It’s the ratings, baby!

benfell

See update for April 21, 2023, under Pennsylvania · Marijuana.

I keep forgetting to actually publish this issue. So it’s grown a bit.

Gilead

Donald Trump

Coup attempt


Fig. 1. “Jake Angeli (Qanon Shaman), seen holding a Qanon sign at the intersection of Bell Rd and 75th Ave in Peoria, Arizona, on 2020 October 15.” Photography by TheUnseen011101 [pseud.], October 15, 2020, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

The damage to Fox [News] is putting yet another figure to match that of the phone-hacking scandal on what shareholders have long called “the [Rupert] Murdoch discount” – the cost of an organisation seemingly run like a personal fiefdom by the 92-year-old. Yet the settlement has avoided Fox presenters such as Maria Bartiromo – a friend of Trump’s on whose show the allegations against Dominion were first aired – having to apologise to viewers on air for helping to spread lies.

Such apologies could hurt Fox where it matters, by potentially driving its pro-Trump viewers, who continue to believe in electoral fraud, to even more outrageous rightwing US TV network rivals such as Newsmax and One America News Network.

Fox’s response will be an important marker of how much the Dominion win will matter to the rest of us – and not just the voting machine manufacturer’s private equity owners.[1]

Jane Martinson does not actually claim that Fox News “won’t change their ways.” This is apparently the work of a headline writer.[2] I’m not holding my breath that they will.

Brian Stelter asked Fox News

what they wished more media outlets would mention about the lawsuit. Other reporters sensed it too when they skimmed the emails that Fox PR blasted out to counter Dominion. The network wanted to make one thing abundantly clear: It was still as popular as ever. Nothing about this lawsuit has impacted its ratings.

“Fox News Channel’s viewership has not been impacted by the Dominion case, according to data from Nielsen Media Research,” one of the PR emails said last week. This is accurate: I have been eyeballing Fox’s daily ratings ever since Dominion started to release embarrassing texts and emails from the network’s biggest stars, and the ratings have not wobbled one bit.[3]

If there’s one thing that’s clear from all this, it was the ratings that got Fox News into this mess; if they had backed off election fraud claims, they would have lost viewers.[4]

Perhaps as much as anything, the case reflected the control [Donald] Trump has over the conservative movement, given the fear Fox [News] demonstrated of what Trump could do to it — a fear that echoes the broader Republican Party’s posture toward Trump.[5]

They still face a lawsuit from Smartmatic, for even more money than the one from Dominion Voting Systems.[6] But Fox apparently has lots of money in the bank[7] and there are only so many voting machine companies. As Brian Stelter writes, “you can’t litigate away the demand for antidemocratic conspiracy theories.”[8]

The one thing that might alter this calculus is a lawsuit that shareholders, who are unhappy with Fox News’ resulting bottom line, have filed.[9] But I’m not holding my breath on this either.

[I]t is striking that Fox wanted its ratings victories to be front and center since, after all, the ratings underscore that millions of people were misinformed by Fox’s villainizing of Dominion after the 2020 election.

For Fox, this message was crucial to the parent company’s long-term business interests. Fox trumpeted its ratings and bought ads touting its “trusted” brand because, long after Dominion receives its payout, Fox will be raking in far larger sums of money from its advertisers and distributors. Fox News executives insist that sponsors have not been spooked by the Big Lie scandal, nor have the cable and satellite providers that carry the network.[10]

Stelter’s point is that Fox News won’t significantly change. They might be a bit less reckless about defaming well-heeled corporations in the future but the stream of bullshit will continue.[11] I’m pretty sure he’s right.

