Frank Rich: Fox News Is Dying

[onehandle]

Fox News may be the dominant cable news channel by far. Its executives may be the subject of intense scrutiny whose every move is watched carefully and who inspire massive biographies. Its on-air talent may dominate headlines for days on end merely by discussing Santa Claus.

Despite all that, New York magazine columnist Frank Rich posited a provocative theory in the title's latest issue. Fox News, he wrote, is in terminal decline:

In truth, Fox News has been defeated on the media battlefield—and on the political battlefield as well. Even the 73-year-old wizard of Fox, Roger Ailes, now in full Lear-raging-on-the-heath mode as ­portrayed in my colleague Gabriel ­Sherman’s definitive new biography, "The Loudest Voice in the Room," seems to sense the waning of his power. The only people who seem not to know or accept Fox’s decline, besides its own audience, are ­liberals, including Barack Obama, whose White House mounted a short-lived, pointless freeze-out of Fox News in 2009, and who convinced himself that the network has shaved five points off his approval rating.

But Rich opined that the network's ratings mask more existential problems, including a rapidly aging, overwhelmingly white, politically cocooned audience, the rise of the Internet as a dominant form of communication, and what he called Fox News's "inability to navigate the conflict between the party Establishment and the radical base that is dividing the conservative ranks." That theory becomes more persuasive if you accept the narrative that many, including Sherman and CNN chief Jeff Zucker, posit: that Fox News exists more as a political operation than a news channel.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/27/frank-rich-fox-news-new-york_n_4672800.html

[liberal N proud]

1. We will party when they are gone!

Until then, don't trust anything.

[n2doc]

2. Just like the stories that say the Republican party is dying

I'll believe it when it actually happens. Too much money out there that will prop up this propaganda station. Just like with Rush Limbaugh.

[Va Lefty]

3. Not soon enough!

[riderinthestorm]

4. Too many brainwashed Americans that are addicted to Faux

I'm not confident that hard core demographic can be weaned off. They really believe Faux is a "fair and balanced" news* (cough) program.

Still, from Rich's lips to Gods ears. Hope it happens. ..

[Hulk]

10. ALL four of my older siblings, plus....

numerous neighbors watch fox-nonsense, and listen to NOTHING else, but maybe lars larson, rush limpballs, or some other reich wingers radio freak. They ALL believe it is the ONLY SOURCE of "unbiased 'news'". I'm sorry..but they are hopeless. You and I are NOT going to talk these simple minded, Obama-hating drones off their source of "daily stupid".

It's frustrating, but fox is extremely effective with these low-intelligence human-baboons. The have to die out...that's the only salvation. It's like heroin to these idiots.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

19. CONservatives, reTHUGS, and 'Baggers are genetically stupid. They get it from their genetically

stupid parents and genetically stupid friends and associates. They are easily fooled because they are, to the one, fools. They are genetically incapable of distinguishing brainwashing propaganda and just plain bullshit from "unbiased 'news'. They don't even understand the simple meaning of the word "bias".

They are "daily stupid" because they reject common sense, logic, science, and education. They are so fucking goddamned stupid that they actively participate in making themselves even more stupid than their genetics allows.

I am waiting for them. One of their stupid compatriot loud-mouths on the TV or radio will whip them into a frenzy eventually that will lead to a last-gasp attempt at survival and their guns will come out blazing - because they are just that fucking stupid. And, I will be waiting for my chance to cull some of the stupid from the American genetic pool. Their stupidity has ruined my country. Our country. And they must be made to pay the price.

I know you're watching, you stupid fucks. Just try it. That's all I ask.

ETA: @Hulk, I'm using "genetically" here as an adjective. I am in no way implying that you are genetically stupid because you are related to the subjects of your post. And, even if I was using the term in the literal sense, genetics does offer the possibility of beneficial mutations, of which you have obviously benefited =) ...

[Warpy]

27. Still, their base is old, bitter, retired white males

who are angry at the world and looking for places to put that anger, something Pox supplies very neatly and with jiggly blondes and whoosh noises.

That is a tough demographic to keep because they have the nasty habit of dying off.

Pox will have to pick up young viewers if it is to survive and to do that, they'll have to get rid of that pig Ailes.

