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President Trump tin accept to Twitter all he wants to complain about Fox News. And Trump supporters can dirge "Play a joke on News sucks!" all they want.

But if you paid attention to many of the Play a joke on News and Fox Business personalities this past weekend, you would accept seen the pattern of groundless accusations, conspiracy theories and claims of a rigged ballot proceed.

At that place's no other way to put this: The type of rhetoric put out by some of the Flim-flam News and Flim-flam Business personalities is dangerous. It harms our democracy, fosters divisiveness, creates chaos and might even incite violence.

Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo, the once-respected broadcaster who has gone full-blown conspiracy theorist, dedicated much of her weekend programming to election fraud, including giving Rudy Giuliani free rein to push his wild conspiracies, likewise as another election interview with Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.

"Watters World," the evidence hosted by Fox News' Jesse Watters, tweeted out a prune from his show in which Watters said, "There'due south something that just doesn't feel right near this. Joe Biden didn't earn it, he didn't really even campaign. He thought was going to lose, yous could run into it. He ran a losing campaign. So 10 days after the ballot, how's he ahead?"

His commentary, if you care to watch it the link above, is troubling to see anywhere, let solitary a cable news network with a major following.

Pete Hegseth turned into Ron Burgundy (reading anything in the teleprompter) while hosting Saturday's "Fob & Friends Weekend." He talked about the demonstrations planned for that day by Trump supporters protesting the election. Hegseth said, "The demonstrations are in support of the president's attempt to reveal voter fraud and count all the legal votes. So far, state ballot officials have not reported serious irregularities with the vote that would affect the consequence of the race."

Then, immediately realizing what he just said, added, "That was in the teleprompter. I read it. I don't even know if I agree with it, but that happens sometimes."

And Fox News' Lou Dobbs said this on Friday: "The president doesn't desire a statue erected to him. What he wants is a free and fair election and honest results, and it's existence denied to him and nosotros all know that … Why not just say nosotros're not going to accept the results of this election? Information technology's outrageous."

No, what's outrageous is that Fox News and Pull a fast one on Concern allow this type of unproven commentary on the air when people deserve the truth over ratings provender. Where's owner Rupert Murdoch? Where's Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch? Where's Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott?

Pull a fast one on News has several journalists acting responsibly these days, merely that is being overshadowed by the kind of punditry pretending to be journalism  we saw over the weekend.

Equally Recode'southward Peter Kafka wrote, "… Murdoch is once once more trying to have it both means: His news operation — the 1 Trump tweets angrily about — has told its viewers that Trump lost the election and that his complaints about voter fraud are made upwards. But in the morning, and at night, it's a different story."

That's truthful. I oasis't even mentioned some of the things said past Fox News' primetime trio of Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham.

Kafka wrote, "Hannity, Carlson, and Ingraham do their own version of the Fox News 2-pace: They don't come out and say outright that Trump is a victim of massive voter fraud that price him the ballot while simultaneously defeating Democratic House and Senate candidates. Merely they argue that it's plausible. They feed the fire with oxygen."

They say it, and the Murdochs are OK with information technology, even though it doesn't see journalistic standards of using facts to support claims and even though it'due south just the opposite of what Play a trick on News' responsible journalists are reporting. Then again, audiences are eating it up.

As Kafka writes, "Now Fox News is dancing with a conspiracy theory that could be as upsetting to an angry, suggestible audience. The all-time-case scenario is that Trick but convinces its audience that voting is rigged confronting them. And its viewers are content to just lookout Fox, seething. Only that's a terrible range of outcomes. We shouldn't expect meliorate from Pull a fast one on'due south leaders. Just we should definitely ask them to do ameliorate."

Misinformation overload

Right after election day, my Poynter colleague Katy Bryon warned on Twitter that if Joe Biden won the election, there was going to be an "explosion of disinformation online, the likes of which we accept never seen."

I thought (hoped?) that she was overstating it. Turns out, she was spot on. Unproven theories most the election are taking over online and social media similar wildfire, oxygenated by irresponsible media outlets. Fox News is hardly the merely media organisation advancing this misinformation. Outlets such as Newsmax, Blitz Limbaugh, OAN, Breitbart and others as well are promoting these theories.

