Analysis: Fox News has been exposed as a dishonest organization terrified of its own audience

[Scott]

A trove of newly-released text messages and emails have laid bare how the right-wing media giant operated with little regard for fact in the weeks and months following the 2020 presidential election. The correspondence reveals that the network’s senior-most executives and highest-profile hosts chose not to disclose what they believed to be the truth of the election out of fear that that the facts would alienate Fox News’ audience and throw the highly profitable business into ruin.

The messages were contained in a stunning legal filing made public on Thursday as part of Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News, showing the network’s executives and talk hosts privately trashing lies pushed by former President Donald Trump’s camp and his supporters asserting the 2020 election was rigged.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/17/business/fox-news-dominion-lies/index.html

[tgw]

well, it's rather good news that they didn't themselves believe their lies ... well, sort of.

[candide]

Of course, Fox News viewers will never hear about it, and it won't be reported in other right-wing media either.

[Credo]

12 minutes ago, tgw said:

well, it's rather good news that they didn't themselves believe their lies ... well, sort of.

They are a little like the people who mixed the Kool-Aid and ushered people into line to drink it for Jim Jones.  They are among the most dishonest of dishonest.  They have betrayed the most sacred trust given to people in the field of journalism.

[Bkk Brian]

The consequences of those lies Fox knowingly peddled are still being felt today. From the top down, rotten to the core. There was another topic running recently on Google publishing videos to tell users how to spot fake news. Fox would make an excellent case study for them.

 

Hows Trump going to carry out a speech now and deride the fake news media................lol

 

A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news.

 

 

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fox-news-bias/

[Issanman]

Makes one wonder how they can be the number one cable news channel for over 20 years.

 

Forbes:

The latest cable news ratings show that, every year since January 2002, Fox has been #1 in total day and primetime viewership as well as #1 in the key 25-54 demo.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Credo said:

They are a little like the people who mixed the Kool-Aid and ushered people into line to drink it for Jim Jones.  They are among the most dishonest of dishonest.  They have betrayed the most sacred trust given to people in the field of journalism.

Methinks you confuse the top guys at Fox with journalists. They are businessmen that want to make a profit- end of.

 

BTW, are there any real journalists any more? I've seen too much BS opinion pushed as "news" in last few years to think there are.

Even the BBC fell from grace some years ago.

I think we can dispense with the talking heads trying to insert themselves into the topic in tv interviews, and just have a camera filming the interviewee talking.

[thaibeachlovers]

58 minutes ago, Issanman said:

Makes one wonder how they can be the number one cable news channel for over 20 years.

 

Forbes:

The latest cable news ratings show that, every year since January 2002, Fox has been #1 in total day and primetime viewership as well as #1 in the key 25-54 demo.

No secret- the other ones are pants.

[bamnutsak]

I wonder how the typical Fox viewer will feel about Carlson, Ingraham and Hannity, et al having lied to them?

 

“[That whole narrative that Sidney was pushing. I did not believe it for one second.” Sean Hannity (Ex.122, Hannity 322:19-21)

 

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/23684956/2023-02-16-redacted-dominion-opening-sj-brief-18.pdf

 

“Q: [Y]ou believe, since at least the time that Fox News called the election on November 7th, that Joe Biden was legitimately elected the President of the United States, correct?....A: Yes, I believe that.” Suzanne Scott, Fox News CEO (Ex. 143, Scott 365:10-19)

 

“71 million voters will never accept Biden. This process is to destroy his presidency before it even starts; IF it even starts.....We either close on Trumps victory or delle]gitimize Biden....THE PLAN.” Steve Bannon to Maria Bartiromo, November 10, 2020 (Ex.157

 

 

 

[Tug]

17 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Methinks you confuse the top guys at Fox with journalists. They are businessmen that want to make a profit- end of.

 

BTW, are there any real journalists any more? I've seen too much BS opinion pushed as "news" in last few years to think there are.

Even the BBC fell from grace some years ago.

I think we can dispense with the talking heads trying to insert themselves into the topic in tv interviews, and just have a camera filming the interviewee talking.

Sir There are lots of real journalists a lot of them give their lives in pursuit of the truth bucko fox is the lowest scum of the earth deliberately lying in pursuit of money and ratings to me they are traitors I hope dominion gets a HUGE settlement they should be put out of business 

[LaosLover]

I loved it when the Fox lawyers sneered at Dominion as "private equity" opportunists.

 

So now Fox hates private equity? Just like conservative Trump now hates the Chamber of Commerce and The Club For Growth? And now Republicans love Russia?

 

Mind blown.

