Examine how Fox News changed America as it turns 25

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By Brian Stelter, CNN Business

A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. You can register for free here.

Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes launched Fox News 25 years ago on Thursday.

Is the United States Better Off?

Despite all of Facebook’s scrutiny over the past few days, let’s recognize that Fox is also corrosive, maybe even more so. Fox breeds so many copiers, like One America News, that it’s easy to imagine a whole right-wing media universe with the creation of Murdoch as its foundation. Fox’s quarter-century anniversary is therefore an opportunity to examine its impacts on the country.

The network will be in full celebration mode Thursday, with a birthday-themed edition of “Fox & Friends” full of surprises. Promotional stickers will continue to air throughout the week. One o’clock special premiered last sunday.

But for families who feel like they’ve been torn apart by Fox, it’s not a happy birthday.

I asked Jen Senko about this because she made a movie called “Brainwashing My Father” which she turned into a book of the same name, newly released this week. “Well, well, well,” she said, when I emailed her about the 25-year milestone. “They certainly have a lot to celebrate. In 25 years, they have successfully achieved their goal of dividing America and producing Republican voters to get votes for billionaires. “

In the report of my book “HOAX”, the sources invoked feelings of “brainwashing”, but not always so explicitly. As former Fox collaborator Julie Roginsky said, opinion leaders “absolutely give Trump and their viewers the crack they want… They literally give viewers a drug.” Of course, that sounds like the recent dialogue on Facebook, doesn’t it?

Rupert deserves credit …

Fox News staff still revel in the early reactions and critiques of 1996. The network has been underestimated, of course, and Fox’s cheerleaders a quarter of a century later still quote “Opponents” like Bill Carter. In this celebratory video, Brit Hume cited Carter’s observation that Fox News – described as a toy that Ailes can play with – “may be less of a toy than an imaginary friend.”

Back then, nine months before launch, Carter’s story for the NYT was perfect. But I wondered how Carter, now a CNN media analyst, felt seeing his newly invoked old story, so I emailed him, and here’s what he said:

“The television landscape was obviously very different 25 years ago. When I wrote this article, many sources doubted that another cable news channel was viable – and they were right. And Rupert Murdoch clearly agreed with them because he didn’t start another news channel, he started a conservative opinion channel. And he deserves the merit of foreknowledge in understanding that a market existed for it. This decision has generated untold wealth for Mr. Murdoch, as well as untold side effects for the country. But no one really thinks that 25 years ago or now it had anything to do with “the news”.

Trump says congratulations

“Congratulations to Fox on 25 great years,” said Donald Trump in his vignette recorded for the channel. Despite all his reproaches, rants and insults towards Fox, it is clear that his candidacy was authorized by the channel and that his presidency was scheduled by the channel. Trump is Fox’s greatest contribution to American history to date.

So it’s striking to hear some Democrats trying to negotiate peace with Fox or trying to appeal to the base built by Ailes. For example, Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, agreed to record this cry for the 25th: “Congratulations. It’s no secret that I often disagree with hosts, and frankly I have taken my share of hits, but diversity of thought and freedom of speech are hallmarks of our democracy and I appreciate that Fox always allows me to hear my perspective. “

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