CNN: Right-wing propaganda is taking the place of reality

[TomCADem]

Before Trump, mainstream news outlets pretended that Fox News simply presented a different perspective. Of course, under Trump, it became difficult to treat Fox as legitimate news outlet as Fox began to act like Trump State TV complete with blatant denialism of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, I am glad that some mainstream outlets are being more forceful in calling out the lies that are being pushed on Fox, OANN and Newsmax.

However, it still results in these right wing propaganda outlets driving the narrative by pushing lies. At least the lies are being called out as lies, but it still distracts from discussions of the needs of most Americans.

[essaynnc]

1. I'm all for 1st amendment rights, but.......

When do we call out their lying BS and put a stop to this? More than anything else in our society today, the RW "news media" is what's keeping the hate, and lies, and division, and distrust, and calls to armed insurrection, alive in our country. Sure, you can't suppress free speech, but they're yelling "FIRE !!!" every day, day in and day out.

And it'll only get worse, and I'll bet it'll happen more quickly than most of us would imagine. What faked or overblown event, portrayed only on RW media, would push a bunch of crazy people to "take matters into their own hands"? For instance: "..we have special coverage of the BLM protests and the rioters are burning down New York City... stay tuned!" OOPS, they said that already.

For the sake of the future of our county, how do we reel in, even if it's just the most inflammatory? If we don't, this crap will NEVER, EVER, STOP, and we will finally end our 200 year experiment in democracy.

[PortTack]

12. Fux snooz is licensed as entertainment..that's how they get away with it.

Remember, the only ppl buying the crap they are selling are the frump crowd. Everyone else knows they are lying

[thesquanderer]

15. No such licensing

There's no licensing for cable channels. Over the air broadcasting requires a license, but even then, there's no special licensing for entertainment vs. news.

[LymphocyteLover]

21. can we make them play a disclaimer for each show-- or a constant warning label?

Otherwise, this is just free license to continue poisoning our politics, as they've done for decades now

[lambchopp59]

2. MAGA country

Is laying it's traps for the "libs". I've just finished a job contract, packing to exit one of California's "reddest" counties. Beautiful foothill country marred by numerous overblown "Trump 2024" displays.
I'm a contractor, travel ancillary medical staffer. I can't detail much: but I've read and witnessed some dooozies!
Many are arming to the teeth for the upcoming "ANTIFA" invasion. 🤣 Really.
Yet furthering this "victimization role" refusing the vaccine, endangering store clerks with maskless tirades about the posted directives, I've seen this entire gig.
Thanks to Marge Greene now, MAGA's are browsing sites such as this to justify their "Nazi victims" status.
Just a head's up, folks.
I'll be packed up glad to bless Trumperland and leave soon, forget, ignore, and let them tear themselves apart.

[c-rational]

3. If I understand correctly, Fox is registered as an infotainment program and not a news program,

they just happen to use the word News in the title of their show. This should be broadcast and explained ad nauseum so John Q Public (and me) fully understand what this allows.

[TigressDem]

4. If it ISN'T FACTUAL, it should be called an Opinion Show, not NEWS.

News outlets should be licensed as promising to use verifiable FACTS as the source of their NEWS or it has to be labeled as an "OPINION" piece.

IF their facts are found out to be completely bogus on a "NEWS Story", it's strike 1 and a 10 million dollar fine, mandatory retraction run for an entire week at the same time of day the bogus "NEWS Story" ran and for the same amount of time the story ran.

Three strikes and license REVOKED - the station NO LONGER CAN USE THE WORD NEWS in its name and can not be listed on channels that are aligned with NEWS because if they don't use FACTS, they aren't reporting NEWS. PERIOD.

[paleotn]

5. "Took" the place of reality.

They're completely untethered to reality now. It's to the point where you can't have a sane, rational conversation with them. It's hopeless.

[BobTheSubgenius]

6. The lies are being refuted on platforms that the people that need to see it never will.

Funny, but the phrase "reality-based community" first gained currency (at least in my little world) during the Bush 43 admin. Incredible how much worse it's become.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. The lies have to be turned back on them

maga is really antifa from the right, in disguise

[JHB]

8. This has been the case for a quarter century, a fact avoided for almost as long

How many "Clinton scandals" were puffed-up horseshit that made the "news" mainly to manufacture a RW narrative about them to take the place of reality?

[Roc2020]

9. After death and taxes what's real?

It's the question that frankly the existence of mankind depends on. Because if we do not get the answer right nuclear WW111 is the outcome.

[andym]

10. US has a tradition of lying news: see the history of yellow journalism for example

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism
Hearst's and Pulitzer's papers helped foment the Spanish-American War based on bogus reporting of the destruction of the 'Maine".

After WWI news became more professional and less biased, but the creation of Fox News as a pro-Republican outlet by Ailes and Murdoch resurrected the extreme biased reporting of yesteryear.

So it is not clear how propaganda "news" sources can be reined in. But we definitely need to do something as the modern means of communication makes propaganda and manipulation more effective than ever before. Free speech is great, but it leaves the door open to this kind of dangerous behavior, such as gaslighting.

[Nululu]

11. Russian propaganda vs RW propaganda vs Treason

Where do you draw the line? Russian and other foreign states attacking the USA through its democracy and undermining the election. When does that become treason? Trump orchestrated an attack to derail the Presidency and install himself as a dictator. He continues to attack our democracy while foreign governments assist him.

At what point is he charged? If he isn't charged what stops the next dictator here?

[certainot]

13. i'm not going to watch it - i'm pretty sure he won't mention the biggest problem - talk radio

all the TV shows and social media and web sites are part of the free speech spectrum - there are alternatives a click away.

RW radio is not - in most parts of the US there are NO free easy alts for politics

rw talk radio is the only major medium that can do the UNCHALLENGED repetition needed for creating the alternate reality we're have now

if he does mention radio i'll be pleasantly surprised

[Mickju]

19. He did not mention radio.

And you are absolutely correct. It is insidious and goes largely unchallenged.

[certainot]

20. thanks. i was curious but would just end up yelling at him again, like all the rest....

[housecat]

14. Please can we get them all together in one place with guns and no masks pleeeze.

[onetexan]

16. this is the same CNN network that had InSane Santorum on until they could no longer twist his lies

and people were so outraged by his revisionist account of history and racial bias against our native Indian Americans.

[ananda]

17. I think this is because they can't face reality.

It would make them look like monsters,
which they are essentially.

[Chainfire]

18. People are demanding what they want to hear,

the right-wing outlets are giving it to them. It is a closed loop that is the only "reality" for the true believers. What may be dangerous, is that the right-wing "news" sources are having to get crazier and crazier to hold their audience. Fox is now viewed by many as a liberal trojan horse. There will become a day when OAN will not be "right enough" and when that happens, someone else will come in and provide the voice. Blame it on the sponsors who finance the shit.