Who cares that Fox News, a cable TV version of the screeds voiced on radio by Rush Limbaugh, the late radio commentator whose outrageous right-wing bluster was immensely popular, is being sued for defamation by Dominion Voting Systems for $1.6 billion?
Very few people. Viewers distrust television news shows as purveyors of truth.
Sad commentary about a country filled with multiple tribal interpretations of news. The tide has turned. You believe only what feeds your existing bias.
I watch little or no TV news. I prefer the printed word. My news providers are the Baltimore Sun, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Maryland Matters, the Baltimore Banner and, of course, the Spy.
I avoid bumptious and boisterous TV commentators. They often resemble entertainers—because they are. They succeed or not by the number of viewers who tune into loud exclamations of certainty. I will not watch CNN or Fox News; they both infringe upon my journalistic sensibilities. They peddle anger and outrage.
The facts presented so far in the Dominion lawsuit against media magnate Rupert Murdoch’s empire portray news executives and its jarring commentators deliberately reporting lies about verifiable voting machines—for three reasons: retain its right-wing audience, retain its advertisers committed to polls and return its commercial advantage over competing, ultra-conservative cable TV networks.
Truth be damned. It mattered not. Support of lies propagated by the former president was the primary objective. Fox wanted to retain its wildly conservative and misguided Trumpian audience—and advertisers.
Fox now faces the consequences of its loose relationship with the truth. If it avoids legal condemnation, its reputation is at risk. Does it matter to Murdoch?
My guess is that the Fox fanatics are so distrustful of what they consider liberal media, they will be reluctant to relinquish their allegiance to a distorted perspective of news. I doubt that Fox will resort to an honest reporting of the news; it does not suit its business model.
Journalism has taken a dangerous turn. Truthful reporting is twisted according to the political slant of a particular news platform. Objective reporting is passé. Clear separation of reporting from editorial comment is muddied.
I have written about the demise of local media, as proved by the number of newspapers that are no longer in business. I worry too about the demise of objectivity, a doctrine drilled into this writer while enrolled in journalism school. Any variation would not be tolerated by the faculty.
While some may question whether objectivity is humanly possible, I believe it is. The Public Broadcasting System’s daily News Hour epitomizes straight-up, fair reporting. I realize, however, that conservative viewers may disagree, sensitive to body language or treatment of guests.
Fox TV, viewed by some friends as the apostle of truth and a bulwark against “woke” culture, engenders distrust of government. Long-serving bureaucrats are viewed and characterized as insidious roadblocks to the implementation of plans and policies proposed by politicians intent on behaving illegally, if not unethically. In my way of thinking, these conscientious civil servants provide necessary checks and balances.
However the defamation lawsuit proceeds, Fox’s credibility as a news source is in serious trouble. Its obsession with pleasing the Trumpian audience, at all costs, is open to question, if not derision. Even Paul Ryan, former Republican Speaker of the House and Fox corporate board member, cautioned against the peddling of lies about unproven election fraud. He was ignored.
Life goes on. Not necessarily civilly. Broadcast and cable news will continue feeding the public all the news fit for differing and conflicting viewpoints.
It would be nice to conclude with an optimistic message about truth or consequences, to opine that our prevalent distrust of institutions and opposing political perspectives will diminish. Just imagine if a new wave of decency enveloped our nation. Improbable, but possible.
Politically slanted media make lots of money by catering to their adamant audiences. Rupert Murdoch and other communication titans could change their modes of operation by viewing the truth as a marketable commodity.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. After 44 years in Easton, Howard and his wife, Liz, moved in November 2020 to Annapolis, where they live with Toby, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel who has no regal bearing, just a mellow, enticing disposition.
Rev Julia Hart says
When Jesus stood trial before Pilate, Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” Truth was staring Pilate in the face. Shortly after Truth was tortured and crucified.
David Lloyd says
Very sad and scary but, regrettably, very true re today’s journalism and reporting of news. We do need to support our local news sources!!
