- Fox News’ news operation accurately reported the vote count. This infuriated President Trump and the MAGA base, causing some viewers to switch to further-right outlets such as Newsmax.
- Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News revealed eye-popping messages from Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and Fox’s senior management, which showed Fox’s sense of crisis was more intense than appeared from outside.
- Fox News stars signaled to viewers that Trump might still win the election not because they thought he would but because they were worried about their ratings.
- Fox News only called the election for Biden after other major networks did. This caused Newsmax to surge by catering to MAGA viewers, and Fox’s top talent to freak out.
- Fox News’ senior executives sought to rebuild their audience’s trust. Fox’s policy of intramural warfare was unevenly enforced, so accurate reporting by their journalists was a perceived threat.
- Fox’s postelection strategy was to stop “rubbing Biden in their viewers’ faces.” However, in their effort to show their viewers “respect,” they ultimately disrespected both their audience and the American experiment.
Published February 17, 2023
Visit The Atlantic to read Brian Stelter’s original post I Never Truly Understood Fox News Until Now