Erin Mulvaney, Isabella Simonetti, and Joe Flint, “Fox News Defamation Trial Delayed Amid Network’s Push to Settle Dispute,” Wall Street Journal, April 17, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-news-dominion-prepare-for-battle-in-1-6-billion-defamation-trial-fad2e9a6

Jeremy W. Peters and Katie Robertson, “Fox Disputes Possible Damages as Judge Delays Defamation Trial,” New York Times, April 17, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/business/fox-dominion-trial-delay.html

David Bauder, Randall Chase, and Geoff Mulvihill, “Lawsuit against Fox for false election claims heads to trial,” Associated Press, April 18, 2023, https://apnews.com/article/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-trial-trump-2020-0ac71f75acfacc52ea80b3e747fb0afe

Aaron Blake, “4 takeaways from the Dominion v. Fox settlement,” Washington Post, April 18, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/18/fox-news-dominion-takeaways/

Meg James, “Fox News-Dominion settlement doesn’t end crisis for Rupert Murdoch’s empire,” Los Angeles Times, April 18, 2023, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-04-18/fox-news-dominion-settlement-fallout-rupert-murdochs-empire

Erin Mulvaney, Joe Flint, and Isabella Simonetti, “Fox to Pay $787.5 Million to Settle Dominion’s Defamation Lawsuit,” Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-news-dominion-defamation-trial-set-to-begin-d5c7293a

Jose Pagliery, “Trump’s Fake Georgia Electors Are Now Ratting on Each Other,” Daily Beast, April 18, 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-fake-georgia-electors-are-now-ratting-on-each-other

Jonathan Lai, “Pa. Supreme Court angrily sanctions county for violating order on Dominion voting machines,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 19, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/fulton-county-dominion-voting-machines-sanctions-pa-supreme0court-20230419.html

Jane Martinson, “Fox News and Rupert Murdoch have been humiliated, but they won’t change their ways,” Guardian, April 19, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/19/fox-news-rupert-murdoch-defamation-settlement-electoral-fraud

Brian Stelter, “Fox News, Unapologetic and Unwavering, Steams Ahead After Staggering Dominion Settlement,” Vanity Fair, April 19, 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-settlement

Amy B. Wang, Elahe Izadi, and Patrick Marley, “Fox News still faces $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit from Smartmatic,” Washington Post, April 19, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/04/18/fox-news-smartmatic-defamation-lawsuit/

Chris Dehghanpoor, Emma Brown, and Jon Swaine, “Mike Lindell’s firm told to pay $5 million in ‘Prove Mike Wrong’ election-fraud challenge,” Washington Post, April 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/04/20/mike-lindell-prove-wrong-contest/

Gun nuttery


Fig. 1. “Rally Against Gun Control ‘Come and Take it’ flag at the Minnesota State Capitol,” photograph by Fibonacci Blue [pseud.], April 28, 2018, via Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Until we take seriously and address the confusion on the part of so many folks, women included, of their pistols for their penises, this[12] is an utterly pointless conversation.

Adam Taylor, “Mistaken address shootings echo killing of Japanese teen 30 years ago,” Washington Post, April 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2023/04/20/yoshihiro-hattori-mistaken-address-shooting-japan/

Academic repression

Student loans


Fig. 1. Unattributed and undated image via James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal,[13] fair use.

Adam S. Minsky, “Education Department Issues Sweeping New Student Loan Forgiveness Guidance For One-Time Adjustment,” Forbes, April 19, 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2023/04/19/education-department-issues-sweeping-new-student-loan-forgiveness-guidance-for-one-time-adjustment/

Imperialism

China


Fig. 1. “Map of Qing Empire filled with the flag.” Graphic by Daniel222potato [pseud.], via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Karin Fischer, “Defense Department releases waiver plan for colleges with Confucius Institutes,” Chronicle of Higher Education, April 19, 2023, https://www.chronicle.com/newsletter/latitudes/2023-04-19

Phelim Kine, Cristina Gallardo, and Joseph Gedeon, “Why China’s police state has a precinct near you,” Politico, April 19, 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/19/china-police-state-outposts-00092913