Pox will survive, alas, but not quite the way we know and loathe it now.

[RichGirl]

34. Brainwashed and addicted maybe...but....

There has to be republicans who needed healthcare and now have it because of ACA. And I am 100% certain that there are many republicans who need an extention to unemployment insurance and who could really use a raise in minimum wage.

In the end...it's your own life that matters. Millionaire Sean Hannity isn't going to pay anyone's rent or buy them food.

[Maeve]

5. He makes some good points

Fox News viewers are in their own little world, watching almost nothing else and seldom going on-line (where reality hangs out now).
Martin Luther said something to the effect that the devil can't stand ridicule; I think the Daily Show and Colbert are our best answers to Ailes and his minions.

[Marr]

6. Good news if true. Every inch the GOP moves away from the right wing fringe,

is an inch the Democratic Party's right wing must move to remain on their left.

[ninjanurse]

7. Firefly

Roger Ailes cancelled it. I'll never forgive.

[calimary]

23. Welcome to DU, ninjanurse!

Glad you're here! There's no end to the long list of things for which I'll never forgive roger ailes. Schmuck! He sure did a lot to damage this country - from pushing both bushes on our nation to the slash-n-burn hatefest he's fathered through the Clinton era and into full flower with Pox Noise. What he has foisted upon this country and its psyche will take DECADES to undo. It's taken the bad guys since the reagan era to overrun this country and spread their opportunistic infections as far as they have. It'll take a LOT to reverse that. There'll have to be a wholesale turnover, that also includes - I'm sorry to say this but - a die-off. The elders in this country who believe the antiquated things they do, and have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern era and STILL don't come, and STILL fight it, and STILL do everything they can to turn the clock back, they have to take that with them to their graves. Bless their souls, but some of them have to age out and pass. Those who don't evolve, like the dinosaurs, eventually disappear. Whether they want to, or not.

The one thing that comforts me most about roger ailes is his advancing age.

[Warpy]

28. His age and that he's a ticking time bomb

If he has that heart attack outside the hospital, he's toast. Just pity the poor pall bearers.

I will never forgive him for the number of families he's broken up by addicting members to hate. That's one of my cousins and even his siblings won't talk to him. He doesn't talk, he rants.

[calimary]

36. Yeah, no kidding.

Reinforcing some TERRIBLY bad behavior. Giving it a human face, and a safe place to fester and grow, feeding and nurturing it so it's allowed to metastasize. He's done a HUGE disservice to this country. Much of the reason why we're so horribly divided (worse than I've ever seen, frankly) traces directly back to him and what he set in motion. Yessirree, roger, f you build it, they will scum.

[Hulk]

8. bor interviews the President on Super Bowl Sunday....what??

How fooking absurd can we get? The loudest mouthed, possible top-five MOST disgusting human beings employed by fox-nonsense is allowed ANOTHER opportunity to interview President Obama, and pump up his over-inflated ego AGAIN! What the fook is going on?

The President is too busy to be interviewed by other "semi-respectable" journalists; and he allows this loud mouth, ill-ill mannered prick PRIME TIME. Talk about an "abusive relationship". Disgusting!!

I'm really disappointed in President Obama for being so foolish. As mentioned in the article above, the White House shouldn't even acknowledge fox-nonsense as a source of information for anything, other than to laugh at.

[AtheistCrusader]

11. Could be interesting. BoR can't cut his mic.

Might just stick it to him.

I'm going to watch. I have full confidence in the President. He's getting something out of this. Could be good.

[wyldwolf]

9. The most important point: Their demographics are dwindling

When there aren't enough people left to appreciate your music, the music ceases to be played.

[hrmjustin]

12. It needs to die out faster.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. Their ratings are only high because Conservatives refuse to watch anything else.

[lindysalsagal]

32. It's a fact that the liberal ratings are divided between MSNBC, CNN, and networks.

But the entire asshat right-wing geezer rating goes to faux. So they only appear to be winning.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

33. What's funny is it really shows how few there are....

They only have about 2-3 million viewers TOPS in a country with 350 million people.

HBO has canceled shows with ratings that low.

