I suspect much of the political world has ingrained impressions of the major cable news networks, and makes certain assumptions about the networks' audiences. With this in mind, a regular reader today flagged a McClatchy item from last week that I'd missed entirely, and it's worth a closer look.
The television remote control has become a de facto ballot in today's hyper-polarized world of politics.
Turn the dial to the left to watch MSNBC and it's more likely you lean left. Turn it to the right to tune in Fox, and it's more likely you lean right. Which cable news channel people watch has become a bona fide indicator of what they think about taxes, health care, immigration and the size and scope of the federal government, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll.
The article was published alongside this chart.
McClatchy
The ostensible point of the piece is that the American news-consuming public can effectively be divided three ways -- as if we can predict someone's political attitudes based in large part by which cable news network he or she turns on to keep up with current events.
But is the thesis confirmed or debunked by the McClatchy-Marist poll results? Look at the competing pie charts again. Notice the striking similarities between the opinions or MSNBC viewers and CNN viewers? When it comes to concerns about government regulations, the results are literally identical, and on the question regarding taxes the poor, the results are nearly identical (well within the margin of error).
It would seem, then, that the larger takeaway isn't that a tri-polar media environment dominates American politics, but rather, that Fox News, catering to a Republican audience for the purpose of supporting the Republican Party, is throwing off the curve.
The thesis, in other words, is incomplete. The poll results are noteworthy, not because of a three-way split, but because the attitudes of Fox News are at odds with the American mainstream.
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FOX is a cult thing and should never be confused with news when polling.
Here's what those charts need to look like, in order for us to make a fair comparison of what you're saying in the charts above (speaking to Steve, not Paul S. Campbell):
The SIZE of the Fox News pie chart must be a proportionally larger circle (to reflect the proportionally larger audience size-- you can make a second one for the demo if you want, so two proportional pies, one for total audience and one for demo).
The SIZE of the MSNBC pie chart must be for Goldilocks, somewhere in the proportional middle (although considerably smaller than the WAY bigger Fox News pie).
And the CNN pie, sadly, but be a Baby Bear pie these days. Those numbers are just so sad. I know, big profits and all that international audience. But it does make my heart hurt to see.
When I was there, oh, the numbers for MSNBC were the Baby Bear numbers then, even smaller than HLN. MSNBC just had Keith and that's all. Maybe prison, or entrapping pervs who want to have sex with kids.
THEN you can split the pies according to your point above. But unless the pie bubbles are the appropriate proportional size, the comparison above is deceiving. Makes you think apples and oranges are comparable.
I'm sure Ezra would make you some proportional pie. He loves that sort of thing.
BTW, lest anyone in the thread who doesn't know me accuse me of being a Faux News troll (for some reason Benen's groupies think anybody who didn't show up when they parachuted in from outer space is a troll), here is one reliable source for the proportional numbers I am referring to above:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/category/ratings
And I now see a typo I made above, that I can't edit. If it is confusing, note that this one sentence actually should read:
Fingers were just typing ahead of my brain, I think.
@Chris Bose is spot on about the pies to which I would add only this though I do not know how I would illustrate it.
Faux Nooze captures the upper end of the demo in age with a significant portion of its viewership outside the demo -- that is to say even older. But they are eyeballs.
MSNBC meanwhile is almost entirely within the demo with that portion of its viewership outside generally skewing younger, i.e. the college crowd.
It would be fun to see Ezra would come up with. He makes such good pies
The chart states that the poll consisted of 1023 registered voters, so the amount of people polled is the same, therefore, all the pies are the same
The polls, yes. But the relative audience sizes diminish the impact of the CNN pie, for instance, and increase the impact of the Fox News pie.
The statistical sampling is the same, but the larger numbers of people that those samples act as virtual synecdoche for are not comparable.
I would be interesting to see a similar analysis of network news. Does NBC News have a similar demographic to CNBC? Is CBS similar to FOX? Where does PBS fall? etc.
No doubt some troll will be on here in no time claiming that CNN is a liberal socialist left-wing nutjob Obama-lovin' whore. So yes it would be good to see how the rest of the networks compare.
I agree! What does CBS, NBC and ABC polls show? I bet Fox still is the odd ball.
What I don't understand is why people want to watch news that is so slanted? Wouldn't most people want a taste of REALITY?
There are no Republicans watching the three major networks. They only watch Faux News.
I would assume there would be a higher percentage of Republicans watching CNBC than MSNBC because they play the markets. Fewer GOP supporters watching PBS because of the obvious distaste for government funded anything.
