Yep, This Describes Fox and its viewers exactly

[n2doc]

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. I've been wondering about this complaint lately

Note the man has the remote control well in hand and from the looks of it has turned the "TV" on/changed the channel to Fox News. Say what you will about Fox (neither my husband or I watch TV news) the man has nonetheless chosen to watch Fox.

But he could just as easily gone to CBS, ABC, NBC, CSPAN, CNN, CNBC or even MSNBC. Heck, he could go to BBC or al Jazeera English if he wanted. But he obviously chose Fox. Why?

Fox can only sit there embedded where it is on the spectrum of channels. It has zero ability to make you punch in the numbers to turn to it. So why do people actively seek out Fox news of their own volition?

"Because he's an easily swayed moron!" is the usual answer.

Well, as I noted already, Fox can't sway anybody. Viewers have to first seek-out Fox. I don't seek-out Fox for the same reason I don't frequent threads on DU where the OP announces FB Friend/co-worker/relative sent them RW talking point such-and-such and then they proceed to post the entire thing verbatim, unedited and without commentary. In short, if I wanted to see that sort of thing I would seek it out on my own but I don't because it doesn't share my values.

But what if they are easily swayed morons? It seems to me the term "easily swayed" means the viewer will accept whatever is put in front of them. So why aren't the Maddows, Malloys and Schultzs of the world swaying them? They're on the same spectrum of satellite and radio recievers. It's just as easy to punch in 760 as it is 850 on your radio AM dial.

But if the audience is really a bunch of easily swayed morons do you want to say -- presumably with pride -- "Yeah, we've totally cornered the easily swayed moron market! Those morons are OUR morons! WoooOOOOooo!!!"

I strongly doubt that.

However, I would like to point-out, in all fairness I believe: Whether or not they really are easily swayed morons they will never become our audience, interlocutors or political compatriots so long as we insist on calling them easily swayed morons or any other demeaning term. "So run down to your local grocery store today and ask for Brand X: the choice of knuckle-dragging, mind-numbed neanderthals the world over!" will never be a successful marketing campaign.

[n2doc]

2. Except Fox is on an astounding number of tv's in waiting rooms

where it sits, propagandizing away.

[ananda]

3. Not here in Austin.

Thank goodness.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. I seriously doubt that explains their ratings

I'm not a TV guru but I cannot imagine the rating services figure how many doctors waiting rooms a given program appears in or that potential audiences taking their cues from what they see at their doctor's office.

I've certainly been in plenty of doctor's offices over the years and never once have I felt the unction to subscribe to Field & Stream.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. What explains their ratings is it's on in a lot of nursing homes.

Bitter 70+ year old men sitting around and complaining about the government in the common area while Social Security and Medicare pay for their housing and treatment. Meanwhile, the 70+ year old women avoid that room or risk having those pigs act like they're offering themselves up for a sacrifice.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

6. ooo-kay n/t

[A Simple Game]

24. If you could explain why it is on in the waiting rooms we would also

probably know why it is on in the homes.

It's a good question and if we knew the answer it would help us win hearts and souls to our side.

Maybe it's just the T and A?

[n2doc]

26. I personally think it is because the righties can't stand listening to any other viewpoint

Since most people don't give a shit, the righties throw a fit, get their way and turn on any tv to Fox and any radio to Rush/hate inc. And there always seems to be a wingnut in any biz. I've seen it in oil changing places, doctors offices, airports, repair shops...of course, I live in the south so maybe it is different elsewhere.

[A Simple Game]

42. That's probably it.

I live in Northern New York where it's fairly moderate to liberal and most radios you hear in businesses are tuned to golden oldies. Most TV's are on headline news or where there may be a lot of kids, Nick. Often the remote is in the waiting room so you can pick what you want.

[MatthewStLouis]

8. It's the bimbo's that draw them in and the subtle racism that makes them stay.

Sorry, but this is what Fox News is about.

I can't stand to watch it, mostly because I can predict their knee jerk/propaganda talking point reactions to everything.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

14. That being said

do you want Fox viewers to switch to more progressive influences or stay embedded at Fox?

Is the game plan to simple write-off everyone who doesn't immediately and reflexively agree with progressives the first time?

[shawn703]

9. Fox validates the world view of its audience

It's no different than people who attend Westboro Baptist Church. They could have chosen to attend any other church in Topeka, but they chose Westboro because the anti-gay message is one they want to hear.

Close-minded people would rather hear people tell them that their beliefs are "correct" rather than be challenged on them.

[ThomThom]

12. It is very simple because Fox feeds them what they want to hear.

They checked the others out, didn't believe them and went back to their comfort zone. They want to be reinforced that blacks and foreigners are out to get them, abortion is a sin, war is the only way to save people and on and on and on. Same reason we come here, too feed our positions, fortunately we have the "truth". Don't we? At least mostly truthiness.

[Marr]

16. I don't think Fox "sways" many people. They just tell their viewers what they want to hear.

We all have biases and prejudices. The content on Fox and right-wing talk radio is about playing to those predetermined ideas and reinforcing them. It's comforting to have your world view validated. It's discomfiting to process ideas and facts that challenge that world view.

Fox never challenges it's viewers that way. If the facts don't fit with their narrative, they ignore the facts. Or rewrite them.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

18. So what would be a good way to

get them to hear other positions?

[Marr]

27. You can appeal to their prejudices in the same way Fox does, I suppose.

But I doubt you could ever convert them to your way of thinking.

