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Right wing media brainwashes people, but there’s hope.

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Credit: https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-fox-news-and-the-right-wing-media-machine-made-my-dad-crazy

Right-wing media has influenced people into voting for Republicans through the use of repetitive false-messaging and selective framing. Research has shown that media outlets like Fox News have a significant impact on their viewers’ political beliefs. For example, a study by Princeton University found that consistent Fox News viewers were more likely to adopt conservative viewpoints and vote Republican compared to those who consumed a broader range of media sources.

This effect is amplified by the fact that right-wing media often prioritizes ideological alignment over factual reporting. A Pew Research study highlighted that Fox News viewers are less informed on key issues than those who rely on other news sources. This aligns with the findings that many right-wing media outlets often engage in spreading misinformation, which can shape their audience’s perceptions and voting behaviors.

Fox News played a significant role in spreading false claims about Dominion Voting Systems, falsely suggesting that the company had rigged the 2020 election against Donald Trump. These baseless allegations led to a defamation lawsuit, which Fox News settled for $787.5 million. Despite the magnitude of this settlement, Fox did not publicly acknowledge wrongdoing or inform its viewers about the settlement, leaving them unaware of the extent of the misinformation they had been exposed to.

Additionally, in a separate legal context, Fox News has argued in court that “no reasonable person” would take Tucker Carlson’s statements as factual, suggesting that that viewers shouldn’t, yet Carlson was revered by much of the Fox news audience as one of their most trusted sources of information. Fox has also defended their right to broadcast misleading information under the protection of free speech.

Donald Trump has masterfully utilized a propaganda technique to undermine trust in the media by labeling reputable news outlets as “fake news.” This strategy is designed to discredit journalists who adhere to integrity and factual reporting, thus diverting attention from Trump’s own falsehoods. Over the past decade, Trump and his allies have repeated these claims thousands of times, creating a pervasive atmosphere of distrust towards legitimate media.

This approach is reminiscent of psychological theories on how constant exposure to fear-based messages can condition individuals to accept falsehoods, the underlying idea—that repetition of fear and lies can manipulate people to the point that once they are sufficiently brainwashed, there is no return to reality for them. Through this technique, many of Trump’s supporters have been manipulated into believing that biased, propaganda-driven outlets are the only sources of truth, even when faced with clear evidence to the contrary.

A study conducted by researchers at Emory University found that watching Fox News significantly increased viewers’ likelihood of voting for Republican candidates, showing how right-wing media has become an extension of the Republican party.  The study estimated that Fox News contributed to a notable shift in voter behavior, increasing the Republican vote share in various elections over the years. This finding aligns with the broader observation that consistent exposure to partisan media can influence political beliefs and voting patterns, further highlighting the impact of media on shaping public opinion. This study underscores the critical role that media outlets like Fox News play in not just informing but also influencing their audience’s political decisions, often by reinforcing existing biases rather than presenting a balanced perspective.

Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch, a media mogul who has long used his media empire to influence public opinion and shape political discourse in favor of conservative policies. Robert Mercer, a hedge fund billionaire, has been a major financier of right-wing causes and media outlets, including Breitbart News, which he helped transform into a prominent platform for far-right and populist content. Christopher Ruddy, a close ally of Donald Trump, owns Newsmax, another conservative media outlet that has gained traction among Republican voters by pushing narratives that align with Trump’s agenda. These media sources consistently promote policies like tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation, and opposition to social safety nets, often propagandizing and gaslighting Republican voters to support policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of their own interests. Their messaging is designed to manipulate public opinion by prioritizing the interests of the wealthy elite while undermining policies that would benefit the majority of voters.

The deliberate effort by Trump, Republicans, and their fake news to erode confidence in actual journalism paired with the goal to keep taxes low for the wealthy has significantly harmed American society, creating deep divisions and a troubling detachment from reality among large segments of the population. The repeated lies and misinformation, amplified across various platforms, have contributed to a dangerous erosion of democratic norms and an increase in political polarization.

