"Foxitis...Foxmania". We ignore this at our peril.

[NewHendoLib]

THIS is how propaganda works - the Jan 6 insurrection is how propaganda works. Propaganda is why people end up purchasing snake oil watching night time informercials. Propaganda is why 80% of republicans believe the BIG LIE.

Finally, the efforts starting with Ronnie Raygun - gutting the fairness doctrine - the Newt bullshit, the Grover loyalty oaths about taxes, right up to the shunning of "reasonable republicans" (did I really say that?) - it is all coming home to roost. It has done incalculable damage, and is perfectly set up to do much more.

Yes, we have the presidency, and congress - but this is a pretty damn dangerous place we find ourselves in. Still.

[Mysterian]

1. So true

80 years ago it was Goebbels-itus. Did not end well.

Propaganda works.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. You do realize that the FD wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference don't you?

The FD regulated only over the air broadcasting, Fox is on cable, of which the FCC has no authority to regulate it's content, ergo, the FD wouldn't have applied.

[Mister Ed]

5. Quite true, but it would have prevented the rise of right-wing hate radio...

...which has dominated rural airwaves for decades now.

[Caliman73]

8. No it would not have done that either.

Right wing radio arose out of a couple of factors, the rise of FM as a better technology for music and sound formats, and the 1996 Telecommunications Modernization Act, signed into law by Bill Clinton, which deregulated the purchase of media outlets.

Most radio was AM until the late 1970's when FM was powerful enough to broadcast within the hundreds of miles range. AM could be broadcast way longer distances, but the sound quality was poor. AM was the home of many famous DJs from Art Laboe, to Wolfman Jack, sports, and other programming too. Once FM was ready for primetime, most music shows abandoned AM for FM, which created the opportunity for televangelists and political shows to purchase slots on the AM dial.

Prior to the Telecommunications act, there were thousands upon thousands of radio stations that operated independently. There were always nationally syndicated shows, but they had to be sold to the individual station owners. When the TA was signed into law, it allowed bigger companies to buy out the already faltering AM stations and turn them into the right wing propaganda network we have today.

The fairness doctrine was good in its time for the legacy broadcasters who for the most part were decent at trying to give non-partisan information. It was never a panacea and it actually has little to do with why things are the way they are now.

The right wing, was able to sneak in the back door, buy up a lot of media infrastructure, take losses on profitability, and dig themselves in like ticks in order to have a propaganda network that not only pumps out garbage, but influences the mainstream media to pump out their messaging "in the interest of balance".

[Mister Ed]

9. Would the Fairness Doctrine not have applied, regardless of band or ownership?

I'm not sure I understand how the Fairness Doctrine would have been inapplicable to FM stations, or to stations that were owned by large syndicates with many holdings.

[samsingh]

3. the gop will destroy Democracy and the US as we know it

they are the Hitler Nazi party before he snuck into power. That didn't end well for the country and tens of millions of people around the world.

[global1]

4. In Concert With The Fox Propaganda - The GOP Methodically Over The Years.....

insidiously took over the States with Governorship's and Legislatures as well as Moscow Mitch obstructing Obama and then stacking the courts.

It was a slow - but methodical process - to get us to the situation as to where we are today.

We have the former guy and his cult with the help of Putin - along with his big lie that culminated into the insurrection that pushed us right to the edge.

I don't know what his hold is over the Repug Party. I would hope that someday one of the Repugs will break down and tell us how the former guy has the Party afraid of him.

The biggest mistake that's being made now is that we're letting the Repug Party - blatantly - get away in broad daylight right in front of our eyes - with criminal activities.

They are not being held accountable and as a result - they keep chipping away at our democracy.

We've let too many of their criminal activities slip through - which just gives them more gumption to get away with more criminal activities. They are making their own laws up as they go along and taking away many of our rights as they do it.

We know if the shoe were on the other foot right now that the Repugs would have put a former Dem president in jail along with his minions.

The Repugs would have had a total investigation of the insurrection and that would have been shoved down our throats 24/7 until the masses were convinced that the election of 2020 was stolen and it would have been reversed by now.

Where are the Dems? Why isn't the Jan 6 insurrection being dissected and those that incited it being held accountable?

What gets me is that the MSM is pushing the thought that the 2022 midterms are going to be unfavorable to the Dems. That the Dems will lose control of the House - because that's what traditionally has happened in previous administrations.

With talk like that and all the 'voter suppression' activities that are going on in the States - I'm worried that Dem voters will lose the will to continue to fight and they will sit out the 2022 election and we'll lose all the momentum the Biden Administration has made.

I'm impressed by Biden and want him to continue to be vocal and out in front and pushing for all his aggressive goals - that most American's want him to achieve. If he's successful at that - the American People will put the pressure on the Repugs to make Joe successful.

The American People are beginning to see the effects of Joe's pushing now - and as the results are seen in the economy; the ending of the pandemic; jobs rebounding; etc. - that perhaps - not only the Dem voters - but we'll get some Independent and Repug voters - to maintain and gains seats in both the House and Senate.

I know that I'm just rambling right now - but 'thank God' for DU - as it gives me an opportunity to both rant and vent.

[appalachiablue]

6. Fox, Hate Radio for 40 years and

more outlets recently like Newsmax, OAN and online websites.

When will there be some counter media to the propaganda? It's almost too late.

The Fairness Doctrine can be updated, excuses that Air America and Current News failed are useless.

For years Thom Hartmann has been calling for wealthy types like Tom Steyer to buy Clear Commun. (radio) and other venues. Hello??

[JHB]

7. InFOXication

Inebriation/addiction is a better metaphor than disease or madness. They partake because they like it.

This has been a background radiation across the country for 30 years, with related media going back further. It sets the standard for "what everybody thinks" in so many places.

[Klaralven]

10. Fox, cable news, and AM radio are so last century. Parler and bitchute are where it's at.