During his "Reliable Sources" show on Lord's day, CNN'southward Brian Stelter smartly called it a trouble of "disinformation supply and demand." These outlets, Stelter said, are "in denial, just similar Trump." And they are attracting audiences. We saw evidence of that with the Trump supporters who showed up to march in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. They believe Trump won the ballot, but that information technology is existence stolen from.

"This is the new birtherism," Stelter said. "We are going to be reckoning with the consequences of these lies for years."

Stelter said he thought this kind of thing would subside afterward the election, simply equally my colleague Byron warned, it has not.

"It is actually getting worse," Stelter said.

As Stelter noted, because Trump isn't winning in court, he is trying to win in the court of public stance. These news outlets are assisting him.

Stelter claimed, and we can all agree, that not every Trump voter is ownership into these artificial ballot claims. Merely we too take to look at the reality: Boob tube ratings and web traffic numbers prove that millions of people are ownership information technology. As Stelter also pointed out, outlets known to be fifty-fifty more right than Fox News (places such as Newsmax and OAN) are seeing significant audience increases.

What about Newsmax?

The buzz in the media world last calendar week was that the Newsmax might go more than a pro-Trump media outlet. Word was it could go a Trump-endemic media outlet. Rumors were swirling that Trump might try to buy the network and turn it into his own personal megaphone.

The Wall Street Periodical'due south Benjamin Mullin, Juliet Chung, Keach Hagey and Rebecca Ballhaus had a story Sunday — "Trump Allies Explored Buyout of Newsmax TV every bit Fox News Alternative" — that gave some credence to that line of thinking.

But Variety'due south Brian Steinberg talked to Newsmax CEO Christopher Cherry, who says the network is not for sale and added that the network wouldn't go "Trump TV." As far as a sale, Blood-red did add the caveat that he isn't considering it "at this fourth dimension" and acknowledges that investors have inquired nigh it.

Cerise told Steinberg, "We have always seen ourselves every bit an independent news agency, and we want to proceed with that mission. But we are open — (Trump) is going to be a political and media force later on he leaves the White Business firm, and we would be open to talking to him about a weekly show."

Chuck Todd gets it so right

"Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd. (Photo courtesy of CBS News.)

Chuck Todd's comments on Sun's "Encounter the Press" were grim, troubling, stressful … and 100% on the money. Todd pointed out exactly what is going on in this land correct at present.

"One, the President of the Us refuses to concede the ballot, claiming falsely information technology was stolen," Todd said. "His attorney general is encouraging investigations into voter fraud, despite a lack of evidence that any exists. His secretary of land is suggesting the president will exist inaugurated for a second term. The president has fired his defense force secretary and is filling the Defence Department with loyalists, some of whom traffic in conspiracy theories. If this were happening anywhere else, the Land Section would be issuing grim reports nigh the hereafter of that land's republic. But information technology'south happening here."

He went on to add, "In short, President Trump is refusing to acknowledge ii realities … his defeat and Covid-xix … but the virus doesn't care, equally it continues its march across the state, doing exactly what experts have long predicted it would do."

Non coming together the press

Speaking of "Come across the Printing," Todd said the show invited every single Republican senator in the U.S. to appear on the program on Lord's day. All declined.

Guest of the weekend

Quondam President Barack Obama and Gayle King of CBS. (Lazarus Baptiste/CBS News)

Barack Obama was the special guest on Sunday'southward "CBS Sunday Morn." Obama spoke with Gayle King nearly politics, the presidency and Donald Trump. King asked Obama, "Seventy-two million people voted for Donald Trump. What does that say to y'all about the state of this country?"

Obama said, "Well, what information technology says is that nosotros are still deeply divided. The power of that alternative worldview that'southward presented in the media that those voters swallow, information technology carries a lot of weight."

King said, "Are y'all worried nearly that?"

"Yep. It'south very hard for our democracy to office if nosotros are operating on but completely unlike sets of facts."

King also asked about the transition, which has been nonexistent because Trump has refused to concede the election. Obama told Rex that the Bush administration could not have been more than gracious when he became president, and he did the same when Trump became president.

