MAGA Cultists Think FOX is ‘Too Liberal;’ Migrate to Newsmax, OAN
By: Manny Otiko
Tags: Politics, Media Literacy, Media Criticism, Elections, Election 2020

One thing evident about the Trump years is the ex-president has built a rabid group of followers who are loyal to him, not the Republican Party. As I mentioned in a previous article, some of them are so devoted to him, they’re talking about creating a splinter group called the Patriot Party. However, a Dec. 27 Washington Post article featuring FOX News exiles shows that the MAGA cult believes Trump over the truth.

FOX News clones are even worse

FOX News will go down as one of the worst networks in history. At this stage, what FOX News puts out can hardly be called journalism. It produces a combination of right-wing propaganda and Republican public relations. FOX News talent regularly regurgitate conspiracy theories, incorrect stories and downright lies. On Sunday, former FOX News commentator Rachel Campos-Duffy called President-elect Joe Biden a “communist.” FOX News doesn’t even attempt to get things right, it’s more interested in supporting a conservative narrative. But, there are outlets even worse than FOX News that are even more right-wing and conspiratorial. Newsmax and One America News (OAN) have sprung onto the scene to appeal to viewers who think FOX News isn’t crazy enough.

The Post article interviewed several former FOX News fans who had migrated to Newsmax because they thought the network was getting “too liberal.” This attitude has been encouraged by President Donald Trump, who was enraged that the network occasionally remembered its journalistic standards and dared to report the truth. In Trump’s eyes, FOX was supposed to always praise him and never point out his lies. Trump was incensed when FOX News reported he lost Arizona and has made it his mission to destroy the network.

Usually, the idea of America’s wannabe dictator going to war with FOX News would fill me with joy. But after reading The Post article, I grew concerned. Years of consuming FOX News swill and Trump propaganda has led right-wingers off the edge. They can’t discern the truth anymore. Consider this section of The Post story: “Six viewers who spoke with The Post mentioned a transfer of power to ‘the sons,’ whom they said were ‘liberal.’ One person said she heard that ‘the dad who owns it passed away,’ a reference to Rupert Murdoch, 89, who is alive and remains chairman of parent company Fox Corp.”

One of the most disturbing parts of the article was that many interviewees said they preferred Newsmax because it told them what they wanted to hear. They believed the lies about election fraud and didn’t think Biden won the election. I guessed they missed the fact that Trump has lost about 50 election fraud lawsuits. They also ignored Newsmax’s recent disclaimer stating they hadn’t found any evidence either. “Newsmax would like to clarify its news coverage and note that it has not reported as true certain claims made about these companies,” said John Tabacco.

Trumpists choose lies over truth

About 75 percent of the beliefs stated in that paragraph are incorrect. FOX News owner Rupert Murdoch is alive and kicking. He’s passed leadership of the network to his son, Lachlan, who is just as far-right as his father. Rupert’s other son, James, is more liberal, but he’s essentially washed his hands of NewsCorp, the parent company that owns FOX News.

One of the most disturbing parts of the article was that many interviewees said they preferred Newsmax because it told them what they wanted to hear. They believed the lies about election fraud and didn’t think Biden won the presidency. I guessed they missed the fact that Trump has lost about 50 election fraud lawsuits.

They also ignored Newsmax’s recent disclaimer stating they hadn’t found any evidence either. “Newsmax would like to clarify its news coverage and note that it has not reported as true certain claims made about these companies,” said John Tabacco. OAN and several FOX News anchors have also issued retractions. Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems, companies that make voting software, have both threatened to sue these networks for issuing false and defamatory statements.

“They have a very good case,” said University of Florida professor Clay Calvert, a First Amendment lawyer, according to The New York Times. “If these statements are false and we are taking them as factual statements, that’s why we have defamation law.”

Far-right networks boost Trump scam

However, Newsmax and One America News’ statements play into Trump’s latest grift. He wants to keep election fraud allegations alive as a way to keep donations rolling into his political action committee. Trump has generated almost $500 million in donations over the last few months based on this lie.

But some Republicans have tired of this scam. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (D-Ill.) issued a scathing comment about the state of his party during a CNN interview on Sunday.

“All that is being done is certain members of Congress and the president and ‘thought leaders’ on Twitter getting retweets, getting followers and raising money on this scam. It is a scam. It is going to disappoint the people that believe this election was stolen, that think this is an opportunity to change it,” he said. “I really do worry about the future of my party.”

He should be concerned. A large section of the GOP can’t process accurate information and would rather believe lies over truth.