http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/08/06/what-everyone-watching-republicans-debate-on-fo/204812
Beware the low expectations you have for Fox News.
At Media Matters, we spend considerable time steeped in Fox News' misinformation. As part of our larger media monitoring efforts, we watch Fox News every day from 6AM until 11PM. We're well versed in their chicanery and adept at combating their deceit with airtight research. It's why we often say of Media Matters, "We watch Fox News, so you don't have to."
But on nights like tonight, many people who don't usually watch Fox News will tune in. These viewers -- be they progressives, people who regularly get their news from other networks, or just casual political observers who engage only around big events -- have some impression of what Fox News' brand is. They tend to have a sense that Fox News is very conservative and that Fox News lies. And they probably initially associate Fox News with some of its legacy personalities like Bill O'Reilly, or even former ones like Glenn Beck.
These viewers tune in with the expectation that the Fox figures moderating the debate will align with their impression or sense of Fox News' brand of bloviating, bias, and bigotry. In effect, the bar is set -- and it's pretty low.
Here's a rough version of this that ends up playing out on nights like tonight: Fox puts its best foot forward. The Fox figures conduct themselves in a way that exceeds the low impression that these non-regular viewers have of Fox personalities. Many of these viewers think to themselves, "Hmm. Well, those moderators were pretty reasonable." Some may even pass remarks to this effect on social media or in their social circles.
Think back to your social media feeds from nights like this. I bet you saw some posts from friends or even some mainstream media figures either giving accolades to Fox or mentioning something along the lines of 'Fox News is conservative, but that news side moderator seems pretty okay.'
In reality, no, they weren't 'pretty okay' or 'reasonable' as some non-regular viewers might believe. It's just that the bar is really low.
Fox is well aware of this dynamic. They need nights like tonight.
A few years ago, the idea that Fox News is not news but rather more akin to a political operation finally broke through and became a widely-shared opinion in political and media circles. In late 2011, Roger Ailes, Fox News' Chairman & CEO, responded by conceding that Fox News needed a "course correction" and retreating to what the network claims is a separation between its commentary and hard news side.
Since then, Fox News has often touted its supposed "news side" to deflect criticism or to create a veneer of legitimacy. Nights like tonight are pivotal to this strategy.
In the lead up to tonight's debate, there were well choreographed pieces in Politico and The New York Times that emphasized the distinction between Fox News' commentary side and news side and advanced the narrative Fox wants told about how hard-hitting the anchors moderating tonight's debate are.
It's very likely that the Fox anchors moderating tonight's debate will exceed the low expectations that occasional viewers have of Fox News.
Don't be fooled though!
When not performing for an audience of non-typical Fox viewers...
Megyn Kelly defended Donald Trump's characterization that Mexican immigrants are "rapists" and "killers," and cited Ann Coulter's racially inflammatory book, Adios America, to substantiate this defense. Kelly regularly preys on racial anxieties -- by issuing dire warnings that President Obama is in cahoots with New Black Panthers, decrying diversity, or dismissing concerns about racial justice and policing.
Bret Baier is Fox News' lead anchor on Benghazi, diligently promoting emerging falsehoods, baseless smears, and the latest partisan attacks. He even hosts occasional hour-long special investigation shows, which look and sound more like reruns of Unsolved Mysteries than news reports.
Chris Wallace, who even Fox News' detractors recognize as Fox's most legitimate personality and voice of reason, still promotes doubt about climate change.
So before you rush to give Fox News credit for exceeding low expectations, just keep in mind that many of the smears, ignorant remarks, and flat-out lies told by candidates tonight were either very likely promoted heavily or manufactured by Fox itself. The landscape has been seeded with Fox News' chicanery. Candidates are well aware of the audience that they're speaking to -- a fact reflected in the decision by some of them to appeal directly to Fox News' core audience with substantial ad buys in an attempt to increase their standings in the polls.
i agree with the article to entire premise of both Fox and republican politics are built on deceiving who they can on everything not on their to do list from ObamaCares to Iran nuke deal look back all that they are against are things you might feel are good for your family and friends but they tell you they are not and what they say just doesn't seem to have your back but they with a little help from their friends at Fox continue to promote the same ED and every time they do the stench gets stronger.
their debate said nothing they haven't been saying for throughout the last 7 years no specifics no meat red or otherwise on the bones they were tossing to their base, that IMO is what made Trump the neanderthal stand out he was speaking the language they understood the sounds of republican hate, racism and bigotry and warriors against women
who btw cheered also for ol Donald"Alley Oop" Trump nothing new just retreaded incomplete titles no description same game with another name. but when you feed a certain red meat all the time than throw something in the trough not red or meaty they will walk away and cry for the usual, another mistake by republican architects.
one difference he wears that fur loincloth on his head DUH
