NETWORK’S PIVOT TAKES CENTER STAGE DURING “REPUBLICAN” PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
|| By FITSNEWS || We don’t watch cable news. Never have, never will. The concept of people talking over one another in irritated tones has never appealed to us, but our real beef with the medium is its needless fomenting of trivial disputes between ideologies which are – in reality – eerily similar.
Seriously, the only thing worse than major party politicians in Washington, D.C. are the corporate interests driving their shared agenda. And the only thing worse than that? Mainstream media outlets which cover the whole mess up rather than call out those who are truly responsible.
Left, right or center … cable networks exist to create a cacophony of controlled criticism, which is obviously very different from the righteous, relentless rage the situation in our nation’s capital calls for.
In fact the networks exist to harness and control that rage – redirecting it, dividing it, neutralizing its effect on the powers that be.
That’s one reason the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump was so directly and repeatedly attacked during last week’s presidential debate on Fox News. Love him or hate him, Trump has thrown the “Republican” debate off script … tossing tired old talking points into the trash and calling out GOP politicians who fail to live up to their promises.
But the debate wasn’t just about dogging out Trump. According to Richard Manning of Americans for Limited Government, Fox’s agenda was much bigger than that.
“This is bigger than the ‘get Trump’ insider game,” Manning told FITS. “It’s a chance for Fox News to get the one thing they’ve been yearning for more than anything else – credibility with the mainstream.”
According to Manning, Fox is in the midst of a major philosophical pivot – one orchestrated by president Roger Ailes and James Murdoch, the liberal son of billionaire News Corporation founder Rupert Murdoch.
This pivot took center stage in the person of Megyn Kelly, whose dust-up with Trump dominated headlines in the aftermath of the GOP presidential debate.
“They still have a moderately conservative slant, but they looked at this debate as an opportunity to expand beyond their five million or so viewers – and they looked at Megyn Kelly as the ideal person to showcase this new approach,” Manning said. “With MSNBC getting out of the primetime political commentary business, Ailes is putting all of his chips down on having Kelly steer them more toward the middle.”
Manning also noted how Fox has started using liberal “Republican” U.S. Speaker John Boehner‘s focus group message-tester – Frank Luntz – to provide feedback from so-called ordinary citizens following big political events.
Not surprisingly, Luntz’s focus group pilloried Trump’s debate performance – describing him as a “letdown,” “mean” and “bombastic.”
“The use of Luntz tells you all you need to know,” Manning said. “Fox believes that their audience has nowhere to go, so they can nudge left with the right personality leading the move.”
Indeed. As the GOP veers left, Fox appears to be veering with the party.
“This isn’t about Trump, it is about a network shifting,” Manning concluded.
Hard to argue with that assessment …
So far Trump has survived the Fox News onslaught, but the pivot Manning is highlighting has implications that reach far beyond one candidate, one debate – or even one presidential primary election. It’s a fundamental shift in the way the one “conservative” cable news channel conducts its coverage … which could conceivably create a big-time opening for a real “right-driven” cable news channel.
For those of you keeping score at home, Fox’s median prime time viewership has declined from 2.1 million in 2009 to 1.7 million a year ago.
86 comments
Grand Tango Told you this some time ago. Welcome to his intelligence.
Okay…
GT got it from Michael Savage. Michael has been on this for over two years. He’s taken to mocking MK as Martha Washington for at least a year.
You’ve always got an answer AFTER you get schooled, but always looking like an idiot beforehand.
As much as I can’t stand Michael Savage’s politics, I love to hear him rip on other conservatives that have rubbed him the wrong way. It’s one of the funniest things in the world. His commentary on Glenn Beck alone is absolutely funny, and readily available on YouTube for our listening pleasure.
THE HEMORRHOID WITH EYES!
35% of GOP supporters support Trump. 35% of Fox audience wants to turn Fox off now as being liberal. Holy cow!!!! I mean, is there any normalcy anymore? Is the entire GOP gone nuts?
“The concept of people talking over one another in irritated tones has never appealed to us”
We? Us? You found more than one person that agrees with everything say?
In this case —– me!
Killer B’s.
RV, you are da’ man!
As Delmar said:
“I’m with you fellers”
Then explain your support for Donald, Will? Oh yeah….$$$$$$$$$$$
In other news , the Atlantic ocean is moving to the west coast
Can’t stand to see more and more people out there lying for you, yet Americans are still turning on you in droves. Reality sucks for delusional Dumbasses, doesn’t it?
Bottom line: Failure has consequences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac24COCKTVM
Another Fucking liberal so fucking that you have to let someone else speak for you.
