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5 Reasons Why Trust in Fox News Has Eroded Over the Past Year
Christian Headline News ^ | 4/24/17 | Josh M. Shepherd

Posted on 04/25/2017 9:05:07 PM PDT by OneVike

How the mighty have fallen!”

The biblical lament has particular relevance this week, as Bill O’Reilly—trusted by millions of Americans every weeknight since 1996 on his “spin-stopping” Fox News program The O’Reilly Factor—will not return to the network following an exposé of alleged sexual harassment incidents over the past decade.

The announcement follows other high-profile departures from the nation’s top cable news network in recent months. Notably, prime-time anchor Megyn Kelly will soon debut as a news commentator for NBC News—following her lead role in last summer’s resignation by Fox News president and founder Roger Ailes, who was forced out by sexual misconduct charges similar to those facing O’Reilly.

It’s a confusing moment for many Americans. Without doubt, loyal viewers of Fox News played an outsized role in the historic election of President Donald Trump. Many are now evaluating his administration’s first 100 days, enumerating what accomplishments to trumpet in defense of their electoral choice while grappling with the former reality TV star’s limitations as a statesman.

Without O’Reilly to “look out for the folks” (as he often stated was his driving factor), the 24/7 fair and balanced coverage suddenly seems less reliable to help cable TV viewers in this evaluative process. What will the network’s future hold? The answer will surely take cues from its past, including the unprecedented events of 2016.

The easy route for conservatives would be to dismiss the upheaval at Fox News—long anchored by O’Reilly, perched atop the ratings behemoth—as another mainstream media plot, a coordinated effort to take down what many on the right consider the only “truth serum” in news media. That perspective has factual elements, but it’s not the entire story.

Those who welcome even some of how Fox News has changed the national media landscape should think critically about recent events and what knowledgeable critics are saying. In the Unresolved Problem segment tonight, here are five reasons why trust in Fox News has eroded over the past year.

1. Cozy Relationship with Trump Campaign Bordering on Promotion

Back in 2011, Fox and Friends began an unusual feature for a morning variety show— every week, New York real estate mogul Donald Trump would call-in and banter with hosts regarding the news of the day. As reported by New York magazine, this segment came about as a favor from Roger Ailes to Trump.

Fast forward to spring 2016, when the Republican field was still large. Coverage of Senators Cruz and Rubio was drowned out on Fox News and its competition, while unpredictable yet camera-ready candidate Trump seemed to get wall-to-wall attention.

During frequent on-air interviews, Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity offered Trump friendly deference delivered with a collegial tone. “Why are we successful? What’s the reason? Part of the reason is people like me,” Hannity said in an interview last October with the New York Times, questioned about his support of Trump. “This is the spice! We’re getting back to the spicy part of the network, the one that pays the bills.”

The eventful, at times bumpy, relationship between Fox News and Donald Trump in recent years is too lengthy to fully recount here. But its climax is unmistakable, when President Trump became leader of the free world roughly 100 days ago.

(Excerpt) Read more at Christian Headline News ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fox; foxnews; news; oreilly
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To: Zathras; Road Warrior ‘04
BOR made the mistake that trying to do “middle of the road” only gets you run over

From both directions.

81 posted on 04/26/2017 11:33:55 AM PDT by Albion Wilde ("We will be one people, under one God, saluting one American flag." --Donald Trump)
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To: Biggirl

Revelation 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.


82 posted on 04/26/2017 1:57:32 PM PDT by philetus (Keep doing what you always do and you'll eventually get what you deserve)
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To: Nothingburger

Yep. I stopped right there too.


83 posted on 04/26/2017 2:29:43 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat ("Liberalism is a mental disorder" On FULL Display NOW! BOYCOTT Mexico nba NFL PepsiCO Kellogg's)
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To: itsahoot

“He is there to look befuddled and keep his comments t minimum like Bolling did”

Befuddled is a word that will never be used for Waters. He is anything but. He lays back in the weeds and then comes out with an incisive zinger. Jesse is no milquetoast.


84 posted on 04/26/2017 3:51:02 PM PDT by flaglady47 (TRUMP 45. How sweet it is. )
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To: OneVike

To whom?


85 posted on 04/26/2017 3:58:33 PM PDT by steve8714 (My wife calls me Dr. Smartacus. This makes me happy.)
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To: OneVike

The author is an obvious libtard, no matter what his faux “conservative” credentials might be. Juan Williams a “centrist liberal”??? Ridiculous.


86 posted on 04/26/2017 4:02:06 PM PDT by Enchante (Libtards are enemies of true civilization!)
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To: flaglady47
Jesse is no milquetoast.

Neither is Boling but he obeys that earpiece, seen it many times when they shut him down for picking on Juan or Geraldo.

87 posted on 04/26/2017 4:03:33 PM PDT by itsahoot (As long as there is money to be divided, there will be division.)
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To: steve8714

That was the comment I left on the site for the author if the article.


88 posted on 04/26/2017 7:23:26 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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To: Terry L Smith

I agree, the future does not belong to us sadly. I mean the future of this planet. Ours is with the Lord, the Planets is with Satan. One day the Lord will have His day.


89 posted on 04/26/2017 7:26:08 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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To: MNJohnnie

Yes I agree. She was doing well only because most listen to FOX, and BO and her were the only prime time ones with watching when compared to the other networks. After she left, Tucker was blowing her numbers out of the water. Something I expect Tucker to do to the hour BO had.


90 posted on 04/26/2017 7:32:04 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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To: Bullish

Yes, and when I ask her what she likes about it, she tells me she likes Gutfeld. She watches his show on the weekend.


91 posted on 04/26/2017 7:36:09 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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To: OKITRUMP77
i like Tucker, but I hate watching these dummies he debates. There has to be a better format for that show. I know he makes good points but I can’t stand watching the opposition one segment at a time. Is it only me? Or do others feel the same. Just curious.

That format does wear me down after awhile, but you must admit, Tucker does a great job of allowing them to look completely foolish.

As for me, I knew they were foolish before he destroyed them.
92 posted on 04/26/2017 7:38:12 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion

Great analysis.

Thanks


93 posted on 04/26/2017 7:42:35 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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To: central_va

Yes, he was more anti-conservative for his first 10 years or so, it wasn’t until after Obama was President for about 5 years that he started changing his tune and started waking up a bit.

Then he slowly began his attacks on the left until he was hitting them consistently hard that they went after him.

Had he left Obama alone they would have been fine, but going after their boy, pissed them off, and they took him out.

I don’t think he ever believed they would turn on him.


94 posted on 04/26/2017 7:47:04 PM PDT by OneVike (I'm just a humble Christian waiting to go home)
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Bump


95 posted on 04/29/2017 3:28:23 PM PDT by foreverfree
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