But the issue came up less frequently on Fox News: In the week before opening statements, Fox News mentioned the terms half as often. On the day opening statements began, Fox mentioned the words “Trump” and “trial” just over 80 times, about half as often as CNN.
After Trump was convicted of 34 felonies, attention shifted to another politically significant trial. President Biden’s son Hunter Biden is facing federal charges in Delaware, and opening statements are set to begin this week. This trial has not received as much attention as Trump’s, and the reason is clear. However, the difference in mentions on FOX is much smaller than you might expect.
During the first two days of Trump’s trial, Fox News aired the words “Trump” and “trial” 155 times. During the first two days of Hunter Biden’s trial, they aired the words “Hunter” and “trial” 105 times.
It’s well known how Fox News’ editorial policy differs from that of its competitors. From suppressing the initial news that led to Trump’s indictment in Manhattan, to ignoring its own mistakes, to focusing on promoting Trump and targeting Biden, it’s clear that the network is trying to support the former president and his party.
So it shouldn’t be surprising to see people who watch Fox News or consume conservative media that takes a similar approach to reporting have a different assessment of the country – and reality.
An Ipsos poll conducted last month and released this week gauged where Americans get their news and how they view political issues. Respondents who cited Fox and other conservative media as their primary news source (about 10% of respondents) had the highest approval rating for Donald Trump. Biden’s approval rating was highest among CNN and MSNBC viewers (6% of the total), followed by public radio/television and newspapers at 8%.
Some of this is self-selection: Many Fox News viewers tune in because of beliefs they hold, not beliefs that arise as a result of watching Fox News. But the two intertwine, and Fox reinforces (sometimes explicitly) its viewers’ existing biases.
To be sure, there’s little sign that the network’s coverage is leading to people’s more accurate understanding of political issues. Ipsos asked respondents to rate the veracity of several false claims centered around immigration and the 2020 election. Those who cited Fox News and conservative media as their primary news source were four to nine times more likely to believe the false claims than CNN/MSNBC viewers.
Again, there’s a caveat: if the question were changed — for example, if it were revealed that Trump himself had worked directly with Russian associates before the 2016 election — the difference in opinion might be reversed, but the question Ipsos posed is clearly relevant to the 2024 election, and the answers can tell us something about how voters view the next president.
For example, when asked about the most important issue facing the country, answers varied widely depending on the source: Fox News and conservative media viewers were much more likely than other viewers to say immigration was the top issue. They were also more likely to believe false claims about immigration under the Biden administration.
Then there’s the issue of trust in elections: People who believe the false claims that the 2020 election was stolen are likely to also view the 2024 election as questionable.
The chicken leads the egg. Fox News is right-wing because its audience is right-wing, and so are Fox News’ audiences. The result is a different, sometimes hyper-realistic view of reality.