‘I honestly love you’ ONJ
The nation is moving left again, especially after the GOP ignored voters just last week who opposed their witch hunt against Planned Parenthood by a 63-to-37 count. The conservatives have learned absolutely nothing from their massive losses in 2012 and they’ll lose again in 2016 because of their stubbornness.
And anyone who approves of planned parenthood is going to Hell.
So, 63% of ALL American voters are going to hell. I’ll let them know what you said. Keep up that misogynist talk. See you on November 8, 2016.
No, I don’t hate women. I hate Murder ! and that is all planned parenthood is about, besides money of course. They are the misogynists who butcher women. But this Nation will be judged by God, not by me.
If you hate Planned Parenthood, you’re a misogynist and nothing you say will ever change that fact. Period.
Really ? If that is true then you are a misogynist because you hate babies. Because anyone who agrees with PP’s butchering and slaughtering of babies, who DO feel the pain by the way, are hateful, barbaric people who are no different than people who murder a child of any age Outside of the womb. GOD creates all babies and gives them breath from the moment of conception. So taking the lives of innocent babies will be between PP, people like you, and God. May God have mercy on you.
Misogynists hate females. That’s you.
I don’t hate anyone.
Furthermore, you’re the one who endorses femicide against innocent women and girls. You’re the one who wants to punish women and girls for having sex. That’s what it is. We’re getting that message across and people are waking up to your (and pro-life’s) hatred of the feminine sex. We’re putting up the roadblocks like Thwomps in your attempt to control women. We know all of your talking points and are using them against you.
I was in a room full of liberals this morning. Just listening to liberals: not only are you some BITTER, mean assholes. You are really, really, really Fucking Stupid.
You drone on and on about the problems in the country, and then suggest the resolution is EXACTLY what Obama has been doing. Totally oblivious to the fact that you have fucked up the country.
You were in a room full of liberals? Those social workers are only trying to help you keep your medicaid and food stamps, GrandTango.
Ding, ding, ding – my vote for today’s winner.
Kinda hard to get tabloid journalism in mainstream……oops, Murdock nearly found enough suckers.
Fox is tabloid journalism. Roger Ailes style Big R, pro-military, anti-abortion – true constitutional conservatives like Mark Levine typically avoid them. But the chicks are hot. That’s Rupert Murdoch for ya.
Fox News is a money making business. Republicans are all for profits. Fox is in a business that is in decline. So they made a bottom line decision and what is the result? 24 million viewers. If anything Trump is envious. He doesn’t earn a dime from it.
As true Republicans we should admire their business skill. Before the debate, it was all about Trump. Now it’s Trump, Fox and Megan. That is like money in the bank. One thing for sure. Fox doesn’t want Trump to drop out of the race anytime soon.
It’s no different than fitsnews’ race baiting articles.
Try to edit your responses of unnecessary material before attempting to impress us with your insight. The evidence that you are a nincompoop will still be available to readers, but they will be able to access it ever so much more rapidly
No.
A true republican is what ?
Thay are all true Republicans. We have a two party system that has to have 50% + 1 to win. That means you have to include Bush and Cristie. Otherwise you lose. What is the point of losing? An outlier like Trump can rise to the top in a 17 candidate race, but he can’t win 50% + 1 against Hillary.
Trump is calling people that need to be part of that 50% + 1 losers and 20%-30% love him for it.
Looza’s – you have to get that accent right. Don’t be a looza – don’t vote for the Megyn boobzas.
The primary reason Fox News is in decline, is their viewers are dying. Look at their big advertisers Hurrycane, Scooter, AARP Medicare Supplement, Walmart, Amway Global. i.e. the 65+ demographic. While that group does vote, giving Fox significant influence, they are getting no new viewers. Everyone under 40 knows Fox is full of BS.
Jack. Jack. I’m shaking my head. The 65 and older population is the fastest growing in the country. The boomers are swelling their ranks and they are living longer. The problem is that they are not easy influenced by ads.
Just because the 65+ demographic is growing, does not mean that the newly 65+ are watching Fox. They are not. The under 40 crowd will never become Fox watchers and the 40 to 65 group are not their parents. People in their 50s get their news from a lot of sources. They don’t need a 24 hour news show, and they are not as racist, homophobic, or xenophobic as the current crop of 65+sers.
The under 40 crowd doesn’t watch any news. I wouldn’t see them not watching Fox as a sign of anything other than a sign that cable news tends to be background noise for most.
Good, because all of the news on TV is trash.
