An experiment was performed with Fox viewers. They were paid to watch another news station for a month in order to see what would happen to their brains. The results will surprise you!
No real surprise they turned back to Fox News. Habits die hard. Familiar faces and voices bring comfort. It's like buying a new pair of shoes and preferring to still step into the worn comfy pair. Old and familiar things are less taxing on the brain. It's human nature. Too bad.
Thanks for sharing.
If people weren't so lonely, if they didn't have a need to kick back and listen to someone else's voice, or get their daily "hits" of anger, it wouldn't be as damaging as it is. Fox news grabs people when they're vulnerable: tired, lonely, or bored. They get their message in when you're in alpha wave, which is a relaxed state of mind on its way to being asleep. Television may not seem like a relaxant, but it is. Otherwise, people wouldn't sit in front of it for hours at a time.
I'm not surprised they went back. Probably a lot of their close family and friends are in that camp. You don't want to be the one who's outside the tent. It gets lonely.
I just spent the last few minutes watching MSNBC with Jen Psaki.
Does anyone on here, notice that her news is also slanted? I agree, Fox News is very pro right. But, CNN and MSNBC is pro left.
We need a news broadcast that really is fair and balanced!
I think the media, both sides are purposely dividing us.
Yes, and most of all we need a news broadcast that's fully honest and doesn't worry about who it offends. But here's the thing: all news stations are businesses run by profit-driven entities. They are selling a product to a specific audience in order to profit. Their newscasters are immaterial. Their job is to look good as they deliver the "news" or sell the product called "news." Who knows what their real beliefs are...it doesn't matter when you're making millions of dollars a year--you'll pretend to be on whatever side of the news your bosses want you to be. But your success is either based on leading people astray or hiding certain news stories that will displease your target audience--sort of like hiding ingredients in food products that otherwise taste good.
Shepherd Smith said it best when he left Fox News several years ago:
"When people begin with a false premise and lead people astray, that’s injurious to society, and it’s the antithesis of what we should be doing. Those of us who are so honored and grateful to have a platform of public influence have to use it for the public good. ... I thought it was important that I stay there. If you feel like the Fox viewers were getting mis — or disinformation, I was there to make sure that they got it straight."
I guess his conscience weighed heavily on him. After he left, he said this:
"I don’t know how some people sleep at night," he said of those who lie on national television. "I know that there are a lot of people who have propagated the lies and who have pushed them forward over and over again who are smart enough and educated enough to know better."
The founder of Fox News, Roger Ailes, made no secret about why he started the business. He was a political consultant to corrupt Richard Nixon. If he had thought of Fox news during Nixon's era, Nixon would have come out smelling like a rose. He also helped Ronald Reagan lie his way through the Iran-Contra affair. Ultimately he had the brilliant idea of doing what the CIA does in other countries—influence political outcomes through news media brainwashing, always benefitting the corporate elites who run the country.
That said, there are genuine newscasters in this country doing their best to keep democracy intact.
You are so right! Money is behind everything. Truth is hard to find. The uber wealthy control everything. Even those who pretend they are Democratic Socialists!
Wilsons Grave
No real surprise they turned back to Fox News. Habits die hard. Familiar faces and voices bring comfort. It's like buying a new pair of shoes and preferring to still step into the worn comfy pair. Old and familiar things are less taxing on the brain. It's human nature. Too bad.
Thanks for sharing.
Evangel
If people weren't so lonely, if they didn't have a need to kick back and listen to someone else's voice, or get their daily "hits" of anger, it wouldn't be as damaging as it is. Fox news grabs people when they're vulnerable: tired, lonely, or bored. They get their message in when you're in alpha wave, which is a relaxed state of mind on its way to being asleep. Television may not seem like a relaxant, but it is. Otherwise, people wouldn't sit in front of it for hours at a time.
Slipstream
I'm not surprised they went back. Probably a lot of their close family and friends are in that camp. You don't want to be the one who's outside the tent. It gets lonely.
Wonderland
I just spent the last few minutes watching MSNBC with Jen Psaki.
Does anyone on here, notice that her news is also slanted? I agree, Fox News is very pro right. But, CNN and MSNBC is pro left.
We need a news broadcast that really is fair and balanced!
I think the media, both sides are purposely dividing us.
Evangel
Yes, and most of all we need a news broadcast that's fully honest and doesn't worry about who it offends. But here's the thing: all news stations are businesses run by profit-driven entities. They are selling a product to a specific audience in order to profit. Their newscasters are immaterial. Their job is to look good as they deliver the "news" or sell the product called "news." Who knows what their real beliefs are...it doesn't matter when you're making millions of dollars a year--you'll pretend to be on whatever side of the news your bosses want you to be. But your success is either based on leading people astray or hiding certain news stories that will displease your target audience--sort of like hiding ingredients in food products that otherwise taste good.
Shepherd Smith said it best when he left Fox News several years ago:
"When people begin with a false premise and lead people astray, that’s injurious to society, and it’s the antithesis of what we should be doing. Those of us who are so honored and grateful to have a platform of public influence have to use it for the public good. ... I thought it was important that I stay there. If you feel like the Fox viewers were getting mis — or disinformation, I was there to make sure that they got it straight."
I guess his conscience weighed heavily on him. After he left, he said this:
"I don’t know how some people sleep at night," he said of those who lie on national television. "I know that there are a lot of people who have propagated the lies and who have pushed them forward over and over again who are smart enough and educated enough to know better."
The founder of Fox News, Roger Ailes, made no secret about why he started the business. He was a political consultant to corrupt Richard Nixon. If he had thought of Fox news during Nixon's era, Nixon would have come out smelling like a rose. He also helped Ronald Reagan lie his way through the Iran-Contra affair. Ultimately he had the brilliant idea of doing what the CIA does in other countries—influence political outcomes through news media brainwashing, always benefitting the corporate elites who run the country.
That said, there are genuine newscasters in this country doing their best to keep democracy intact.
Wonderland
You are so right! Money is behind everything. Truth is hard to find. The uber wealthy control everything. Even those who pretend they are Democratic Socialists!
Evangel
Uh-huh. Money talks. Even Tom Hayden caved under its power. If you don't, you're knocked out of the game entirely.