A Cunning Fox Indeed.

       There's another new study out that states, no it doesn't say "some people are saying", this is another study that points out that those who gain their news from Fox News are "significantly more misinformed than consumers of news from other sources." It's by World Public Opinion at the University of Maryland. Heck, even the Wall Street Journal (same owner as Fox News) admits that to be true. Ya can't make this stuff up. Fox can, but you can't.
       So this is at least the third university study that agrees to the dumbing down of Fox viewers. It's pretty slick how FOX gets away with it too. They use phrases like "Some people say" or "it's been reported" or a number of other catchy lead-ins that could make their next statement true. Some people believe Santa will deliver toys to---. Ya see? Some people do say that about Santa, therefore their statement is true. Not a factual report of what will actually happen, but a true statement nevertheless.
       Another way of misstating while not telling an untruth is to say "It's been reported." It's a true statement if in the previous segment someone reports that untruth. "I'm reporting that John McCain fought alongside George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Next up, the news."  "Good evening. Here's the news. It's been reported that John McCain fought---. Ya see how that works? Senator McCain isn't quite old enough to have fought in the Revolutionary War.
       Well if that's the case, why do they have so many viewers and why don't they tell the truth, straight up? Well the article goes on the explain that many viewers watch Fox News to validate their personal beliefs. It appears there are quite a few of these folks. Fox doesn't change it's format because it's viewers wouldn't watch and that would mean fewer advertisers and lower ad prices.
       Well do other networks do likewise? Of course, but not nearly to the extent of Fox. And they mostly stick close to the truth. Fox, on the other hand, has become a propaganda tool of the Far Right of the Republican party. It's a mutually effective pattern. The Republican agenda gets an excellent rollout and the Fox network gets lots of viewer strength which increases the bottom line. The closest the Democrats come to that kind of exposure is in paid political ads.