But it would be interesting to know for sure. I hope they do another study.
And yet Fox gets more viewers in primetime than all the others combined. Just as a thought experiment, who in the non-Fox universe of media does anyone think voted for McCain? Or might vote for Romney? Scarborough probably, anyone else?
I don't think so. And you all think such bias is mainstream? Tsk.
Shooter,
Could it possibly be that Fox watchers ONLY watch Fox, whereas those who watch MSNBC ALSO watch other shows so that we aren't ONLY watching MSNBC? Could it be that we are considerably more well-rounded and have a better view of what is happening in the world??
Didn't McCain lose? Didn't Scarborough quit because of a scandal that was brewing? Are you saying that Romney will lose or quit also?
The point of the article is that people choose TV news that reinforces there existing viewpoint, and that
The point is NOT Steve's interpretation.
Ostensible means "appearing to be true, but not necessarily so"...which I suggest applies to Steve's take.
But then we already KNEW that people choose media that reinforces their existing viewpoints.
And in any case, television viewers are the LEAST informed. If you recall this survey: http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2012/confirmed/
As to a "troll" claiming CNN is "liberal"...this study reveals nothing about the actual content of the media outlets, it only measures the AUDIENCE of the outlet. So in this case, it is not wrong to claim that CNN appeals to a liberal audience but it would be wrong to make a conclusion that CNN is a "liberal news outlet."
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/07/26/157899/fox-mnsbc-viewers-see-world-differently.html#storylink=cpy
I can't comment on CNN since, other than Crowley, who I think is fair, I don't watch. Fox, other than a few, are fair. MSNBC, after 6 is extremely pro Dem and don't hide it. Watch and listen to other sources, like Politico, Real Clear Politics, etc.
Don't just go to sites that support your own views.
Watching fox news makes you less informed than watching no news at all:
http://www.businessinsider.com/study-watching-fox-news-makes-you-less-informed-than-watching-no-news-at-all-2012-5
I still can't figure out how Faux Fake and BS Gnewz can advertise as news to begin with.
ANSWER: Cause Ain't no law against it
...NextQuestionPlease
Like Faux News would listen to the law... they are run by the Murdoch's!
FoxNews channel presents itself as news and opinion. It's honest in that. The problem is that it doesn't distinguish between news and opinion and it has an overwhelming propensity to present only news that favors the opinion presented.
If there is such a thing as "Body Politic" FOX (news?) is the Anus.
Nah, it's the colostomy bag.
If God gave the world an enema, Fox News would get the tube.
Did the article mention the total cable viewership? and the U S population, at the last census?
Thought not.
Much ado about (almost) nothing.
My objections to Benen's analysis is saying Fox is out of step with "mainstream America". If they are, why do they have more viewers than the combined MSNBC and CNN ratings? I will agree there are several commentators who are on the fringe. But, for the most part, they report objectively. To me, polls show several things. Obama's a nice guy, but they finish last. He can't rise above favorability of 50%. His handling of the economy is viewed negatively.
The tendency for Obama to blame every thing on other events is wearing thin. We are so concerned about our base that we have lost the ability to compromise. Throwing insults at each other just adds to the polarization. In my opinion, Obama, Pelosi and Reid came into office in 2008 with a chip. By telling the Repubs they won the election is not the way to achieve compromise. In other words, my way or the highway.
Nice to read such posts. We need these to keep us up on "opposing views". I guess you know about this-Of course we haven’t heard a peep from FOX about the statements made by their
CEO. And less than 48 hours after Murdoch said FOX News should not’ be
supporting the TEA Party, FOX News employees Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity along
with Minnesota crazy lady Michelle Bachman were featured speakers at what?…
That’s right… a TEA Party rally. But to be honest, how could FOX News walk away
from the TEA Party now when it was they that practically started it.from:http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978160428
or..http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/07/b122948.html
and..
Indeed, a former Fox News employee who recently agreed to talk with Media Matters confirmed what critics have been saying for years about Murdoch's cable channel. Namely, that Fox News is run as a purely partisan operation, virtually every news story is actively spun by the staff, its primary goal is to prop up Republicans and knock down Democrats, and that staffers at Fox News routinely operate without the slightest regard for fairness or fact checking.
"It is their M.O. to undermine the administration and to undermine Democrats," says the source. "They're a propaganda outfit but they call themselves news."from:http://mediamatters.org/blog/2011/02/10/fox-news-insider-stuff-is-just-made-up/176184
More people watch the three major networks than any of the 24/7 cables and have a much higher combined rating than Faux. Republicans don't watch them when they can watch Faux, so you know it isn't mainstream.
