One could be forgiven for mistaking CNN’s Brian Stelter with George Costanza of “Seinfeld” fame.
They share the same hairline, the same neurotic personality, and the same self-aggrandizing tone in dealing with those around them.
But the liberal, Fox News-hating Stelter, recently revealed a little too much envy when he offered a misleading take on Fox’s audience.
On Thursday night, Stelter was discussing Fox’s Tucker Carlson’s new documentary “Patriot Purge.”
“They do have credibility among a minority of the country, among a loud but relatively small base that is willing to tune in, that is excited to tune in at all hours and support Fox News, and read the Wall Street Journal editorial page and support the other right-wing brands,” Stelter said.
“So, [Fox’s] credibility is certainly within a very short supply,” he added. “It’s been negated among the majority of the country, but they have this base audience, this MAGA audience that is still absolutely committed.”
Stelter then said Fox watchers are a “shrinking but very, very loyal group of people.”
The conservative website Post Millennial subsequently picked Stelter apart.
The PM cited a Forbes article about cable news ratings for the third quarter. “Fox News Crushes Competition” was the headline of Forbes’ take.
Fox on average pulled in nearly 2.4 million prime-time viewers each night.
That nearly doubled the left-wing outlet MSNBC, and roughly tripled the audience of CNN.
Fox also owned the tip four most-watched show each night.
As for “shrinking” audiences, the PM noted, “All three networks experienced a decline in prime time viewership compared to last year, but Fox News lost the least, with just 32 percent fewer viewers. MSNBC went down 40 percent, and CNN went down 46 percent.”
CNN’s audience is down almost half, but Fox is the one that struggles to retain eyeballs. Sure.
Post Millennial also pointed out, “Fox News has also gained credibility, according to an August survey conducted by Brand Keys and published by Media Post.”
“From February to August of this year, Fox News rose three percent to 89 percent saying they trust Fox News. CNN dropped five percent to 87 percent, dropping behind Fox News. Stelter himself has been beat out in viewership by Fox News, and even by reruns of popular 80s and 90s tv shows.”
So Fox not only has bigger audiences than Stelter’s CNN, it’s seen as more credible.
The irony of Stelter’s purposefully misleading analysis is that many people would not know CNN is still a thing if it weren’t for Stelter and others on CNN making bogus claims about Fox and getting their screeds circulated on social media.
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