Obama said, "Well, look, Joe Biden volition be the side by side president of the United States; Kamala Harris will be the next vice president. In that location is no legal basis, in that location'due south no factual scenarios in which …"

King interrupted to say, "Just he's getting support from members of the Republican Party, who are not challenging him."

To which Obama said, "And that has been disappointing. Simply it's been sort of par for the grade during these iv years. They patently didn't recollect there was whatever fraud going on, because they didn't say annihilation for the first two days. Merely in that location's damage to this, because what happens is that the peaceful transfer of ability, the notion that any of us who attain an elected function — whether it'southward dogcatcher or president — are servants of the people. Information technology's a temporary job."

Obama also was interviewed on Sun'southward "sixty Minutes,"  and The Atlantic will publish an interview with Obama today. Obama told The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, "One of the really distressing things nearly the electric current situation is the corporeality of time that is existence lost considering of Donald Trump's petulance and the unwillingness of other Republicans to telephone call him on information technology."

Oh, 1 more thing: Volition Obama go to work in the Biden administration, like a cabinet mail service or something? Don't bet on information technology. Obama told Rex, "At that place are probably some things I would not exist doing 'cause Michelle would leave me."

Powerful column

Steve Lopez, the superb four-time Pulitzer finalist who's a columnist for The Los Angeles Times, had a powerful piece Dominicus. Here's how it started:

"As the tally of COVID-xix cases and deaths surged across the United States over the concluding calendar week, President Trump seemed not to find considering he was likewise decorated insisting he had won reelection. And through information technology all, Trump'due south Jim Jones-like cult of true believers remained as loyal every bit ever. I know this considering some of them reached out to me."

What did they say?

One said, "I hope yous die a miserable death very soon!"

Another said, "You lot, Steve Lopez is the kind of person that nosotros practise not want here in the Usa. Why don't you become back to any third globe country you lot came from so that those of us who have been here for generations practise non have to pay for your upkeep welfare." (For the record, Lopez is from California.)

And another said, "It'south a shame scum like you who are in this country illgeal get away with posting all that hate you wrothless spic inbreed." (We tin can but assume he meant "worthless" not "wrothless.")

Bank check out Lopez'south column.

Media tidbits

Masters golf game champion Dustin Johnson shows off his green jacket afterwards his victory on Sun. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

• The Masters golf tournament was held over the weekend. But I wanted to point you to CBS Sports' opening to the tournament. Picket this clip. You lot'll be glad you did. And check out this emotional clip, too, every bit Dustin Johnson breaks downwards celebrating his victory. Also, here's U.s. Today columnist Christine Brennan with "Dustin Johnson, the Masters Both Overcome COVID-19 in Strangest Golf Major."
• Another practiced clip: "Trick News Sunday" remembers "Jeopardy" legend Alex Trebek.
• My two cents: There is enough of talk about a competitor rising up to overtake Fox News every bit the main TV vox of conservatives. I just don't run across information technology — not right now, anyway. One affair Fox News has going for information technology that the other outlets don't is talent. And by talent, I mean people who know HOW to do TV and do it well. I might non agree with what they say and how they say it, only they have figured out how to do it and that's a huge advantage over places such as Newsmax and OAN.

Hot blazon

The coronavirus rages on. Here'due south an fantabulous piece from The Atlantic's Zeynep Tufekci: "Information technology's Time to Hunker Down."

I missed this final week, only non too late to catch upwards. Writing for CNN, Roxanne Jones with "Kamala Harris Shows Black Women They Moving ridge the Power to Modify the World."

The Daily Fauna'southward Diana Falzone with "The Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Ed Henry Just Took a Wild Turn."

Have feedback or a tip? Electronic mail Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at tjones@poynter.org.

More resources for journalists

• Coronavirus Facts Alliance — Poynter and the International Fact Checking Network
• Information technology'south time to utilize for Poynter's 2021 Leadership Academy for Women in Media — Employ by November. 30, 2020
• MediaWise for Seniors: Live Fact-Checking Seminar (Wintertime 2020) — Dec. 7-17
• Open Records Success: Strategies for Writing Requests and Overcoming Denials — Self-directed course: Beginning anytime

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Source: https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2020/the-damage-being-done-by-fox-news/

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