Actually, that is changing. When Mr. Jane Fonda-Turner owned CNN, that was operative.
But now, both CNN and MSNBC are owned by publicly-traded stock companies, and stock owners, especially the big players like retirement funds and mutual funds, have a way of asking very embarrassing questions of network management when they are both on the 14th tee at the Shelter Rock CC.
Questions such as “By the way, Sid, what can I tell my investors you are doing to reverse your 73 bazillion loss last quarter?” can ruin your entire weekend.
It takes time, but money talks, and it’s the one language all the decision makers speak, and FOX has a reeeeeeealllly big loudspeaker.
There was a big change 10 years ago. There are no longer any solely “independent” (liberal) journalistic decisions, and every decision is subject to the next morning’s overnight ratings, which translate into dollars by noon.
“Give it time, Son, give it time!”
If the corporate owners, or their hedge fund owners, depend on a slew of regulatory accomodations for their fortunes, then its handy to have such a media property to defend their interests. Much like Jeff Bezos does with the Wapo or Carlos Slim with NYT.