Fox News Achieves Mainstream Status

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Robert Ringer Comments (58)

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Overconfidence is a killer. Arrogance is worse. People love humility and hate arrogance, yet arrogance has been on the rise at Fox News for years. What’s really sad is that one gets the impression that neither Sir Roger nor King Rupert have a clue.

When I first discovered Fox News back in the late nineties, it was like finding a long, lost friend. Fair and balanced — what a great motto. But I was led to believe that “fair and balanced” meant Fox would be a conservative counterbalance to the corrupt, left-wing media that shills for the Dirty Dems.

I drank the Fox Kool-Aid for years, but along the way I had to eliminate one commentator after another and mute out an increasing number of “contributors.” I refer to them collectively as The Unwatchables — people I simply cannot bring myself to watch. They include such obnoxious (and, in some cases, stupid) folks as Bernie Goldberg, Kirsten Powers, Juan Williams, Steve Hayes, and Greta, to name but a few.

I pulled the plug on Greta about seven or eight years ago. There is no way to rationally explain why the woman has been on Fox all these years. She is the living definition of an “accident of history,” having made her mark as a staunch defender of O.J. after he nearly decapitated his ex-wife and butchered Ron Goldman to death. That Sir Roger could make Greta into a star is a testament to just how weak the competition has been in her timeslot over the years.

Then, a few years ago, I cut way back on the annoyingly rude and boringly repetitious Sean Hannity. And, more recently, I threw in the towel and black-listed the worst of the worst, shrieking Megyn Kelly, who has made an art out of lavishing praise on herself. It’s enough to make even the most fair-minded viewer gag.

More: I gave “The Five,” one of the dumbest shows on television, the boot after its first few months on the air, followed a short time later by “Special Report with Bret Baier.” Baier seems like a nice enough young fellow, but he’s dull.

Worse, his panel has become a parade of far-left talking heads like former “Meet the Press” host David Gregory, Washington Post editorial writer Charles Lane, and The Hill columnist A.B. Stoddard. Apparently, Fox believes that these lefties balance out the pompous establishment types like George Will, Charles Krauthammer, and the aforementioned Steve Hayes.

The bottom line is that as Fox News’ goal of gaining entrance into the mainstream-media club became more and more apparent, I became more and more disillusioned. In all honesty, I was about to give up on television altogether.

Then, in a wildly impulsive moment, I turned on — gasp! — that media dinosaur from Ted Turner’s past, CNN, and what a pleasant surprise I got. After buying into the narrative that CNN was in the tank for the far left for years, I found that a goodly number of its commentators were reasonable, fair-minded, and much easier to digest than Fox’s arrogant lineup of anchors and contributors.

I wouldn’t say CNN is conservative by any means, but, to be honest with you, I’m tired of hearing about “conservatism.” Conservatism has become a malleable word that media phonies and politicians mold to fit their own agendas.

I’ve actually learned to like Don Lemon (who seems to have shed his liberal bias and become a pretty fair, and very good, anchor) and Anderson Cooper, who, while not an exciting personality, comes across as a nice guy and a very good interviewer.

I also like Michael Smerconish, Alisyn Camerota (formerly with Fox), John Berman, Dana Bash, John King, Gloria Borger, and Jake Tapper. Even Chris Cuomo makes a serious effort to be down the middle.

And, of course, there’s Wolf Blitzer, now approaching his 176th birthday. Blitzer is almost as dull as Greta, but better looking. What I like about him is that he’s a serious commentator who doesn’t try to make himself part of the news like so many folks at Fox do. He gives you the news straight on, with no frills.

The one anchor at CNN I don’t particularly like is Erin Burnett, whom I suspect of trying to imitate Fox’s Megyn the Malevolent. Someone should clue her in that it’s a huge turnoff. There’s only one Megyn Kelly — thankfully! And once Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch are gone, I suspect she won’t be far behind.

What is glaringly obvious is that the folks at CNN definitely understand the Trump/Sanders phenomenon better than Fox. While George Will, Charles Krauthammer, Steve Hayes, and the rest of the Fox establishment crowd continue to go ballistic over Trump, in particular — never tiring of predicting his demise — most of the folks at CNN have analysed the Trump phenomenon very fairly and accurately.

My rediscovery of CNN — who began the cable news phenomenon in 1980 — has been a healthy reminder to me that things change. I never would have believed that I would become so disgusted with Fox News that I’d return to CNN, just as I never would have believed I would come to see Glenn Beck as a pathetic, lost soul desperately vying for attention.

