“We’re lost,” a Fox News member recently commented to me, and there are plenty of data points to support the claim.
The Nielsen numbers for January were released on Tuesday, and Fox ranked third in the three-horse cable news race for the first time since 2001. In addition, CNN was the No. 1 channel of all. the cable.
Think of it this way: January was one of the biggest political news months in a generation, but Fox couldn’t capitalize. Instead of competing by promoting correspondents and putting news coverage at the forefront, the network prioritized an increasingly outrageous and increasingly extreme opinion. “Tucker Carlson Tonight” essentially expanded into “Tucker Carlson Day and Night.”
It may be Fox’s best bet for a business POV. “Recovering a base audience that despises the news by ignoring it and asserting their opinions 24/7” makes sense from an economic, if not ethical, point of view. But for now, Fox is in third place and it’s shocking to see that. The lack of editorial leadership is palpable, according to numerous network sources. And even in its state of weakness, Fox is reflecting and pushing for the radicalization of the Republican Party …
Report on pontificate
Here’s how The Daily Beast team described Fox’s “boys” on Tuesday: “Pointing out a seismic shift in the media landscape as defeated former President Donald Trump hibernates in a strangely silent exile in Mar-a-Lago, winner Fox News’ two-decade streak ended sharply on Tuesday, while rivals CNN and MSNBC ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in all cable television.-Leaning Outlet lost the fourth quarter of 2020 to CNN and alienated Trump who supported loyal viewers by calling Arizona before Joe Biden during his coverage on election night. “
Certainly, there are many reasons for these trend lines. Fox base’s frustration with the election result is one. The availability of Newsmax as an alternative to Fox is another. The political upheaval of the moment, with President Biden visibly trying to work with Republicans, is another.
Demand for news from the public is another big reason. Between the pandemic, the transition of power and the insurrection, many people want to report before they pontificate, and CNN is built for that. Fox is not. (Just count the number of CNN offices versus Fox.) Fox actively avoids the news when producers believe the bluster rate will be better; Tuesday night, for example, CNN and MSNBC showed the U.S. Capitol ceremony for police officer Brian Sicknick while Fox was caught up in Sean Hannity’s screaming party. Laura Ingraham only briefly showed the ceremony when Biden visited the Capitol to pay tribute …
Is it Trump’s fault?
President Trump helped the network in the short term, but eventually the network hurt Trump and he hurt them too. “Never before has a network been so closely affiliated with a commander-in-chief,” Sarah Ellison and Jeremy Barr of WaPo wrote Tuesday. Fox is now experiencing “an identity crisis.”
Now, according to many Fox sources, Rupert Murdoch is reaffirming himself on the net and is determined to turn ratings upside down. Ellison and Barr reported that Rupert “has been presenting a steady stream of calls with advice on how to handle Trump’s political stance, which is dividing the Republican Party.”
“A work in progress”
Rupert Murdoch has taken up the habit of responding to reporters ’emails listed in the register. It is a habit that I strongly support.
In response to WaPo, specifically the exit report that Fox News president Jay Wallace is under control, Rupert wrote that “Lachlan, me and Suzanne Scott have full confidence in Jay Wallace.” His other appointments:
– “The abandonment of Chris Stirewalt had nothing to do with the correct Arizona call from the Fox decision board.”
– “The new daytime training is the work of Mrs. Scott and [new managing editor for news] Tom Lowell, and to some extent it’s still work in progress. “
The great unknowns
– Bill Keveney headline for USA Today asks the big Q: “CNN goes to No. 1, Fox falls in post-vote indexes: will it last?”
– What time changes are there in the CNN store? What about MSNBC?
– Will the start of Biden’s presidency lead to a wider decline in news interest and viewing?
– The renewal of Fox’s programming in January was just the beginning. What’s next?
– What do Fox rating ratings say about right-wing audiences, including a strong preference for sinister talk about live news?
– Some Fox narratives (think Benghazi and “Obamagate”) make viewers feel part of a campaign; what will be the next campaign?
– Newsmax has dropped from its post-election highs, but remains a painful thorn for Fox. Will the insurgent network find ways to grow?
The Newsmax segment flies off the rails
Oliver Darcy writes: “You’ve seen it
this viral video yet? This is what happens when a network faces massive legal exposure. On Tuesday, Newsmax invited Mike Lindell, the head of MyPillow, to speak live for a discussion on the cancellation of culture and the “censorship” of big technologies, and ironically ended with the hosts’ cancellation. lant “Lindell and” censoring “his speech. The discussion
he got off the rails when Lindell began to promote discredited conspiracy theories about voting machines. Host Bob Sellers, who was clearly prepared for this possibility, jumped in and dismissed allegations of fraud. But Lindell continued to pressure the claims, so sellers asked producers if they could continue, “Can we get out of here, please?” I thought this was strange; on CNN, anchors have the power to finish segments instead of asking for help in the control room. Moments later, the salesmen surrendered and left the scope of the camera, while co-presenter Heather Childers was still with Lindell … “
>> The context: Newsmax has not yet been sued by Smartmatic or Dominion. But legal threats from companies have clearly scared the net …
>> Naturally, some Newsmax fans took Lindell’s side over the net …
Not a “all channel” issue
Oliver Darcy writes: “Nicolle Wallace on Tuesday asked former Sen. Bob Corker if Fox deserves responsibility for all the information that comes out through the Republican Party. It was a good question (and the answer is obviously yes), but
Corker dodged blaming “all channels” of opinion programming. However, it must be emphasized: the programming of opinions based on a set of shared facts and the delivery of direct propaganda to millions every night are two completely different things and should not be combined … “
