensive more profitable way of runing their business.
I hate to say it but, the unions also have a part in this. they have prices us out of the market.
Oh by the way, wasn’t President Jimmy Carter who thought it would be a good idea to give medicare/Medi-cal(Medicade) welfare coverage to the non-Americians?
Please with all the education, can’t they stop and think of what they say and accuse?
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Thanks for letting me vent.
Comment by Vivian Squibb | September 29th, 2008
I think it’s interesting that when I search for “Fox News The OReilly Factor” I get a page of dissention about the network!
The reason why I listen to them, especially now, is because I get the other point of view. All the networks and CNN are in the pocket of the Democrats, and even though I am not a Republican, I want to hear the truth. That’s the only place I can get Information on the other side! It’s called Free Speech! Thank goodness it’s available.
Comment by Harvey Reyes | October 5th, 2008
Thank you! thank you! thank you! MR.Orielly for draging Barney Frank over the coils for me and the rest of main st .It’s about time someone like your self in the media that stands up for us in the main stream of life are voices would never be heard in way you expressed yourself to Barney,with these other left wing news agentcies I am so sick and tired of their un fair treatment of the political prosess ,I truly believe that main st is sick and tired of it all the politcians finger pointing and the medias one sideofness, thiers plenty of blame to go around for those that are involved in the polical process. P.S. Can you drag Miss Palosse ” next and do the same to same to her as you did Barney It would be much appreicated ,thank you! thank you!