But, hey, I also never would have believed that a billionaire with no political experience could become a hero to millions of blue-collar workers, evangelicals, and other everyday folks. It’s not only another reminder that no one can predict the future, but also that change can be very exciting.

Love him or hate him — and there are a lot of people in the latter group — no one can seriously deny that Donald Trump has brought excitement to what has always been a very dull process that has been bought and paid for by those in, and those with connections to, the D.C. Crime Syndicate.

Robert Ringer

+Robert Ringer is an American icon whose unique insights into life have helped millions of readers worldwide. He is also the author of two New York Times #1 bestselling books, both of which have been listed by The New York Times among the 15 best-selling motivational books of all time.

58 responses to “Fox News Achieves Mainstream Status”

  1. Reality99r says:

    WOW – Mr. Ringer you have tapped in to what I have been feeling for years now. Ms. Kelly is actually unbearable to watch. Greta also. Both belong on MSNBC. Mr. Hannity is still a breath of fresh air to me (a former hippie liberal) and I love his unabashed clarity of common sense thought. But I can never force myself to watch CNN. Just can't do it. Trump's "wrecking ball" common sense pragmatic brilliance has stolen my soul and he may very well be the panacea to shock the country back into the reality of it's roots. .

    • Richard Lee Van D says:

      Yes, Hannity has grown. Not the old answer me yes or no, and no shades of gray allowed. I actually have come to prefer him over O'Reilly who just can't shut up and let someone else talk.

  2. larajf says:

    I gave up watching the news over ten years ago. It's all crap to me. I will skim the Wall Street Journal to keep my finger on the pulse, but otherwise, I'm keeping my head down and focusing on my own business. As you said once, we're kind of screwed with paying a ton of taxes, so instead of making a million and losing most of it, make 100 million and live well. (i'm still working on that first million….I'll get there)

  3. Blank Reg says:

    I haven't watched a TV newscast, from start to finish, on any network channel, since about 2002. Tired of polarized op-ed pieces that pass as "news", I discovered something a lot better: RSS.

    My RSS reader (thank you, Aaron Schwartz!) currently contains 158 sources news, related information, and commentary from around the world, allowing me to focus on an issue, catch it from every angle and POV, and draw my own conclusions. "Mainstream" TV news cannot match this, so long as they can continue to bamboozle the great "un-connected" (that is, those who are either not on the Web, or only use it to watch funny cat videos and share Instrgram pics).

    I consider myself much better informed than a great many people who have yet to learn to think for themselves, and prefer to have their "opinions" spoon fed to them by aryan female talking heads.

  4. Georga says:

    I was surprised that Newt went to CNN….now I see why.
    Thanks, Robert. I always enjoy your views.
    Trump lover here.

  5. Lee Delbridge says:

    I'm just beginning to realize that what you are saying is true. I not sure why it took me so long.

  6. John Fallon says:

    Mr. Ringer,
    I would love to hear your take on Fareed Zacharia, while his show airs on CNN I believe he is above that and certainly above anyone on Fox

  7. John Abbott says:

    My feelings ALMOST! I was AMAZED when I watched the recent Repub(starring DONALD TRUMP) debate on ABC NEWS. MUCH more professional than FOX! I still LIKE Hannity, but others ARE pretty COCKY and CLUELESS! You did not mention Bill O'Reilly. I hear he is a TOTAL jerk in person.

    But, to end on a POSITIVE note, WE, the American people, are WAKING UP! Things ARE changing! As Charlie Daniels once sang: God bless America, AGAIN! Amen!

  8. Lee Dees says:

    WOLF BLITZER!?? You have lost your mind Robert.

    • Robert Ringer RJR says:

      I didn't say I think he's great; he's dull. It's just that he gives you the news straight on and doesn't try to be part of it like so many of the Foxheads.

    • D_Striker says:

      I have no idea who Wolf Blitzer might be, but that was the best line in RJR's post.
      "And, of course, there’s Wolf Blitzer, now approaching his 176th birthday. Blitzer is almost as dull as Greta, but better looking."

      And O'Reilly is about as bad as they get!

  9. Reality Seeker says:

    Fantastic article.

    It's so refreshing to read about how critical thinkers discover the truth and evolve into better people. I've never trusted Fox. Never. There're many reasons why, but knowing a little inside baseball validated my suspicions. The real truth is none of the major players on Fox are all bad. It's just that they have MAJOR faults and/or they're lightweight thinkers, i.e., bobble-headed boobs.