The only success I've had arguing with Republicans has been when I've cast the right wing position as the effeminate, less-manly one. If you can focus on Romney's soft hands and silk ties and dancing horse, for instance, they'll be more willing to sneer at him. But you'll never do it with logic.

[Ned_Devine]

19. When Fox first came out some time in the mid 90's, it was...

...given free with everyone's cable package unlike MSNBC and several other cable news channels which come at an extra cost. Therefore, it became the readily available news source for countless households across the country. Yes, they used attractive women and coded language to lure in their audience and capitalize on their fears and anger. But the truth is, they won by default in that they were the only game in town that didn't cost the cable subscribers any extra money. How many millions of households did it reach and convert? Like I said, probably countless.

Brian

[Nuclear Unicorn]

22. Has their viewership remained static or do they add new viewers?

[Smilo]

25. Hate and anger and bitterness sells

and as voice for the GOPT Fox is great at all three.

[99Forever]

28. Ahhh yes!

The good old "if you are extra nice to assholes, they will change into humanitarians" meme.

Haven't heard that one before.

(And it works so well!!!!!!)

[Nuclear Unicorn]

30. Name-calling has an even worse track record.

When was the last time you agreed with someone who called you an "a-hole"?

[99Forever]

32. Uh huh...

... and asskissing the Teapubs has been oh-so-fucking-productive, hasn't it?

[awoke_in_2003]

37. Yesterday...

[Doctor_J]

33. are you serious?

1. Radio is 99.9% far right republican, 24/7. There is literally nothing else on.
2. The radio propagandists tell them, "tune to Fox - everything else is left wing"

Done.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

34. People choose whether to listen to FM music or AM talk; so my questions remain.

[Ganja Ninja]

7. As Jon Stewart said last night.

Fox News is there because it's easier than actually trying to insert your head into your own ass to escape reality.

[Flatulo]

10. I'll tell you why Fox leads the cable news pack:

Hot babes.

It's really that simple. They're marketing sex, not news.

[HopeHoops]

13. Sorry, but I've never seen a hot babe on FOX - just overly made-up bimbos.

[unc70]

35. Yep. Short skirts and dangling high heels

I was reminded again this week watching outtakes on TDS, et al. Always lots of short skirts on Fox, clearly in view and not protected by modesty panel or such in the desks or sets they use.

Heels have gotten much higher recently, particularly at Fox. Mostly 3-5" now.

[CJCRANE]

36. I have to agree...

Some of the women are stunning IMO. I am occasionally drawn to Fox News while clicking through the channels...

It's Murdoch's classic formula that he uses everywhere: titillation + propaganda.

[HopeHoops]

11. Yeah, farts out of a TV.

[lpbk2713]

15. Faux Noise getting the latest story ---->

[mwooldri]

17. My apologies to actual elephants.

Their rear ends are more informative to me than Fox "News".

[Diclotican]

20. n2doc

n2doc

I had fox news - for a while, right after 11 sept 2001, on a channel - where it aired after "hours" (yes, the channel closed down after 1 am every night, and then fox news got on for some hours before the channel was on air again for the day) And it was interesting - fascination in a way - like you drive true a crash site, and you kind of look around, and try to get what is happening around you, with all the police, the ambulances, and the fire brigaders... But compared to a crash site, where you at least see the professionals, and you do know that some is hurt, maybe dead or near death.. The poisoned you get from fox news is just that, poisent, that everyone with a brain should get away from... Becouse you know, if you have fox on for long - it tend to get into your brain - and do damage....

Thankfully Fox news dosen't air in Norway - not on cable, not on satelite..

Diclotican

[gollygee]

21. ROFL

That made me literally laugh out loud.

Hmm but it did not make me literally roll on the floor laughing.

[DissidentVoice]

23. Validation

I think human beings, by nature, want validation of their beliefs.

Rupert Murdoch may have the ethics of a sewer rat but he's not stupid. He knows that playing on Americans' sense of (over-inflated) "patriotism" will make him money. It has.

Initially, I think the FN crowd came from Limbaugh. I remember he was touting FNC on his radio show just as it was about to be launched. His listeners largely take every word he says as objective truth; hence, the initial cadre of FNC's audience rode on Limbaugh's coattails.

FNC is good with flashy graphics and lots of Stars-and-Stripes symbolism. Americans who (falsely) think that the more you wave the Flag, the better "patriot" you are, buy into this.

As to "converting" them? If someone is so locked-into the FNC/Limbaugh/Beck/O'Reilly/Hannity world of "news" (anything not approved by the RNC and validated by the far-right media is "socialism&quot then there's no more hope of "converting" them than right-wingers have of "converting" faithful viewers of Maddow, Matthews, etc.

Personally I tend not to watch very much of the U.S. news media. I get most of my news from the BBC, CBC, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Deutsche Welle (I speak German)...far more objective views of U.S. news since they don't usually have a dog in the fight.

[HangOnKids]

38. Great Post! Thank You

Please join in more often.

[DissidentVoice]

39. You're quite welcome n/t

[Tommy_Carcetti]

29. As I walked into my mother in law's house today to drop off my daughter...

....there was Fox News on the TV, front and center.

And it shows. She repeats all the talking points nearly verbatim.

It's sad how much Fox News abuses a fertile brain.

[Initech]

31. I love it!!!

[panader0]

40. Ah, Fitzsimmons, our local cartoonist

He's in the Az Daily Star out of Tucson. Finally made it to DU.

[malaise]

41. Perfect