Sunday, March 13, 2016

Is Fox News Headed for a Fall?

This is completely anecdotal, but my parents who get cable precisely to get Fox News are for the first Sunday in more than a decade watching ABC national news! They do sometimes watch local news, but never national.

The older folks are so tired of Fox's continual coverage of Trump that they have been driven to network news for relief. To be sure, ABC talks about Trump but shows blessedly little footage of him.

I'm just wondering if there is a broader swath of such people out there.

7 comments:

OregonGuy said...

Ratings.

Period.
.

MAX Redline said...

Shapiro resigned from his editorial post at Breitbart Friday evening, alleging that management has gone all in for Trump, is not allowing journalists to fulfill their duties, and are diametrically opposed to the principles under which Andrew established the organization.

So it's not just Fox.

T. D. said...

Amazing how the media shows their $$ colors. Someone recently commented on MSNBC hand wringing over Trump but running his campaign events uninterrupted. Imagine working so hard for someone you despise just for the few measly $ MSNBC will earn.

Makes you wonder what Trump has promised Breitbart. Apparently $25K was enough to buy off Pam Bondi. Trump does know how to use $ to get favors out of politicians and businesses.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/trump-contribution-to-pam-bondis-re-election-draws-more-scrutiny-to-her/2147796

MAX Redline said...

Yes, I saw that about the Bondi/Trump connection. Today it emerges that Breitbart management has delivered "cease and desist" missives to Shapiro and the others who have recently left. Somehow, I'm not too sure that's going to work for them.

There's this little thing here called the First Amendment....

T. D. said...

Even though he may have signed an employment agreement with them, it probably doesn't stand because of 1st Amendment. And how about Trump asking volunteers(!) to sign contract not to criticize him for life. (http://www.dailydot.com/politics/donald-trump-volunteer-contract-nda-non-disparagement-clause/)

The Bondi campaign donation is a clear example of Trump's bragging that he gave money to get political favors for his businesses. Bribes, corruption, ho hum.

MAX Redline said...

In government, NDAs are pretty common; I know a couple of folks who were terminated because managers decided that they didn't like the folks - politics. In each case, they were paid a few thousand in exchange for signing the NDA (break it, you repay the agency).

I doubt that it works that way at Breitbart, and I'm pretty sure that Trump can't do anything if one of his volunteers decides to squeal.

T. D. said...

Thanks for the info on NDAs. One wonders what kind of contract one can have with volunteers given that there is no reciprocity. Volunteers receive no wages or benefits. So, can there be a one-sided contract where one party must do something and the other party has no responsibilities? Somehow I don't think so. But, contract law is not my strong point.