Wealthy media owners have consistently manipulated public perception to maintain Reagan’s 60% tax reduction for millionaires, despite the resulting massive deficits that burden the American economy. As everyday Americans struggle with wealth inequality and feel increasingly left out, these media elites use their platforms to stoke fears and perpetuate misinformation, ensuring that any Democratic efforts to raise taxes on the rich are met with fierce resistance. The right-wing propaganda machine is so powerful that it deters Democrats from pursuing fairer tax policies, as any attempt is met with an avalanche of manipulative media campaigns designed to turn voters against them. In essence, right-wing media has brainwashed a large segment of the population into voting against their own economic interests, becoming unwitting participants in a system that continues to widen the gap between the wealthy and the rest of America. The only solution is for these voters to recognize how they are being used, and educate themselves about all of the lies they’ve been fed. At that point, they can demand policies that truly serve their interests, which would of course be more in line with the Democratic party.

Fox News, despite its significant influence, actually has some segments that are closer to reality when compared to other right-wing media outlets that some Republican voters rely on. These outlets often peddle even more extreme and disconnected narratives, creating an echo chamber that further detaches their audience from factual information. This media landscape underscores the heavy reliance on propaganda within certain segments of the right-wing media ecosystem to maintain voter loyalty.

On the other hand, mainstream media, despite its flaws, generally adheres to journalistic standards that emphasize factual reporting and balance. While no media outlet is entirely free from bias, outlets like NPR, the Associated Press, and major networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC are rated as more factual and less biased compared to right-wing media, according to the Media Bias/Fact Check website.

Twitter users can follow my free list of the best (least-biased) sources of news on Twitter for free.

Polls consistently show that a majority of Americans support policies typically associated with the Democratic Party, such as expanding healthcare access, addressing climate change, and supporting gun control measures. However, due to the influence of right-wing media, many voters are persuaded to vote against their own interests by aligning with a simplified, fear-based narrative that distorts these policy issues.

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“Researchers found that someone who watched only Fox News would be expected to answer 1.04 domestic questions correctly compared to 1.22 for those who watched no news at all.” – Business Insider

A study from Harvard University found that media framing around healthcare significantly influenced public opinion, with right-wing media often framing the Affordable Care Act negatively, which shaped conservative voters’ opposition to it despite broad support for its components. A separate study found that if a Fox News viewer converts to CNN for a month, it “caused substantial learning and moderated participants’ attitudes in covered domains.” For the record, while CNN is much more accurate than Fox News, Ben Shapiro, Newsmax, OANN and other popular right-wing propaganda, I would suggest elevating your sources to an even higher standard. My twitter list is a great start. I also have a long twitter thread about bad news sources (on both sides) and covers some of my methodology for the creation of my aforementioned twitter/x list.

Fox News isn’t just biased; it’s actively contributing to a less informed public. The aforementioned study conducted by political scientists David Broockman and Joshua Kalla revealed that Fox News viewers aren’t merely receiving slanted information—they’re being kept in the dark about crucial issues. When these viewers were paid to watch CNN for a month, they were exposed to topics that Fox had largely ignored or downplayed, such as the severity of COVID-19 and the Trump administration’s failures to manage it. This exposure led to a modest but significant increase in their awareness and understanding of these issues. The study underscores that Fox News isn’t just offering a different perspective—it’s selectively filtering information in a way that leaves its audience misinformed and, in many cases, outright ignorant. This distinction is critical because it highlights the difference between a news outlet that presents facts through a particular lens and one that deliberately omits facts to maintain a narrative.

In conclusion, while mainstream media presents a more nuanced and fact-based view of the world, right-wing media relies on selective messaging and misinformation to influence its audience. This has led to a situation where many Americans vote against policies they actually support, highlighting the importance of critically engaging with media and seeking out diverse sources of information.

UPDATE 10-23-24: I’ve just created a reputable news source list on Blue Sky (the network that is purging Twitter users). I will continue to add to the list as more news orgs join the platform. Feel free to send me a message there if you see a news org that is worthy of adding.  A good barometer for inclusion is that Media Bias Fact Check scores it as “High” or “Very High” reliability.

The largest non-partisan media assessors assess these popular news sources as the least fact-based:

Fox News, Washington Examiner, Epoch Times, Newsmax, OAN, The Blaze, Daily Wire, Daily Caller, Western Journal, National Review, Townhall, The Gateway Pundit, Ben Shapiro, Turning Point, Charlie Kirk, Tucker on X, and Breitbart.

The most centrist and fact-based popular sources of news free on Youtube:

CBS Evening News, BBC News, and Scripps News.

Non-Partisan media assessors:

Ad Fontes Media, All Sides Media, and Media Bias Fact Check.

Other sources:
POLITICO
Business Insider