Paul:
I indicated there are Fox commmentators who are on the fringe and, even I don't pay attention to them. My point is that compared to MSNBC, beginning at the 6PM time, with one exception, is mostly objective. MSNBC, beginning at 6PM is dominated by pro-Obama, pro Dem talking heads. And it still eludes me why any network would give Rev. Al an hour.
Tom,
Get out your computer and compare the Fox "news" stories to what other news outlets are saying - I do that every now and then. I think you might change your mind about even FOX news being objective.
Once,
Tom is so ignorant that he will vote for a party that will end his medicare program that he depends on. That is just how brainwashed Tom is.
It makes no sense how people like tom can be so out of touch and uninformed.
So shouldn't the headline be "one of these things is not like the others," plural?
CNN, the place for unbiased news. I'm being serious!
General Electric (51% owner of NBC Universal) and Time Warner (parent of CNN) are major contributors to the Obama campaign. Laughable analysis.
Anyone under 30 doesn't watch any of these or TV in general unless its reality show based, music programming, or comedy oriented. Anyone under the age of about 60 calls up their Tivo archive or goes to the web for news. Watching cable news is for those who are housebound or fanatics.
So those under thirty rely on unregulated regurgitated news sites on the web where bias is king and truth is what you want it to be?
Tom not
Why don't you just look things up - then you won't sound so stupid.
Time Warner is a major contributor to the Obama campaign, GE is NOT.
Here's a clue for you:
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000125
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000094
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cid=N00009638
I am glad people liked your lies. Talk about stupidity, look at FACTS. If you want to discuss 2012 then here you go:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/contrib.php?id=N00009638&cycle=2012
(Comcast owns the other 49% of NBC Universal)
GET A CLUE!! This ISN'T 2008 and Barack Obama isn't running against John McCain - haven't you heard?
Maybe he hasn't. Republicans seem to be treating 2012 as a do-over of 2008.
@Sandyh - If you wouldn't mind letting me know when my birthday actually is, I'd really appreciate it, my parents must have been lying to me all of these years saying I was born in 1988.
For Tom-someNumber, the hubris of the Bush II team seems to have fallen down the memory hole. Sooooooo typical! But this isn't even the place for the discussion of all that. The only conclusion I can draw from the above data is that the American viewing public is still hopelessly being misinformed/malinformed, but then the real blame lies with Americans not being able to form a consensus on important matters (and who is to blame for that: the media!). We are taught in school to be fractious, to have "our own opinion." I, for one, would rather live in a different country, and I have for over a decade. If California weren't my actual home, I would indeed have to go in search of one. Even rednecks here in Cal know that they can be wrong.
All the chart proves is that progessives depend on CNN & Msnbc for their resources to news and opinion where conservatives would be more dependant on what too believe is the "more reliable source for news & opinion", That being Fox News. Pretty simple.
Considering CNN & Msnbc audiences are much smaller than Fox it doesn't matter much at all. Msnbc is undergoing changes at NBC evidence the web site and loss of support from Microsoft and CNN axing thier CEO. Both units are seriously suffering with absence of viewers. So 76% of 300 viewers think like msussrnbc? So what! Fox is flourishing.
Comparison: If you do a survey here in New England and asks relative questions in favor vs unfavorable to the NY Yankees and using the same selective skewed resource system you would come up with a comparison like this:
1) YES network viewers 2) NESN viewers 3) ESPN veiwers.
YES network viewers will have a tendency towards positive views of the Yankees while NESN & ESPN viewers would view the Yankees negatively. So? TRMS nin come poop wants you to think that makes YES network outta the mainstream when all it really proves is Yankees fans rely on non biased sources as their news choice.
Its the same thing here. Conservatives rely on FOX for what they believe is a more reliable less biased news source.
TRMS is comparing apples and oranges and saying see, FOX is a vegetable! STUPID!
I like the MSUSSRNBC match, kinda catchy. MSUSSRNBC "Lean EASTward"
Best bumper sticker of the week:
I get comedy from Fox News
I get my news from Comedy Central
Fox News has more viewers because their demo is RETIRED PEOPLE. They have nothing to do, so they watch tv all day long. And retired people are most often conservative and don't like change, like gay marriage and black presidents. And Fox feeds that paranoia constantly.
Honestly, how anyone under the age of 65 would believe all the crap they spew is beyond me.