The under 40 group get their news from Social Media, the internet, and from watching shows like Stewart and Colbert. While those two shows, for example are comedy, they had a lot of news content. In fact according to a study by the Pew Research Center, people who watched Stewart and Colbert on a regular basis were more informed on current events than people who watched any of the news networks. Fox Watchers scored dead last. Also, they are constantly bombarded with news through their browsers, every time they turn their computer on. If you think Gen Xers and Millennials do not know what is going on; you are sadly mistaken. They know a lot more than than the old people give them credit for.
Stewart and Colbert are gone bruh.
Stewart is gone for now; but Colbert’s audience will expand dramatically as host of the Late Show. It remains to be seen what he will do with it.
Also, even during their heyday, Fox News had more viewers in the 18-49 demographic than the Daily Show or Colbert.
First of all you missed my point. My whole post was not about those two shows. I said Social Media, the Internet and shows like Stewart and Colbert. The right’s giddiness of the end of those shows, is very telling.
Second look at that bracket. 18-49. That is crazy. 49 year olds have noting in common with 18 year olds. Bet that is not the case in the first half of that bracket.
Finally, when you say Fox News, what do you mean. Stewart and Colbert were only on for 30 minutes each, Fox is on 24 hours a day.
I stand by my belief the under 40 group are more informed than you give them credit for and they will not become Fox News Watchers. Fox will be the network of their grandparents.
Same thing he’s been doing, entertain people…
I would say entertaining and informing.
New Words for the Workplace Vocabulary
————–
IRRITAINMENT: Entertainment and media spectacles that are annoying but you find yourself unable to stop watching them. The O.J.trials were a prime example. Bill Clinton’s Grand Jury testimony is another.
MOUSE POTATO: The on-line, wired
generation’s answer to the couch potato.
STRESS PUPPY: A person who seems to thrive on being stressed out and whiny.
I am 63, soon to be 64, September 11.
And I try to watch at least 6 hours of porn on Dish each week end1
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!
I like porn. I watch Obama. He is always f**king somebody.
FOX may not tell ALL of the truth but they are the Only ones who tell ANY truth. Most of the under 40 crowd are a bunch of brainwashed morons. And nothing anyone says is going to change that. And many many people who are accused of being racists are not at all. And homophobic ? Just because a person believes in what God has to say in His Word about the sin, does not mean they hate the sinner. All of you Government sheeple are so politically correct that it is pathetic.
Hell, I’m close to 65 myself and if I’ve watched 5 continuous minutes of Fox news that would be 4 minutes too long.
Now when Imus had his show on Fox Business I switched between him and “Morning Joe” all morning long that but since Imus left , Fox Business ain’t worth a shit and I don’t watch a damn thing on it.
The old people lived it up and ruined what previous generations created. The young people will have to rebuild America from ashes of their mistakes. History continues to repeat.
The other two Cable news channels(MSNBC & CNN) actually lost a large percentage of viewers over the same period. (2009 – 2014)
Fox News is not moving to the center. From all appearances it just seems to be wiggling a bit. Last week’s forum was not conducive to a political issues debate. The program decided to explore what the candidates thought about issues by personalizing the questions to probe into the candidates to see what made made them tick. For example, If they would have asked all ten candidates what they thought of the recent Iran treaty and give us your reasons, you would have heard TV”s change channel or turn off from Bangor, Maine to San Diego.
Some say Fox is moving to the middle, I say that they produced a program that that drew a lot of attention and is now being over-analyzed.
I agree, not as much partisan politics as usual, just wasn’t the time or place. Smart move on their part, and I don’t think they will be asking for a resume from Chris Matthews anytime soon.
True but did you notice how they gave Bush soft ball questions, ignored Walker, Huckabee and Carson, The bombastic Christie got his time in by bashing Rand and our Constitution, Cruz maximized what time he was given. Kasich also made the most of his time. What I garnered from it was push Bush and bash Trump.
Looked to me Fox’s candidate is Bush for sure.
Yeah, but they’re in a bind. They have to stroke the ego, else he’ll start getting petitions started for his indy bid.
Bullshit
FITS is about 3 months behind the curve concerning the shift in FOX News. Articles in many sources have been saying about the shift for at least 3 months (especially about the brothers taking over from their old man – FITS is just regurgitating 3 month old news) and FITS is just now catching up (say what you will but utilizing CREDITABLE sources in real time for information is not passé…………)
You (like so many other Fox “sheeple”) don’t want to face reality that this is a dynamic that is ever changing. You have been comfortable in your “zone” but your “zone” is static when things are moving along at 10X speed.
I’m not surprised that Fox has “peaked”.
The change in demographics prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
FYI- you missed a major chance to drop a “What the Fox Say” reference.
