Fox News Hits Three Year Perception Low With Republicans

YouGov BrandIndex ^ | 2/24/16 | Ted Marzilli

[M. Thatcher]

Since the first GOP presidential debate last August, Fox News Channel seems to have lost its perception mojo with its core right-leaning audience.

By mid February, FNC’s perception by Republican adults 18 and over had reached its lowest point in more than three years, and has declined by approximately 50% since January of this year.

Coinciding with Trump’s rise to front-runner in the GOP presidential race, Fox News Channel has seen its perception by Republicans slide. In early August 2015, right after the first GOP debate aired on Fox News Channel,Trump went on a Twitter war with moderator Megyn Kelly, saying she “bombed” and calling her “a lightweight reporter.”

The picture hasn’t been rosy in terms of the general population either: since last May, Fox News Channel’s perception levels with adults 18+ have uncharacteristically been drawing significantly more negative feedback than positive. At this point, both FNC and CNN are scoring at similar perception levels and they are both negative.

To measure perception of the two networks, YouGov BrandIndex used its Buzz score, which asks respondents: "If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?" A score can range from 100 to -100 with a zero score equaling a neutral position.

On January 1, 2013, Fox News Channel’s Buzz score with Republican adults 18 and over was 49. By the first GOP debate last August, the score had dropped to 38. The downward momentum accelerated earlier this year when Fox News Channel’s score dropped from 36 on January 18th to 14 on February 12th. Trump declined to participate in FNC’s sanctioned GOP debate on January 28th. Fox News Channel’s current Buzz score is 17.

[jokemoke]

I still like Greta, O’Reilly and the Five. Juan is really out there in the liberal wilderness but at least he is honest about it.

Brit Hume, Chris Wallace, Steve Dousy and Neil Cavuto are at least TRYING to be fair.

It’s very obvious Megyn Kelly and Brian Kilmeade doesn’t like Trump!

[DrJeff]

I believe FNC was in decline well before Trump. They might address the items below to regain market share:

1. Accuracy: Improve accuracy, reduce false positives, verify
2. Timeliness: Identify and report emerging news quickly, other networks often beat FNC
3. Content: Show format. The three panel guest format where they yell over each other gets tiresome.
4. Trust: Personalities. Luntz, Meg K, Rove, Rivera, Juan -- before them Beck, Colmes...do not trust their political analysis.

What little TV I do watch, I find CNN to be more palatable (strange, I know!)

[manc]

Agree.
I never watch it now , except maybe flicking through channels in the morning as I get ready or work out.

The evening shows is what I used to watch, but alas no more. Kelly does not get one second of my time either.

[manc]

I watch mostly One America News now.
Get the news and then move on , instead of listening to idiots like Megyn Kelly, Rove, Geraldo, Shep Smith etc

[nathanbedford]

Laz,

Only a fool would presume to lecture you on the mysteries of the fairer sex a subject on which you are the acknowledged expert. I can only say that these creatures constitute more than half of us, more than half of the voting public and what bestirs them to pull the levers next to the candidate' s name is a mystery that will probably survive the end times.

If Megan Kelly as a woman thinks that other women regard that as an important issue, even an issue to be addressed early (although not first there were several other questions before this one) in the debate then perhaps she knows something more about women voters than I do.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I would add that FoxNews likely would see a similar or larger decline if they were perceived as being supporters of Trump.

In this election season, it is impossible to keep everyone happy.

[Pilgrim's Progress]

Simple fix . . . just replace Brett Baier with Homer Simpson and hire the characters from Bob’s Burgers to do the Five. It’s their animation shows that are bringing in the bucks anyway.

And I’m sure Homer will finally bring a sense of trust back to Fox.

[nathanbedford]

In my very first comment on this thread #19, I deplored the extensive (and therefore unfair) coverage offered to Donald Trump.

Was Trump then the darling of Fox? Did Fox switch its fickle allegiance to Rubio? When does my boy Cruz get a turn?

Much of this is in the eye of the beholder

[teletech]

Fox has definitely forgotten what made it great in the first place. I sure hope their memory returns.

[McGruff]

I guess we won that debate didn't we. Yes, we were great. I'll get you Trump, and your little dog too.

[uncitizen]

Yes and Fox News won’t change until OAN is big enough to be some real competition.

[Lazamataz]

My line would have given me a thunderous applause, and it would have pointed out the frivolity and extremely limited importance of the first question of the first debate.

Kelly was FAIL, no matter her motivations.

[nathanbedford]

Great minds run on the same channel.

please see my reply #148.

[austingirl]

Perhaps it is because of their pushing Rubio, Kasich and other GOPe candidates in our face.

[Menehune56]

We quit watching FNC at night in 2012 after Hannity declared his evolution on the open borders issue. And we finally turned off FNC in the morning because we couldn’t stand the constant pro-Rubio slant. So now we’re a Fox-free household and don’t miss it.

[Pravious]

“In my very first comment on this thread #19, I deplored the extensive (and therefore unfair) coverage offered to Donald Trump.
Was Trump then the darling of Fox? Did Fox switch its fickle allegiance to Rubio? When does my boy Cruz get a turn?

Much of this is in the eye of the beholder”

Trump got massive coverage because he’s been a celebrity for decades and was saying things that warranted attention.

Rubio is getting attention with no justification at all. He’s won NOTHING, nor said anything of note.

I understand your frustration about Cruz, though. I saw an interview with Trump recently and realized afterwards that they just kept returning to “Rubio said this...” “Rubio said that...” and Cruz was barely mentioned (if he was mentioned at ALL) even though he’s beating Rubio in the overall polls.

[MinuteGal]

Statistically, the Fox News audience is older and conservative. But this is the base with money. When the Fox nitwork goes off on a never-ending leftist toot, this audience will hopefully not respond to the Fox sponsors who are really the ultimate masters of any TV channel.

The only problem is that conservatives don't respond well to calls for boycotts, don't even know how to do them like the Left does, they fail to participate....and they never even think strongly enough of boycotts as tools of pressure on the airwaves media.

The liberal-leaning networks don't even know when you don't watch them anymore....unless you're personally surveyed in a poll or participate in a Neilsen-type rating with a meter in your home.

The only upside of your action in not watching various programs is that you experience self-satisfaction.

I watch many Fox shows, mostly the evening lineup and some panel shows, because if I don't know what the enemedia is doing and I don't report on it on forums like FR, then I'm useless in the ongoing siege against us.

Leni

[citizen]

I guess you meant late 90s. FNC started in 1996 I think it was.

[Parley Baer]

Looks like most people are waking up to the fact that Fox News is nothing more than a PAC for Rubio.

[M. Thatcher]

I’ve actually started watching CNN and even MSNBC to get more balanced reporting on the primaries.

Same here.