
Decoding Fox News Podcast #206 - Fox News: Let's Pretend There is No War in Iran
Last week Fox News decided everything was more important than the war between Israel, the United States and Iran. Although the conflict was still the top topic for the week most of the segments dedicated to it included retired military leaders pontificating on possible next moves for the commander-in-chief.
While the PBS News Hour showed massive damage to residential buildings and energy infrastructure in Lebanon, Israel and other countries in the Middle East, Fox News featured war correspondents talking into cameras.
Anyone watching Fox News would have no idea that civilian targets in Israel, Iran and Lebanon were hit. The violence in Iran was reduced to the same recycled aerial shots from the start of the conflict.
The folks at Fox News appeared delighted that Trump decided to “take a break” from a war he seemed to start on a whim. None of us can truly know Trump’s motives for launching the conflict but suddenly the media stopped talking about the ever-worsening scandals surrounding the president and the Epstein files.
While Trump’s poll numbers plummeted and gasoline prices skyrocketed Fox News was so desperate for distracting content it manufactured a fake outrage campaign against the actress Sydney Sweeney.
Fox News claimed progressives were enraged that Sweeney sent well wishes on social media to her brother in the Air Force along with all troops stationed overseas. Any backlash she did receive didn’t amount to much except for a reason for Fox News to feature scantily clad photos of her.
Most of the negative comments I could find online about Sweeney’s post were directed at President Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu not the actress.
The network also hyped-up various crimes committed by undocumented immigrants while Sean Hannity trashed a YouTube children’s performer and complained about the horrors of spring break.
Another major topic was the government shutdown over DHS funding which Fox presented as a major fiasco caused by Democratic lawmakers even though Republicans control both houses in congress and the White House.
In a sign of true desperation the network featured an extended phone interview with the president on its number one rated show – The Five. In a scene out of a dystopian novel Trump face’s was plastered on a giant screen near the back of the studio as the hosts spoke to a disembodied voice.
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