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FOX NEWS: 40 YEARS OF BIAS AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE
FOX NEWS: 40 YEARS OF BIAS AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE
Fox News made the GOP’S Trump authoritarian coup possible. For 40 years, Rupert Murdoch’s rightwing propaganda network has lied to the American people, brainwashing millions and setting the stage for a GOP billionaire coup. Now, Fox is TRUMP STATE TV – full stop.
1. Origins: A New Kind of Cable News (1996)
Fox News Channel was launched in 1996 by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and Republican media consultant Roger Ailes.
It was created as a conservative alternative to existing cable news outlets, claiming “fair and balanced” reporting but designed from the start to appeal to conservative audiences and viewpoints.
2. Growth and Influence
By the early 2000s, Fox News had become the most watched cable news network in the U.S., overtaking CNN in prime-time ratings. Its mix of opinion, commentary, and news blurred traditional lines between reporting and advocacy.
As its reach expanded, academic studies (like The Fox Effect) documented how its programming influenced voting patterns and political alignment in U.S. elections.
3. Relationship with Donald Trump
Donald Trump began appearing regularly on Fox shows like Fox & Friends before his 2016 presidential campaign, using the platform to promote his ideas and expand his national profile.
Critics argue that Fox News not only amplified Trump’s messages during his campaigns and presidency, but also provided protective coverage when his administration faced criticism — a pattern many see as ideological alignment rather than neutral reporting.
4. Bias and Internal Concerns
Fox News has been widely criticized for political bias, especially in favor of Republican leaders and conservative causes. Many researchers characterize its programming — particularly prime-time commentary — as advocacy rather than journalism.
Internal surveys released in legal cases (such as the Smartmatic defamation lawsuit) show that many Fox News employees themselves expressed concern that the network’s editorial direction favored Donald Trump and the Republican Party, and that much of its content emphasized partisan narratives.
5. Misinformation and Major Settlements
Fox News settled a $787.5 million defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over false claims about the 2020 election. This case revealed that some hosts and executives were aware the claims lacked evidence but still aired them, contributing to widespread public confusion about election integrity.
In the 2023 Dominion Voting Systems deposition, Fox executives admitted that they are not a news station but an ‘entertainment’ station.
In the same deposition, Fox News executives and hosts privately dismissed 2020 election fraud claims while continuing to broadcast the election lies and calling themselves “television producers” rather than journalists.
In addition to Dominion, other legal challenges include: Smarmatic, Ray Epps defamation, Hostile Work Environment, Sexual Misconduct/Harassment, Antitrust Tactics, Covid-19 Disinformation.
6. Critiques of Journalism vs. Opinion
Scholars and critics argue that Fox’s blend of opinion and news, especially in prime time, creates an echo chamber where audiences are routinely presented with aligned political viewpoints and bias without balanced challenge, a dynamic associated with deepening political polarization.
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