    The talking heads on CNN ( aka Communist News Network) aren't any better. Not really. For example, Cooper is CIA. I know, I know, I sound like a conspiracy theorist, so hand me a tin foil hat and dismiss me as a kook. But if all of the hidden shit ever comes out, then the ingenuous public is going to collectively shit their pants at how controlled the MSM is and how propagandized the American people are……

    Anyway, how about that Trump!!! He crushed that little metro sexual, Rubio. Rubio is the new bag-boy for the establishment, and he better deliver soon, or Trump is the next president. And Trump just said as president he'll prosecute Hillary. Wow! What a game changer! Presidents only pardon members of the political class, but this time it's different!

    • theczech says:

      President's don't prosecute anyone. I want a president who is, hands off, the attorney general. In fact, I'd like to see a constitutional amendment establishing the AG as a separate branch of the federal government.

  10. IMHO says:

    I have no love for Fox News, I walked away from them long ago. What I find interesting is that you open your article with the line "Overconfidence is a killer. Arrogance is worse. People love humility and hate arrogance…". In the last paragraph you state "— no one can seriously deny that Donald Trump has brought excitement to what has always been a very dull process…". Since Donald Trump is one of the most overconfident, arrogant people ever to walk the planet, it appears you are so blinded by your infatuation with "the Donald" that you are willing to overlook your own contradiction.

    • Reality Seeker says:

      Reply to IMHO:

      Trump's personality cannot be simplified into a word or two. Trump, in many ways, is himself a "contradiction". An honest and full description of Trump would require many portmanteaus —- most all of them contradictory.

      I've read three books on Andrew Jackson. My favorite was " American Lion". I view Trump as an America Lion, too. Jackson produced "Jacksonian Democracy". Trump may very well produce Trumpian conservatism. Yes, it will be a contradiction, but I'll accept Trump for who he is because America needs an American Lion.

      Jump to Trump 2016!

      • IMHO says:

        I disagree; I can simplify Trump’s personality into three words….”Style over Substance”.

        Or as better articulated by W.C. Fields:

        ”If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit. —W.C. Fields

        • Reality Seeker says:

          Lol….. Yeah. Sure. But at least you admit he has substance. You're making progress. Jeb Bush cried his eyes out after Trump kicked the hell out of him in South Carolina. That's more than Ron Paul accomplished in all three runs for president. Trump gave Rand a wedgie without even trying. Then he finished off the Bushes. The Bush Republicans have now gone the way of the Rockefeller Republicans. Remember them? Yep. Killing the Bushes, that takes style. Real style.

          Paul was substance over style, yet he lost over and over because America is an empire seeking a Caesar. Ron Paul would have made a great president of a constitutional republic circa 1776. Somebody needs to give Ron a ride in a time machine back to the pace he belongs. Trump is the right man to run an empire. And people get the government they deserve. That's why Trump is winning. And if think you can describe Trump's personality in three words, maybe it's you who is the shallow, arrogant one.

    • Robert Ringer RJR says:

      No contradiction – Trump is arrogant and millions of people hate him. But he's also exciting, because no one has ever seen a presidential candidate flip the bird to the establishment – or anyone else who annoys him. People are living vicariously thought Trump. The thought of him debating Hillary is mentally orgasmic.

      • Reality Seeker says:

        "People are living vicariously though Trump. The thought of him debating Hillary is mentally orgasmic."

        I'm guilty of that sin. Watching Trump kick ass is better than watching Steven Seagal beat the hell out of a group of thugs. In fact, this is like the political Superbowl for my entire family. None of us have ever seen such a show. The entire country is going to be tuned in by the time Trump goes head to head with Hillary.

        Trump is the wildcard that comes around once in a lifetime, if that.

  11. Jack says:

    Agree on Greta…went over to Lou Dobbs…more insightful. Still like Fox more than CNN.

  12. Msgtdubb says:

    I was a FNC watcher from the beginning, I even have a T-shirt they were giving out at their start up, but, like Mr Ringer I have dumped Fox, because of their "I'm better than you", attitude and the Trump debacle was the icing on the cake, for me. I find their penchant to talk over their guests very disturbing. I still watch a couple of shows on Fox Business, I especially like Lou Dobbs and Trish Regan. I haven't sunk to CNN level yet, but have found better coverage on Newsmax and One America News.

    • Robert Ringer RJR says:

      Trish Regan is excellent – as is Monica Crowley (one of my best interviews), Andrea Tantaros, and Melissa Francis. I forgot to mention in my article that Katie Pavlich is a little snot-nose kid being groomed as the next Megyn the Malevolent.

  13. Wayne Farber says:

    Interesting and somewhat thought provoking.

  14. theczech says:

    FOX Business is much better!