These two mad Sistas kickin’ Megyn Kelly ass. They LOVE Trump.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4u8NavimBI
FOX may need to learn something from that.
Loved it, thanks.
Business. Fox’s viewership is dying off. And who wants to advertise to that demographic? They’re only selling gold and reverse mortgages.
(guy who watches Fox’s commercials enough to know them by name complaining that nobody watches Fox’s commercials)
Since FoxNews is now part of the mainstream liberal media, where will the wingnuts go for their ‘news’?
NICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe some enterprising exec at CNN will make a move to grab all the pissed off FOX viewers ….and then FOX can have all the true believers at MSNBC. Yeah, that’ll work.
Opinions on Fox News notwithstanding, that’s a basic misunderstanding of US demography. Our population isn’t getting one bit younger, year over year. Within short order, the “Fox News” demo will be substantially larger that it is now.
For you logic to hold forth, That would mean the two other cable news providers did not lose viewers:
Fox went from 2.1 million in 2009 to 1,7 million in 2014.
CNN went from .9 million in 2009 to .5 million in 2014.
MSNBC went from .8 million in 2009 to .6 million in 2014.
Millions of median prime time viewers.
Fox lost the smallest percentage of viewers over the period
http://www.journalism.org/2015/04/29/cable-news-fact-sheet/
NOW LET’S SEE AT THE end of 2015 COUNT.
All I know is the Fox network has all the foxes. I mean, Megyn Kelly – she’s one foxxy lady. I’d like to dive into a pool of foxxy Fox foxes. Even Dana Perino – she’s foxxy. I love the foxxy Fox foxes.
“News” and titties.
Kenny Powers must be running the show.
Fox on the run – baby – Sweet!!!!!
Fox has been turning establishment for some time now. Rove is establishment through and through. Oriley is between moderate and establishment. Hannity seems to have been told to hold it down some. Megan has always been just right of center. Any network that has Graham on as often as they do can’t be conservative. Even with this FNC is still the only network worth listening to. MSNBC and that crowd are over. Thankfully. It is now up to each of US to make our own decisions. WOW, what an opportunity.
If Fake News is the only Network you listen to, how do you know they are the only one worth listening to?.
Fox is sinking like a gangster in concrete shoes. If I had to guess, from my observations on social media and more, they’ve lost at least 25% of their viewe base. Megyn Kelly’s Facebook page being non-stopped trashed – and so is Redstate’s Erick Erickson’s.
Hannity now slamming Eric Erickson on his show, so I’ve been told. Seems like wacko world is all in circles. Hard to stay on message with all the messangers fighting.
Things to Ponder
———————-
1. Don’t sweat the petty things and
don’t pet the sweaty things.
Hannity is just to hard right for me. He has a very narrow and guarded view of the world. Difficult to see the issue when wearing blinders. That is my opinion.
Fox News will never be centrist. They’re far right with far right mouthpieces. Even Megyn Kelly is far right, as an extensive investigation by RH Reality Check shows.
I call bullshit Fox News viewership is declining. Just look at some of the postings on this blog. You can’t make up some of these theories, you can almost tell by the way someone talks or posts if they are influenced by Fox News, or other right wing media outlets.
Fox News has for the most part avoided being drawn into the immorality of the new world order socio Islamic devastation that has invaded and annihilated any recognition of a moral society in this country and most of the civilized world. Jumping to the middle left will be their end as a reliable news source in the United States an also depended on in other parts of the world. Fox news Commentators wishing to join the immoral masses then NBC and CBS affiliates are their venues. If they, the media, wish to understand why more and more people are avoiding their broadcasts it is the monotonous repeating hour after hour the same but different face rhetoric they call breaking news for days on end. People are turning to different medias without lookalike, Barbee doll, squeaky voiced, fast talking, crotch showing commentators be used to distract from the repeat of their formats. I have enjoyed the newsworthiness of Fox for a number of years, but the movement to middle and middle left will destroy my faith in the validity and morality of their presentations.
FOX NEWS HAS ALREADY LOST IT’S CREDITABILITY WITH THE STUNT YOU PAID M>KELLY TO DO WHEN ASKING TRUMP A STUPID QUESTION THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT THE FORUM WAS ALL ABOUT.THAT WAS SO STAGED,AND SO OBVIOUS TO UNDERMINED TRUMP.NOT A SMART MOVE ON YOUR PART FOX.
I give credit where credit is due:
*********That is one cool picture of a “Fox on the Run”*************
I am done with them uncomfortable for a long time
Fox is moving to left. Murdock sons are taking over and are liberals. O’reilly been liberal for long time. Megan Kelly is dumb blonde who is Murdock hatchet lady.