Network

 

Fox News

   I just realized that I have not posted in ten days. To resume blogging I will pick a current event, which is a clear violation of my stated protocol -- which indicates that I will focus only on older, even ancient, unpopular matters rather than current topics of passing, but popular interest. The event is chosen, however,  because I think it will be an easy and quick way to provide you with some content, but judging from that last sentence, perhaps not. 

   Although Fox News is not typically available over Canadian television, most Canadians will have heard of the network and of the announcers, Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity. Recently it was discovered that they may not have believed some of the news they were preaching. They privately expressed doubts about the "stolen election", although they have not done so publicly,  and then shouted over the airwaves, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore." You may recognize that shout from the movie Network, which was about news broadcasting and ratings, which is also what the current event is all about. 

   The private views were discovered because Dominion Voting Systems is suing Fox News for defamation and, in doing so, gained access to Fox emails which contained statements which indicated some Fox executives and announcers had doubts about the reliability of Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell and thought it unlikely that Dominion had been able to rig all of those electronic votes (Dominion, by the way was established in Toronto by John Poulos.) 

   I gather that the doubts about the "stolen election" are not widely expressed over the Fox airwaves, out of fear that fans of Trump will migrate to news sources that are further right (apparently there are some, like Newsmax and OANN.) As even one Fox executive notes: “It’s remarkable how weak ratings make good journalists do bad things.”

   At first, I thought all of this was "good news", in that perhaps a few more people in the U.S. might view the current administration as a legitimate one. But, this "good news" probably won't be seen by the Fox viewers who are the ones who need convincing. I would ask some of my American relatives, but such political things are better not discussed. 

   It is also very likely that more Americans will be watching the trial of Alex Murdaugh, rather than the Dominion case involving Rupert Murdoch, who owns Fox and much else. Murdoch indicated that he thought the "stolen election rhetoric" should be stopped and that Fox needed to keep Giuliani off TV, but that has not happened. 

   Plus, this headline today relating to our Michigan neighbour, indicates we are likely in for a lot more "bad news": "Far Right Election Denier Beats Trump's Pick For Michigan GOP." You should also know that this election denier believes in demons:

Kristina Karamo, who refused to concede her run for secretary of state, beat Donald Trump’s choice for state chair in a chaotic convention.

In a Thursday speech to a right-wing “patriot” group in nearby Charlotte,[MI] Karamo argued that Christianity belonged at the core of American politics, called evolution “one of the biggest frauds ever perpetuated on society,” and asserted the existence of demons.

“When we start talking about the spiritual reality of the demonic forces, it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, this is crazy, we can’t go there,’” Karamo said. “No. It’s like, did you read the Bible? Didn’t Jesus perform exorcisms? … Scriptures are clear. And so if we’re not operating as though the spirit realities of the world exist, we’re going to fail every time.”

Sources:

  "Dominion Voting Case Exposed Post-Election Fear at Fox News, David Bauder, AP, Feb. 18, 2023 (the source for the quote from the Fox executive.) 

   "Far Right Election Denier Beats Trump's Pick For Michigan GOP," Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, Feb. 18, 2023.