  15. Richard Lee Van Der says:

    My cable here in the Philippines offers a variety of News Programs, not only American. One guy here turned me on to scanning the Channels and varied News Programs. That approach helps the balance I find.I knew FOX had grossly deteriorated when the short not-funny guy got his own show on Sundays, and fills in for "over talk" O'Reilly. I do like O'Reilly's books, tho.

  16. Rick says:

    I gave up on O'Growley first, then Greta, then Malevolent Megyn, finally Hannity and Bret Bore's Neocon establishment panel of Krauthammer, Will, the brain-dead liberal Juan Williams, and various and sundry
    liberal simpletons from WaPo, etc. Can't force myself to watch that idiot Anderson Cooper, however, and haven't been able since he described that warm, tingly feeling (or whatever it was) which crawled up his leg when he thought of his hero, Barry O'Bungler. There are plenty of good internet blogs without ever watching either CNN or Fox. I'm through with Fox forever after their treatment by Roger Ailment and Rupert Murdork of Trump.

  17. busterosodd says:

    whom I suspect of trying to imitate Fox’s Megyn the Malevolent.
    Why is it that NO ONE is able to correctly use who/whom anymore? Who NOT whom would be the correct word to use." who I suspect of trying to imitate Fox’s Megyn the Malevolent."

  18. Stephan F says:

    A discussion about Faux News cannot be complete without mentioning that all-time king of the NeoCons, & resident jack-ass, Bill (the Shill) O’reilly.

    This snake in the grass has been prowling the corridors at Faux for 20 years and he’s been spreading his warped Neoconic fascism for what seems like a lifetime. Luckily for the Leprechaun, he began his career at Faux at precisely the right time when news of Hillbilly Clinton’s (aka: the Big Creep) legendary sexcapades began to surface. I contend this was the springboard that launched him to the celebrity status he (undeservedly) enjoys today.

    Like RJR, I must admit I followed him back in those days too. It took awhile, but I soon found much to dislike about Billy O. The topper came in the early 2000’s when at the end of each show he would name a ‘pinhead’ of the day. His target that day…Dr. Ron Paul!!! Needless to say, that was the end of King Pinhead Bill O’reilly for me

    • Reality Seeker says:

      Lol…. Great comment.

      I, too, excoriate "FAUX". I've been doing so on RJR's site for years.. Sometimes I seemingly "contradict" myself by uttering a kind word now and then, but I have to mostly agree with everything you wrote.

      If you want to know some inside baseball on Fox, the truth is there's a lot of strife over Trump right now. For example, Sean Hannity is rebelling against the wishes of Roger Ailes by giving Trump some "fair and balanced" interviews. This is irking the shit out of Ailes, because Ailes is at war with Trump. Ailes wants to take down the Donald so bad that he can taste it. Sean Hannity is actually disobeying Ailes. Trump has got the insiders at each others throats—– good stuff, I say.

      • Stephan F says:

        I’m positive there’s much contention amongst the staff at Faux regarding Trump. Makes you wonder how much of a leash Ailes & Murdock give their headliners and reporters. Supposedly the feathers are flying between Megan K. & O’reilly over his supposed failure to go into attacked mode with Trump for the dicey remarks he made about Kelly in the debates. I’ll also bet there’s additional friction between them about just who the top-dog is now at Faux, since O’Reilly (I hope) is in his waning days.

        What use to drive me crazy is this curiosity. The vast majority of females that hang out at Fox seem to be hardcore neocon statists. There are, however, numerous exceptions. These include Monica Crowley, Lisa (Kennedy) Montgomery, Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Tammy Bruce & Andrea Tantaros.

        This seemingly refined group of thinkers is talented, intelligent, and highly educated (and very good looking)…esp Tantaros. She’s almost brilliant. But the question is why hasn’t their thinking evolved to the next higher level and why aren’t they professed Libertarians? How is it possible to achieve their intellectual level and sophistication and not have every heard of or read about the underlying philosophy? Is it possible they’ve never hear of Von Mises or Hayek? Maybe a few could have fallen thru the cracks or are mentally numb to the idea, but all of them?

        The answer of course is that they are paid to assert the beliefs of their handlers, irrespective of their own personal beliefs. They know they have a good thing going and are not about to spoil it by injecting their own personal philosophy into the messy business of politics. It would be interesting indeed to sit down with them one on one to get their personal unbiased opinions…off the record of course. But like the great John Wayne use to say, “that’ll be the day.”

        • Reality Seeker says:

          " Is it possible they’ve never heard of von Mises or Hayek?"

          Bingo!