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, Issanman said:

Makes one wonder how they can be the number one cable news channel for over 20 years.

 

Forbes:

The latest cable news ratings show that, every year since January 2002, Fox has been #1 in total day and primetime viewership as well as #1 in the key 25-54 demo.

Simple: they tell their right wing audience what they want to hear (read lie).  They have very little competition.  Other real news networks have to compete with one another and find actual news to report.  Fox can just make stuff up.

[onthedarkside]

Off topic posts attempting to derail the topic along with replies have been removed

[bamnutsak]

Is Lou Dobbs still "vactioning"?

 

(He was forced off the air as a result of the Smartmatic lawsuit.)

«On Lou Dobbs: Fox President Jay Wallace: “the North Koreans do a more ‘nuanced show” than Lou Dobbs. Ex.539 (September 2020); Ex.147, Wallace
295:15-296:14.

 

 

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, Issanman said:

Makes one wonder how they can be the number one cable news channel for over 20 years.

 

Forbes:

The latest cable news ratings show that, every year since January 2002, Fox has been #1 in total day and primetime viewership as well as #1 in the key 25-54 demo.

For the same reason that fiction books outsell nonfiction ones.

[Tug]

3 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

For the same reason that fiction books outsell nonfiction ones.

Definitely on point touché!

[placeholder]

9 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

For the same reason that fiction books outsell nonfiction ones.

Brilliant!

[bendejo]

I remember it was in a single day that Powell (and her husband was it?), Rudy, Pillow Guy, Overstock guy, maybe a few more, appeared.  Suddenly it was cuckoo's nest time with this bunch.

My theory is DT dangled something out there (like a billion $) for whoever kept him in office.  It then turned into a stunt out of The Magic Christian.

 

[Bkk Brian]

In the days and weeks after the 2020 elections, the Fox News Channel repeatedly broadcast false claims that then-President Donald Trump had been cheated of victory.

 

Off the air, the network's stars, producers and executives expressed contempt for those same conspiracies, calling them "mind-blowingly nuts," "totally off the rails" and "completely bs" - often in far earthier terms.

 

The network's top primetime stars - Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity - texted contemptuously of the claims in group chats, but also denounced colleagues pointing that out publicly or on television.

 

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/16/1157558299/fox-news-stars-false-claims-trump-election-2020

[Eric Loh]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Methinks you confuse the top guys at Fox with journalists. They are businessmen that want to make a profit- end of.

Chris Wallace was the last honest journalist and he left because he clearly understood what was required to commit actual journalism. What’s left are taking heads who sold out their dignity and betrayed the people so that can stay on the job and make millions by laundering lies and inane partisan talking points. 

 

[bamnutsak]

Reading through the filing this jumped out at me...

 

The aftenoon of January 6, after the Capitol came under attack, then-President Trump dialed into Lou Dobbs’ show attempting to get on air. But Fox executives vetoed that decision. Why? Not because of a lack of newsworthiness. January 6 was an important event by any measure. President Trump not only was the sitting President, he was the key figure that day. But Fox refused to allow President Trump on air that evening because “it would be irresponsible to put him on. 171

 

 

That seems like new news? I hadn't heard this before.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hanaguma]

50 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Chris Wallace was the last honest journalist and he left because he clearly understood what was required to commit actual journalism. What’s left are taking heads who sold out their dignity and betrayed the people so that can stay on the job and make millions by laundering lies and inane partisan talking points. 

 

Like most cable news channels, Fox has the "hard news" side and the "pundit" side.  This story focuses on the pundtry side exclusively.  Nobody would call Hannity, Carlson, or Ingraham journalists.  On the news side, Brett Baer is a good, classic type of journalist.  

[placeholder]

22 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

Like most cable news channels, Fox has the "hard news" side and the "pundit" side.  This story focuses on the pundtry side exclusively.  Nobody would call Hannity, Carlson, or Ingraham journalists.  On the news side, Brett Baer is a good, classic type of journalist.  

But it's the punditry side that draws the highest ratings by far.

As for Brett Baier:

 

 A new book about Trump calls out a Fox News anchor
It claims Bret Baier — often touted as a straight news reporter — was ‘ready to give in’ to Trump’s pressure to rescind Fox’s election call in Arizona

https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2022/divider-book-baker-glasser-bret-baier-fox-news/

 

 

Fox News’ Bret Baier Has Been Spreading Climate Misinformation Since 2009: Report

https://www.vice.com/en/article/wx5g8w/fox-news-bret-baier-has-been-spreading-climate-misinformation-since-2009-report

[BangkokReady]

Quote

Analysis: Fox News has been exposed as a dishonest organization terrified of its own audience

This could probably be said about most of the mainstream media and politicians. 

