New Poll Provides Evidence That Fox News Is A Danger to America

Last updated on March 26th, 2019 at 10:58 am

The Daily Beast published a new poll this morning that appears to prove the existence of a frightening “Fox News Bubble.” It shows that nearly eight in 10 Republicans — 78 percent — who watch the right-wing news network believe Donald Trump is the most successful president in history.

The poll also shows that Republicans who don’t watch Fox News have very different political opinions than Republicans who do watch Fox News.

For example, just 49 percent of Republicans who DON’T watch Fox News believe Trump’s presidency is successful.

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With nearly 80 percent of those who do watch the conservative network believing Trump has been fabulously successful, this shows that their propaganda is working.

This is the most compelling evidence yet that Fox is able to strongly influence the political views of a large number of its viewers.

Fox News Gives Its Viewers An Alternative Reality

According to the Daily Beast:

“The survey’s authors say Fox News presents an “alternative reality” to its largely conservative viewers, and plays an “outsize role” in shaping the political and even scientific views for a significant portion of American voters.”

For example, Republicans who don’t watch are nearly twice as likely to believe climate change is driven by human activity, compared to just 12 percent of Republicans who do watch Fox News.

Fox News Is Undermining American Institutions

Nearly the same number of Republican Fox News viewers  (79 percent) who believe Trump is the most successful president ever also believe the FBI and U.S. intelligence agencies are trying to sabotage the president.

Slightly less than half — 49 percent — of non-Fox News Republicans believe Trump was the victim of such a conspiracy, and just 8 percent of registered voters who don’t watch the network agree.

This shows that Trump and Fox News have worked together to attack the FBI and other American institutions.

According to the poll:

“Where Republican partisan affiliation and the Fox News echo-chamber overlap, there is near unanimity on the politics and even the facts defining the Trump presidency. This is the ‘FoxHole.’”

“This particular segment of the public is so vastly different from the rest, it may serve progressives best to focus their attention on everyone else.”

The poll also found that Fox News viewers are far more aware of progressive issues, such as the Green New Deal, than those who get their news elsewhere, because the network relentlessly attacks progressive ideas and policy proposals.

By Repeating Donald Trump’s Lies, Fox News Has Strengthened and Legitimized His Presidency

We have reported many times that Donald Trump has lied and told falsehoods more than any president in U.S. History. And many people have wondered how he can get away with this and still have the support of about 40% of the American electorate.

This new survey provides empirical evidence that Trump has been greatly helped by the Fox News propaganda machine that faithfully repeats his lies and supports everything he does.  We recently reported that Fox News plans to work with Trump to undermine the final report that will be issued by Robert Mueller.

Fox News Is A Danger to America

It’s also been shown that Trump and certain Fox News anchors — such as Sean Hannity — routinely coordinate their stories to present a united front to their viewers. It has even been suggested that Hannity directs Trump’s actions.

The conclusion from this survey is simple: Fox News, by operating as “state TV” and filling its viewers minds with propaganda, is a danger to America.

Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.