          Because they never speak of Rothbard, Goldwater, Ayn Rand and many other intellectual giants is precisely the reason why the MSM cannot be trusted. If "Sir Roger nor King Rupert" were really interested in advancing freedom and free-market economics, then they would have been framing the debate differently. You know their motives by observing how they frame the debate and what narrative they headline.

          Did you see this video of Trump reading "The Snake"? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeJ-iv3MOTo

          This is why Trump is winning: Trump is tapping into nativism, populism and anti-establishment hate. It's like Pat Buchanan said: "For Trump is not only a candidate. He is a messenger from Middle America. And the message he is delivering to the establishment is: We want an end to your policies and we want an end to you".

  19. RDM says:

    The "Machine" is being dismantled! The people have grabbed their torches and pitchforks. Trump has the fight the RNC, the Media, and the Dems and is steamrolling them all.

  20. Emily says:

    You Trump supporters can all be comfortable going back to Fox, aka Trump TV. Murdock is openly supporting Hillary and no one is allowed to speak the truth about Trump. Our one last chance to save a country made great due to a Constitution based on individual liberty and personal responsibility is Ted Cruz.

  21. Albert says:

    Robert, I totally agree with you. Who would have thought, but I'm finding CNN better all the time. It seems to me that they really are the "fair and balanced" ones now. There was a time I gave up on CNN, but recently I find myself watching them more and more, as their reporting just seems more factual, sober and telling it like it is. Good call!

  22. Tasine says:

    Heavens! I stopped watching TV news at least 10 years ago……..simply couldn’t tolerate any more of it, and believed very, VERY little of it anyway. I have better ways to spend an hour now and then. I get all my news from various sources from the internet.

  23. Kevan Rowlee says:

    Hear, hear, Robert Ringer. Spot on article. Faux News (aka Fox), with few exceptions like John Stossel & Judge Napolitano, is straight up pro war, policeman of the world, neoconservative.

    For international news I watch RT (Russia Today) on Dish channel 280. Their Moscow produced shows, such as "Cross Talk" with Peter Lavelle, are objective (hence excellent). Not so for most of their NYC produced shows. If readers are unable to pull in RT on their cable provider you can pull RT up on the Internet at rt.com/shows.

    RR, I'm sharing your article on my Facebook wall.

  24. Marte says:

    Yes, FOX does seem to have gone over to the dark side. I still like Hannity, but if I see Meygan's face on the screen I get rid of it quickly. I used to like O'Riley, but a few months ago I got sick of his attitude – he's always right. I haven't watched him or Greta in a long, long time.

    I forget who said it (might have been you) after the first Republican debate: It isn't a journalist's job to put themselves in the story, and that's exactly what she did. With the FOX darling, it's all about her, her, her.

    Meanwhile, people I liked to see aren't there any more – or at least I haven't seen them. Michelle Malkin, Dick Morris, Ann Coulter to name a few. But then, I don't watch much TV any more.

  25. jdieter says:

    Have you seen OAN? One america News. I THINK IT IS AWESOME

  26. JOSEPH says:

    I've been watching CNN from the very beginning of the primaries and I can tell you that in all honesty most of the panel that you have mentioned on your list, do a fair job of analyzing both the republican and democratic primaries. I like almost all of them, and I think your descriptions of each them is right on. I like to joke with my mother that she likes Wolf Blitzer-that's her favorite, I like to say-because she can't listen to his very high tone voice, but we do agree that he just gives you the news very straight and head on. But, over all I do like the cast and I think for the most part they are honest. The only thing you have to be aware of are the guests they bring on because quite a few of them, not all, just out right lie with respect to certain candidates, especially Donald Trump. And, speaking of Trump, they pretty much have got it right as to why he is succeeding, and they are not fighting it all but are giving him credit because of what he has done so far. That is very refreshing.

  27. Phil says:

    Yep, I never could have imagined myself agreeing with such a statement, but I do believe that you are right.

  28. Frank Marino says:

    Mr. Ringer: You must be finding a different CNN than I or we are hearing different things. My evidence: The Clinton News Network (aka CNN) "moderated the last Republican debate…err Sandbox fight! Mr. Blitzed gleefully let the children interrupt and talk over each other in a blatant attempt to provide Hillary the Campaign line: "Voters just can't elect any of these squabbling kids the Presidency."

    The Latina Lady gave a little speech disguised as a question and presented it to each candidate ending with "do you get it?" [implying you must be for amnesty or you can't win]. That sure doesn't seem objective to me.

    Ms Dana Bash, what did she even ask?

    You think that is a good job? It is so obvious this entire Network wants anyone with an R after their name look badly. Mr. Ringer— get a clue.

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