cover of episode Fox News is Back at the White House. Plus, No Joke, The Onion Buys Infowars.

Fox News is Back at the White House. Plus, No Joke, The Onion Buys Infowars.

2024/11/15
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Anna Merlan
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Ben Collins
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Bill Adair
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Matt Gertz
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Matt Pearce
Topics
Brooke Gladstone和Michael Olinger：主持人介绍了该章目的主题：特斯曼里斯和百股新闻之间的关系，实际核查的困境，和洛蒙新闻购进Infowars。 Matt Gertz：特斯曼里斯在使用百股新闻作为人才中介机构，他的很多内院成员都与百股新闻有紧密关系。 Anna Merlan：在社交媒体上，一些民主党选民也扩展了关于选举结果的弊议论，但缺少公共官员的支持，“蓝Anon”概率不会成功。 Bill Adair：实际核查很重要，但它面临着资源缺少和公众信任度低的问题，特别是在公共党联集中，贾言已经成为一种文化。 Matt Pearce：传统媒体的影响力正在下降，人们获取新闻的主要途径已经发生了变化，这为传统媒体带来了挑战。 Ben Collins：洛蒙新闻购进Infowars是一个讲缘的行为，目的是通过具有讲缘性的方式对假信主义进行对抗。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why is there a revolving door between Fox News and the Trump administration?

Trump uses Fox News as a staffing agency, relying on its hosts and contributors for key positions due to their ability to push the buttons of the MAGA faithful and align with his worldview.

What are the consequences of the Trump-Fox feedback loop?

The feedback loop leads to policy changes and federal investigations based on conspiracy-minded content from Fox News, influencing government affairs without subject matter expertise.

Why do some Democratic voters question election results on social media?

Some Democratic voters turn to conspiracy theories to make sense of unexpected losses, similar to how some Republicans did after the 2004 election, seeking explanations in fraud or interference.

What is the current state of fact-checking in the U.S.?

Fact-checking is struggling due to a lack of resources and a PR problem, with half the states lacking fact-checkers to hold politicians accountable, making it difficult to break through the information ecosystem.

Why is The Onion buying InfoWars considered a significant move?

The Onion's acquisition of InfoWars is seen as a satirical take on the disinformation empire, aiming to turn the tables on conspiracy theories and provide a humorous yet critical perspective on the far-right media landscape.

How does the media's audience problem affect political coverage?

The media's audience problem means that legacy media outlets, often perceived as biased, are not the primary source of information for many, leading to a mismatch between how people consume news and how legacy media regards itself.

What is Baumol's cost disease and how does it affect journalism?

Baumol's cost disease refers to the economic problem where the cost of quality production, like investigative journalism, remains high and unchanged over time, unlike other sectors that can benefit from technological advancements.

Chapters
This chapter delves into the close relationship between Donald Trump and Fox News, examining how the network's personalities have influenced his administration and policy decisions.
  • Trump's cabinet picks often have ties to Fox News.
  • Fox News hosts have direct influence on Trump's policy decisions.
  • The revolving door between Fox News and the Trump administration is a significant concern.

Shownotes Transcript

Many of Donald J. Trump’s cabinet picks have something in common: a very close relationship with Fox News. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the revolving door from the conservative network to the White House. Plus, election conspiracy theories from Kamala Harris supporters go viral. And a satirical news site buys up Alex Jones’ Infowars. 

[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone speaks with Matt Gertz), senior fellow at Media Matters, about the re-opened revolving door between conservative media and the Trump administration. 

[11:52] Host Micah Loewinger sits down with Anna Merlan,) senior reporter at Mother Jones, to discuss the flurry of apparent Democratic voters questioning election results on social media, and why, without backing from public officials, “BlueAnon” is likely a nonstarter.

[20:05] Host Brooke Gladstone chats with Bill Adair), founder of PolitiFact )and author of the new book Beyond the Big Lie), about the history of fact-checking and why the field – in desperate need of resources and reinforcements – is struggling to break through in our information ecosystem. 

[33:23] Host Micah Loewinger talks with Matt Pearce), former staff writer at the LA Times, and president of Media Guild of the West, about the media’s audience problem.

[43:00] Host Brooke Gladstone calls up Ben Collins), CEO of The Onion), because The Onion bought Alex Jones’ Infowars. Need we say more. 

Further reading / listening:

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