Fallout from the billion dollar defamation lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting systems continues to rain down on Fox with some notable consequences. In recent weeks Dominion has filed motions in court that have revealed the brazen dishonesty of Fox executives and hosts in their own words.
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Dominion was able to acquire internal communications from Fox News that show how they have been outright lying to their audience in support of Donald Trump and his phony election fraud lies, while privately acknowledging that they knew that there was no truth whatsoever to his baseless allegations. And their lying was deliberately intended to stay in Trump’s good graces, despite the fallaciousness.
RELATED: In Dominion v Fox News, Network Cries ‘We Can’t Make People Think We’ve Turned Against Trump’
The purposefully deceitful remarks that Fox personnel made privately included…
- Fox Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch: Really crazy stuff.
- Tucker Carlson: What [Trump is] good at is destroying things. He’s the undisputed world champion of that. He could easily destroy us if we play it wrong.
- More Tucker Carlson: I hate [Trump] passionately [and he is] a demonic force.
- Rupert Murdoch to Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott: We don’t want to antagonize Trump further.
- Suzanne Scott: You can’t give the crazies an inch right now […] The audience feels like we crapped on [them] and we have damaged their trust and belief in us.
- Laura Ingraham: Sidney [Powell] is a complete nut. No one will work with her. Ditto with Rudy {Giuliani].
- Sean Hannity: That whole narrative that [Sidney] Powell was pushing, I did not believe it for one second, [and that] she’s a f*cking lunatic.
Now a new poll has measured the impact that these revelations have had on Fox News viewers. and the results are disturbing, to say the least. Here are some of the surveys highlights…
- While 21% of viewers say that they now trust Fox News less, 45% say that they continue to trust the network.
- 13% say they no longer believe the 2020 election was stolen, but 50% still believe Trump’s “Big Lie.”
- 16% say they have a less favorable opinion of Fox hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, but 52% still have favorable opinions.
It’s somewhat encouraging that some of Fox’s audience have embraced reality and backed away from their prior blind acceptance of everything Fox says. However, most of their viewers remain firmly attached to the Fox doctrine even after learning that they have been lying to them. That’s the behavior of a cult.
Some good news in the poll includes that Fox News viewers have about the same awareness (60%) of the Dominion lawsuit as the general public (56%). And yet they still largely trust the network. However, they must be exposing themselves to other media, because Fox News has a near total blackout on the subject.
RELATED: FOX News FINALLY Reports on the Dominion Lawsuit and is Predictably Dishonest and Biased
Not surprisingly, there is a significantly greater awareness of the lawsuit among viewers of MSNBC (82%) and CNN (71%), where reporting on it has not been suppressed. Also notable is that 10% Fox News viewers who were aware of the lawsuit say that they now watch it less. But 75% say their viewing has not changed. Inexplicably, 16% say they watch Fox News more after finding out that they are dupes being mislead by propagandists.
That’s some pretty powerful cult programming right there. They actually prefer being lied to, and they reward their deceivers. Those poor souls must now be regarded as lost and irretrievable. It’s a good thing that there aren’t very many of them (16% of Fox’s highest rated program = about 500,000, which is about 0.15% of the U.S. population).
UPDATE I: Another new poll found that “Nearly two-thirds of Americans (65 percent) think Fox News should be held accountable after … spread[ing] false information about the 2020 presidential election.” That includes 41% of Republicans. Although 47% of the GOP cult do not think Fox should be held accountable.
UPDATE II: In a March 31 ruling on summary judgement, the judge found that “The evidence is ‘CRYSTAL clear that none of the Statements [made on Fox News] relating to Dominion about the 2020 election are true.'”
UPDATE III: The judge in the Dominion case has sanctioned Fox News for withholding evidence. He also made several other rulings that hamper Fox’s ability to deflect from the issue of defamation.
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Dominion should also stipulate that Faux News must add a laugh track to their broadcast and website.
Perry Levin: That is one of the best suggestions for Fox Spews yet, ”adding a laugh track to their broadcasts and website. The lies they spew are so blatant, a normal, sane person can’t help but to laugh at their utter nonsense. Their programming should be one of the most lowly programs on the ” Comedy Central” channel.
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” You can give a cultist the truth, but you can’t make him accept it.
I have some very stupid, ignorant, and horribly gullible in laws that refuse to even consider that Fox Spews is telling lies and pushing propaganda. They are so deeply hooked on TUMP and MAGAt Rethuglicans they think Carlson Tucker, Sean Hannity, and that bit*ch Laura Ingraham are joking about their real feelings about TUMP. They are hard core Cultists and refuse to accept the truth. If i happen to see one of my deluded in laws, i ignore them and don’t speak to them. They are nothing to me. I can’t tolerate these TUMP cultists, and that goes for my nephews and my first cousins. I haven’t spoken to them for 3 years now because of their unreasonable dedication and love for Donald TUMP..
RT tweeted a job offer to Tucker. Since he has so many devoted fans, maybe he could take them with him? Russia’s best and brightest have left; could we send our dumb and dumbest?
Oh yes, if i could send them with that cretin, Carlson Tucker i most certainly would.
There is something innate in persons who know they are being lied to, and want to listen to it anyway I’ve stopped defending progressives to a certain person He just runs to Fox Tucker Carlson every night! Yuk!
Your data: 13% say they now believe the 2020 election was stolen, but 50% still believe Trump’s “Big Lie.” Did you mean to say “13% say they now believe the 2020 election was NOT stolen”? Otherwise this seems to indicate the new GAINED 13% believers in the lies.
Thank you. That should read “13% say they no longer believe…”