Vox - A former right-wing radio host explains how conservative media became a safe space.

[TomCADem]

Interesting article about how the conservative media has gone beyond bias and now just creates a parallel universe where facts are really besides the point.

https://www.vox.com/2017/10/31/16579820/mueller-clinton-russia-uranium-manafort-charlie-sykes

The conspiracy is false, but that’s not really the point. The point is to muddy the waters, to divert attention from actual scandals. This is something conservative media is uniquely good at. The question is, why? Why is conservative media so much better than liberal media when it comes to making its preferred narratives stick?

To answer this question, I reached out Charlie Sykes, a leading conservative radio host in Wisconsin for nearly three decades. A vocal critic of Trump, Sykes eventually walked away from his show after alienating some of his pro-Trump listeners.

I asked Sykes, the author of the 2017 book How the Right Lost Its Mind, how right-leaning media is able to construct alternate realities for its base, and why it succeeds in ways liberal media does not.

“The conservative media has done a really great job of convincing conservatives that they're under siege,” he told me. As a result, “the conservative media has become a safe space for people who want to be told that they don't have to believe anything that's uncomfortable or negative.”

[dhol82]

1. True

My one and only rwnj, that I still email with, has told me that he only listens to Fox and Breitbart.
He actually told me that he can’t stand to listen to CNN, read the NYTimes or anything else that tells “lies.”
He used to read the Times and listen to CNN - told me they now make him sick to his stomach with their lack of regard for the truth.
Nothing I send him to try and get an inch of reality I to his mind makes a dent. He just says it’s fake news.
Sigh.

[sharedvalues]

7. Dont talk about anything BUT Fox lies

The only way to convert people like this is to break into the Fox bubble.

“Fox lies to all of us to get votes for billionaires.
“Look at the healthcare bill. The new tax cut bill. The only people it helps are billionaires. Fox lies to promote those bills. Why? They’re owned by billionaires”

This approach can work. I’ve seen it.

[dhol82]

16. Doubt it would work with this guy

He is part of a supportive group that would laugh at any trace of reality.
I was once included in a group email and replied to them with facts. I was politely asked to move on.

[sharedvalues]

21. Every American needs to resist lies - it's our patriotic duty.

[Cracklin Charlie]

26. I have had great results by reminding people...

Of all the areas where our values converge, as opposed to divide.

Ask them "what do you want your tax dollars to provide?"

Strong defense, educational opportunity, care for the needy...there should be several issues you could use to begin discussion.

I think it helps to find area of agreement, if it's someone you care about, which seems to be the case here. I also have found that asking questions and listening to their ideas makes them more receptive to hearing mine. That's how I find the places I can target my message. I hope that makes sense.

Good luck to you and your friend.

[RhodeIslandOne]

3. Exactly

It's preaching to the choir for hours on end. Never another viewpoint allowed. Dems are bad and evil. Period.

[tblue37]

12. Propaganda works. nt

[Garrett78]

4. This is why I don't expect Trump's approval rating to drop as low as others think it will.

My own father is one of those impenetrable right wingers.

[sharedvalues]

8. Talk to your father only about Foxs lies

See post above. Don’t bother with politics. You have to break the propaganda bubble. It just takes one crack - if you can point out one Fox lie he whole edifice can come down. I’ve seen it.

[KT2000]

5. the victims

that is what I hear from rumpsters. They get their victims of the day message in their media, blame liberals, and get angry and feel sorry for themselves. This is so weak - they want us to hand this country over to this bunch of wimps?

[sharedvalues]

10. Tell them they are the victims of billionaires

Point to the healthcare bills:

“Fox lied to all of us to get savage healthcare cuts passed. Why? Because it would bring tax cuts for their billionaire donors. That’s what Fox is— propaganda to get votes for billionaires.

[KT2000]

13. good point

and maybe it will get through to them they have been played.

[sharedvalues]

22. It's the only way to save the country, in fact.

[sandensea]

6. Why is conservative media so much better than liberal media at making narratives stick?

They're not. Most of their listeners are mindless suckers, completely incapable of critical thought.