[Hummin]

I just can not understand how people can listening to Fox news in first place. Just the intensity of the messages, and repeatably same news over and over again and again, with to much negativity and often quite questionable form of truths and grey zones to obviously playing with numbers and facts. I know others news channels also do the same hooks, but still in a different way and more listener friendly for mind and peace. 

 

When you prefer Al Jazeera on your travels, it says a little bit how far western media have gone. No, I do not believe everything or anything unless I do myself an favor and investigate a bit further. Even then it can be hard to seperate true news and coloured news.

 

Dunning kruger syndrom often  hits hard! 

[gargamon]

4 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

This could probably be said about most of the mainstream media and politicians. 

Let me guess. You got those “facts“ from fox news. 

[tontotoronto]

When you're No.1, consistently, there are always attacks and spiteful actions. FOX rules the cable news and shows world, obviously.

 

“Fox News opened 2023 as it closed 2022, as the most-watched basic cable network in total day, averaging 1.35 million total viewers from 6 a.m.-6 a.m. and marking 23 consecutive months at No. 1. in the daypart.”
“The month’s most-watched shows were all on Fox News, with The Five once again grabbing the title of highest-rated show in cable news with an average total audience of 3.378 million viewers. Tucker Carlson Tonight was second with 3.188 million viewers, followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (2.836 million viewers), Hannity (2.568 million viewers), and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.406 million viewers).” Source:

Cable News Ratings Tuesday February 14: Gutfeld! Beats Ingraham, Crushes CNN and MSNBC at 11 P.M
https://www.mediaite.com/daily-ratings/cable-news-ratings-tuesday-february-14-gutfeld-beats-ingraham-crushes-cnn-and-msnbc-at-11-p-m/

 

With 3.5 Million Viewers, Tucker Carlson Has The Week’s Highest-Rated Cable News Show

Source

 

Greg Gutfeld destroys rivals CNN, MSNBC ratings — twice in one day
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/greg-gutfeld-destroys-cnn-msnbc-ratings

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, tontotoronto said:

When you're No.1, consistently, there are always attacks and spiteful actions. FOX rules the cable news and shows world, obviously.

 

“Fox News opened 2023 as it closed 2022, as the most-watched basic cable network in total day, averaging 1.35 million total viewers from 6 a.m.-6 a.m. and marking 23 consecutive months at No. 1. in the daypart.”
“The month’s most-watched shows were all on Fox News, with The Five once again grabbing the title of highest-rated show in cable news with an average total audience of 3.378 million viewers. Tucker Carlson Tonight was second with 3.188 million viewers, followed by Jesse Watters Primetime (2.836 million viewers), Hannity (2.568 million viewers), and Special Report with Bret Baier (2.406 million viewers).” Source:

Cable News Ratings Tuesday February 14: Gutfeld! Beats Ingraham, Crushes CNN and MSNBC at 11 P.M
https://www.mediaite.com/daily-ratings/cable-news-ratings-tuesday-february-14-gutfeld-beats-ingraham-crushes-cnn-and-msnbc-at-11-p-m/

 

With 3.5 Million Viewers, Tucker Carlson Has The Week’s Highest-Rated Cable News Show

Source

 

Greg Gutfeld destroys rivals CNN, MSNBC ratings — twice in one day
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/greg-gutfeld-destroys-cnn-msnbc-ratings

Well, it has an audience that prefers fiction to fact (thanks, ballpoint). For example, most right wingers believe that the 2020 election was stolen.

 

82% of Fox News, 97% of OANN, Newsmax Viewers Believe Trump's Stolen Election Claim: Poll

https://www.newsweek.com/82-fox-news-97-oann-newsmax-viewers-believe-trumps-stolen-election-claim-poll-1644756

[tontotoronto]

8 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Obviously this is not comparable.

Maddow most likely believed what she said at the time early on based on reporsts.. She should have corrected herself when it turned out this wasn't true.

But nowhere is there any evidence that she spoke falsely, or didn't challenge falsehoods,  in order not to lose her viewers.

She should kept her big dumb mouth shut instead of trying to impress viewers with her ignorance. Her behavior of spreading misinformation  is reckless and dangerous.

[placeholder]

Just now, tontotoronto said:

She should kept her big dumb mouth shut instead of trying to impress viewers with her ignorance.

As I pointed out, she said this very early on. I do think somebody should keep their big dumb mouth (hand?) shut (clenched) instead of trying to impress others with their ignorance. Especially given that the case of Maddow is not comparable to what the Fox News hosts were up to.