John Fischer says
Your decision to ignore Fox News and CNN in favor of the printed word is a good one. Regarding the latter, you might consider leavening your politically and socially redundant choices of the Post and Times with the Wall Street Journal.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Newscorp, the parent of Fox News which is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, owns the WSJ. The WSJ lost some of its independence when Newscorp bought it. The line between editorial and news coverage has been broken.
The Dominion Voting suit is coming to a head. Murdoch could lose big. $1.6 Billion plus 3 X punitive damages.
Are you following the Dominion Voting case?
Beatrice Kelley says
Sorry to say, but reading the “written word” is just as biased as TV reporting and to think otherwise is ludicrous at best! We live in a divided world and most people do not have the time or energy to sort through through the endless coverage with the barrage of information available today. The best we can do, if we have time, is to read and listen to both sides and decide that truth exists somewhere in the middle. However, human nature still returns us to preference, albeit Democrat or Republican, in consideration of what we want to believe or what we perceive as truth.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Howard Freedlander lets Murdoch and Fox and its employees off too easily.
Some things to consider:
Murdoch also owns the Wall Street Journal. It has been suggested that the news side of the WSJ has been influenced by the editorial right leaning side.
Paul Ryan could have made the decision to resign from Fox’s board. But then he would also lose the compensation that that board seat brings.
While Mr. Freedlander may not watch the news on TV, many, or maybe most of us, do. I doubt that Fox News viewers are very critical of the reporting they see. IMHO Fox was a major reason Trump got the nomination and won in 2016. I get much of my news from on line newspapers (NYT, WP, Guardian, Atlantic, Axios etc.). So what?
Our local newspaper, The Star Democrat – to which I have a digital subscription in attempt to keep it going – is a shadow of what it used to be. One thing I can count on is as many anti-abortion opinions as the publisher can find. I have to wonder whether the Star Democrat is worth preserving. But, someone needs to watch the county council and local pols.
Mickey Terrone says
Mr. Engelskirchen, that was a very good summary. I’d add that FOX News has acted so egregiously in selling themselves out that no reasonable person can truly believe anything uttered by any those talking heads. There appears to be no limit to their degeneracy and profligacy. I believe its fair for opposing networks to deride FOX because FOX has become the news due to its failure to present even minimal ethical standards of journalism.
Wealthy scoundrels like Rupert Murdoch have profited from yellow journalism and are now toying with weakening the very foundations of the U.S. Government by corrupting our institutions and supporting demagogues for little other than financial profit. Its important that the media expresses professional contempt for Murdoch and entire Newscorp edifice.
The Big 2020 Election Lie is now being supplemented by the Big January 6th Insurrection Lie as being a peaceful demonstration. Republican Party leaders are integrally involved in covering up for Trump’s effort to overthrow our 2020 Election after refusing to acknowledge the election results colluding with FOX bigwigs. Let me remind you that this right wing theater of the absurd began in January, 2017 with Sean Spicer walking out and announcing Trump’s Inauguration crowd was the biggest ever, despite photos to the contrary.
FOX News and the Republican Party are in support of Trump’s demagoguery. There is nothing even remotely comparable from the mainstream media or the Democrats. We had better start calling this right wing obscenity out for what it is – an effort to subvert this democratic republic.
The attacks on womens rights, civil rights, minority voting rights and support for Putin and other authoritarians allow for no mistaken identity as part of Trump extremists’ overt assaults on our democracy. Trying to develop bipartisan dialogue with Republican extremists and their FOX News zombies may be beyond hope, considering the House GOP leadership mob.
When one considers that FOX is selling itself out to compete with further right extremist media outlets, one should conclude there exists a large red malignancy on our body politic that can’t be compromised away. Extremism must be confronted with the reality of facts and the law. The mainstream media must supply the facts and the Justice Department and court system must enforce the law. And patriotic Americans must vote in support of our best interests and the Common Good of our democratic republic.