A captive, utterly gullible audience like that is always easier - all the more so if you appeal to their petty hatreds.

[sharedvalues]

9. Thats the core of it

That’s why comedians work better for Dems.

But we still need to break the hold of if Fox and right wing hate radio.

[sandensea]

11. The evening gang at msnbc has been making a really good go of it lately.

Beating the Faux lineup in the ratings almost across the board.

Nevertheless, right-wing media will always have lopsided corporate (and dark money) backing - plus all those obsessive listeners of theirs.

Your point about needing more comic delivery is right on. Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah, Jimmy Kimmel, and Sam Seder are proof of that.

[sharedvalues]

23. You and I need to help - we can influence people if we tell them.

Tell those in the lying conservative bubble that they're being fed lies BECAUSE rich people want their votes to destroy the government.

It works, and you and I can help fix the country this way.

[sandensea]

24. I did a good bit of that in my teens and twenties.

But now that I'm in my thirties, I can categorically say I'm no good at it.

Nevertheless, is someone is that persuasive - and a good Democrat - he or she should definitely make a point to do that whenever the opportunity arises.

[sharedvalues]

25. We should put together a sample script

[sandensea]

27. The only thing I've found to 'work' somewhat, is reverse psychology.

Let's say you're at work or in a waiting room, and some Trumpkin strikes up a conversation.

At some point, they'll bash Obama and/or Hillary (plus other Democrats - and if they're old enough, Jimmy Carter).

In my younger days, I'd rise to their defense - but that's game over right off the bat. Instead, I try to play along a little ("yeah, Hillary isn't exactly charming, and Trump ran a smart campaign" etc.).

But then you follow it with: "Trump came in with a great opportunity, with all branches of government in GOP hands - but instead of doing something for the people, like middle-class tax cuts, infrastructure, or Medicare for All, he goes Goldman Sachs on us!"

"Yeah - you know I wuz wunderin' about that myself..." he'll say - and then you get into the 8 Goldman Sachs appointees, the foreclosure king Mnuchin, that Kushner kid running things, the fact he's wasting most of the tax cut on 'the Goldman crowd', etc."

Good to avoid bashing Cheeto personally - and pepper the conversation with "it's a real shame how they got to him."

Will this always work? No - but I've found it reaches people sometimes, keeps the conversation going for a while, and best of all: it gets them thinking.

[sharedvalues]

28. Good points.

Also pepper with "and then have you seen the kind of lies Fox has been telling lately? I heard they're run by a billionaire Australian who's trying to influence US voters to cut his own taxes"

[sandensea]

29. Thanks!

And you're right about Murdoch. The Trumpkins may be fond of Hannity, Kilmeade, and the bimbo brigade - but they don't like that lizard Murdoch.

"The most evil man I've ever met, " according to Ted Turner.

[octoberlib]

19. Yep.

Sean Illing
I still wonder why the liberal media hasn’t had an equivalent effect on the left. Any theories?

Charlie Sykes
I think the left has had less success in hermetically sealing off their base from other sources of information — that’s a major factor.

And look, this is deeply unfashionable for me to say as a conservative, but I think the education gap is not irrelevant. I used the term Vichy Republican the other day to describe Republicans who are basically collaborators, and I was a little taken aback by the number of people who had no idea what I was talking about.

[VOX]

14. Charlie Sykes is 100 percent correct.

The steady, daily diet of mock outrage, fear and anger dished out by RW media makes its viewers CRAZIER. And addicted.

[pansypoo53219]

15. shame he contributed to the rite wing twist for decades in milw.

[hatrack]

17. "Charlie Sykes has a book to sell, doo-dah, doo-dah . . . "

Whatever, Chuck, you profile in courage, you!

[kentuck]

18. One does wonder which side he is truly on?

He was a firebrand conservative for so long and had so many true believers.

Now, he sees Donald Trump and his Loyal Cult as the danger they are to America?

I think this is his true side.

But, that's just me.

[RandomAccess]

20. More from Sykes

I think he correctly identified both what's gone wrong on the right, and who's responsible.
Wish I had links for these, but I'm sure they could be found with a savvy google search.