What is Fox News?
Fox News is a conservative media outlet that has gained a large following in the US. The company has been accused of sexual harassment and has a history of political payoffs. The company has also been accused of leaking stories to support candidates and to undermine their opponents.
Academics have used various metaphors to describe the influence of partisan news outlets, such as information silos or echo chambers. But these descriptions don’t fully capture the power of Fox to shape—and limit-—viewers’ empathies.
It is a conservative media outlet
Fox News is often described as a cable news network, and it has been criticized for its biased reporting. However, most people fail to see that Fox isn’t just a media outlet; it’s an ideologically driven enterprise that provides guidance for the Republican Party and millions of its followers, attacks its opponents, and makes hefty profits. It stands alongside industry, state government, church, and regular media as an extra pillar of political culture.
Its lexicon of grievance—immigrant mob, PC police, deep state, fake news, socialist agenda, Benghazi—is endless. Its grammar is of indignation: its defenders use “you and them” and “we are right and they are wrong.” It’s a cult of victimization that makes people feel unsafe and alienated from the rest of America.
The mainstream media has a responsibility to challenge Fox’s falsehoods and its pernicious influence on democracy. But most journalists refuse to do so, for fear of retaliation from Fox’s executives. This is a disservice to the public, and it undermines the credibility of the media as a whole. Fortunately, scholars are increasingly exploring the impact of Fox and its effect on political culture. These studies have provided crucial documentation and analysis, but they have failed to address how and why the channel appeals to its audience and its influence on the political system.
It is a source of entertainment
In addition to its news and sports programming, Fox also produces a variety of reality shows. These include Temptation Island, Married by America, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and Joe Millionaire. These programs are aired on local Fox stations and distributed to cable companies for use in their own networks. These programs are often broadcast in the 10:00 p.m. hour, and some of the network’s owned-and-operated stations also air local newscasts in this time slot.
Throughout the 1990s, Fox put a lot of effort into producing reality TV shows. Some of these were wildly popular, such as 24 and House. Others were less successful, such as Temptation Island and Married by America. However, by 2000, many of these shows had ended their run. After that, Fox began to focus on dramas and comedies.
Some critics of fox have pointed out that the company’s political leanings are obvious. They have also argued that the network is not actually a news channel, and instead operates as state propaganda. These criticisms are valid, but they have been overshadowed by a more powerful argument: that Fox has become a source of entertainment for millions of people.
It is a source of news
Fox News is a cable television news channel that broadcasts news and political commentary. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, which is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. The channel has many viewers and has been a consistent winner in the Nielsen ratings.
Despite the fact that Fox News is a source of news, it is also a highly politicized and manipulative media outlet. Its partisan bias is obvious, and its coverage of some events is simply false or misleading. This is a problem that journalists and scholars should not ignore.
The vast majority of Americans have heard of Fox News, and most have seen its programs. As of November, nearly four-in-ten Americans say they trust or distrust the network. This is higher than the shares of adults who trust CBS News or PBS. The share of Republicans who trust Fox News is even higher.
It is easy to criticize Fox News for its distortions, but it is harder to understand why its audience still watches. The answer may be that people tune in for a variety of reasons, including to get news, seek alternative opinions, or to be rage-entertained. It is not clear whether this type of viewing constitutes “news,” but it is increasingly difficult to defend the conventional wisdom that outlets that depart from high-modernist journalistic norms are not news.
It is a source of information
Fox News is the most popular cable news channel in America and one of the most trusted sources of political information. But it’s not without its problems. In the past, many mainstream journalists have been too charitable in their coverage of Fox, ignoring the fact that it is biased and not a source of true information. But more recently, these journalists have started to take a harder line against Fox. Some have even written books and made documentaries analyzing the channel’s impact on American politics.
Among people who identify as Republicans, more than nine-in-ten say they turn to Fox for their political news. This may explain why the network has such a stronghold on the right of the political spectrum. In November, a Pew Research Center survey found that around a quarter of Democrats distrust Fox News but still tune in for political news.
A recent trove of internal emails has exposed how Fox News operates with little regard for the truth. It’s not just a conservative propaganda network; it separates the nation and pushes white nationalist hate for financial gain, endangering democracy. But what’s most disturbing is that it can do so with impunity. In contrast, mainstream media outlets are held to higher standards. They’re not allowed to hide key elements of a story, for instance, poverty, mass incarceration, and US-caused civilian casualties.