[Wait Wut]

14. While this is hopeful news...

...I still miss the days of real journalism and semi-unbiased reporting. I'm sick of being treated like I can't think for myself. Yes, I obviously frequent liberal or left-leaning sites, shows, etc., but I'd still like to wander out of my comfort zone.

[nxylas]

15. There are conservative sites that aren't idiotic garbage

I too like to wander out of my comfort zone, and sites like Front Porch Republic and The American Conservative can sometimes provide thought-provoking content that challenges some long-cherished assumptions. I see little value, however, in exposing myself to the hysterical drivel emanating from the likes of Fox "News", Rush Limbaugh, National Review Online etc, which are devoid of both facts or anything worthy of calling itself an idea. All those sites can do is make a person stupider, even if you don't believe a word they say.

[Wait Wut]

16. Maybe I'll wander over to one of those and check it out.

It's difficult to argue with the far right, due to their fanaticism and crazy. But, I really do miss debating with reasonable Republicans. I have a few as friends, but I don't see/talk to them often. I need to keep my debating skills honed.

[JHB]

17. Frank's mistaken: liberals know and accept the FOX is declining, but...

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2014, 08:57 PM - Edit history (1)

1) not nearly fast enough;

2) a dying beast is still dangerous; and

3) FOX is only part of it. A big part of the conservative media bizzaro-world bubble, but nonetheless only part of it. Once it loses effectiveness as a political operation, other outlets will attempt to assume its various roles.Whether they will be effective is another matter, but we'll still have to deal with them. Particularly when billionaires invest in media to make sure the zombie lies never stay dead.

[calimary]

25. And unfortunately, so many of them have so damn much money.

But - the koch brothers aren't teenagers. I wrote upthread that the ONE thing that is comforting about the whole roger ailes stain - is his advancing age. He doesn't have decades left to continue to wreak havoc. Unfortunately there are still plenty of younger ones around to continue his "legacy" - like ted cruz and rand paul.

[JHB]

31. Just remember that the Kochs, Peterson, and all the others....

Walton family, Coors family, Mars family, Scaife, and all the others have been doing this for decades. There's an entire conservative funding infrastructure built up. Even when the ideologue principles depart this Earth, it'll continue.

Who knows, maybe the heirs will get all Kim Jong Un on their courtiers.

[LongTomH]

29. +1000 on all three points!

FOX is taking longer to die than someone in an opera, and I also agree: Fear a wounded beast!!!!

[Cryptoad]

18. The decision has been made

to let Duck Dynasty take over all the GOP Cable News . They have a better target audience for the GOP.!

[dickthegrouch]

20. Not soon enough. How can we assist?

I'm all for greasing the skids if I can.

Perhaps some juicy completely false news report to punk them with.

[Karia]

21. Maybe they are losing some of their base, too

A family member who for decades listened to Rush and watched nothing but FOX and football had to give up radio and TV altogether for a while because of an illness. He has recovered and is watching football again, but has lost all interest in FOX, Rush, etc. It is as though he has kicked an addiction, and he seems a lot happier now.

[calimary]

26. Welcome to DU, Karia!

Good to have you with us! That's great news, btw! I think it IS like an addiction, and those bastards are doing everything they can to keep it well-fed and well-supplied. Glad to hear that your family elder kicked the habit. This dog trainer we know recommended that for our dog. When she starts chewing what she's not supposed to be chewing, give her something DIFFERENT to chew on. Fill the need with something else that's better! Maybe people operate and react the same way.

[Maeve]

22. Adding this to the discussion--one blogger's reaction to Rich's column

http://egbertowillies.com/2014/01/27/fox-news-dying/

[City Lights]

24. Drive a stake through its heart.

The sooner, the better.

[Jester Messiah]

30. Similar to the way Repubs own the AM dial.

Wherever there is an obsolete form of media, the Repubs will be there in force.

[madville]

35. All the networks are in near identical decline

We went through this in a thread a couple of months ago. FOX, CNN, and MSNBC all show an identical decline in ratings across the same demographics covering the time period from the 212 election until the end of last year. If I remember right each network has seen around a 35% decline in viewership from the 2012 election until now. They'll have a little bump closer to this years election and I would expect ratings to be back through the roof come 2016.