Pennsylvania

Marijuana

Recreational marijuana still isn’t legal in Pennsylvania and while it is possible there might be decriminalization or tweaks to the medical marijuana rules, full legalization remains unlikely.[14] It will be legal in Maryland on July 1,[15] is legal in New Jersey,[16] and is legal in New York.[17] It might go to Ohio voters in November if, as seems likely, the state legislature fails to approve it.[18]

That leaves Pennsylvania with West Virginia[19] and Delaware among surrounding states in approving only medical marijuana, though Delaware’s legislature has sent a bill legalizing it to a reluctant Governor John Carney’s desk.[20]

Update, April 21, 2023: Delaware’s governor continues to oppose legalized recreational marijuana, but chose not to veto a bill to that effect, which will now become law without his signature.[21]

The Lair, a Black-owned west Philadelphia vegan cannabis lounge, was raided. It is apparently being accused of selling recreational marijuana.[22]

Black people in Pennsylvania are about five times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people, though both groups use marijuana at similar rates, according to an analysis of 2021 state police data by the cannabis advocacy group [National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws].[23]

Zoe Greenberg, “A vegan cannabis lounge in West Philly hoped to be a stoner oasis. Then it was raided by police,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 20, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/news/420-cannabis-lounge-west-philadelphia-raid-sunflower-20230420.html

Pittsburgh

Infrastructure


Fig. 1. Post-collapse scene at the Fern Hollow Bridge, photograph by National Transportation Safety Board, January 29, 2022, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Julia Felton, “Pittsburgh to spend $18 million to resurface over 30 miles of roads,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 20, 2023, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-to-spend-18-million-to-resurface-over-30-miles-of-roads/

  1. [1]Jane Martinson, “Fox News and Rupert Murdoch have been humiliated, but they won’t change their ways,” Guardian, April 19, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/19/fox-news-rupert-murdoch-defamation-settlement-electoral-fraud↩
  2. [2]Jane Martinson, “Fox News and Rupert Murdoch have been humiliated, but they won’t change their ways,” Guardian, April 19, 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/19/fox-news-rupert-murdoch-defamation-settlement-electoral-fraud↩
  3. [3]Brian Stelter, “Fox News, Unapologetic and Unwavering, Steams Ahead After Staggering Dominion Settlement,” Vanity Fair, April 19, 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-settlement↩
  4. [4]Philip Bump, “A cascade of mistakes and falsehoods leaves Fox on the brink,” Washington Post, February 17, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/17/fox-dominion-mistake/↩
  5. [5]Aaron Blake, “4 takeaways from the Dominion v. Fox settlement,” Washington Post, April 18, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/18/fox-news-dominion-takeaways/↩
  6. [6]Amy B. Wang, Elahe Izadi, and Patrick Marley, “Fox News still faces $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit from Smartmatic,” Washington Post, April 19, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2023/04/18/fox-news-smartmatic-defamation-lawsuit/↩
  7. [7]Aaron Blake, “4 takeaways from the Dominion v. Fox settlement,” Washington Post, April 18, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/18/fox-news-dominion-takeaways/; Erin Mulvaney, Joe Flint, and Isabella Simonetti, “Fox to Pay $787.5 Million to Settle Dominion’s Defamation Lawsuit,” Wall Street Journal, April 18, 2023, https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-news-dominion-defamation-trial-set-to-begin-d5c7293a↩
  8. [8]Brian Stelter, “Fox News, Unapologetic and Unwavering, Steams Ahead After Staggering Dominion Settlement,” Vanity Fair, April 19, 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-settlement↩
  9. [9]Aaron Blake, “4 takeaways from the Dominion v. Fox settlement,” Washington Post, April 18, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/18/fox-news-dominion-takeaways/↩
  10. [10]Brian Stelter, “Fox News, Unapologetic and Unwavering, Steams Ahead After Staggering Dominion Settlement,” Vanity Fair, April 19, 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-settlement↩
  11. [11]Brian Stelter, “Fox News, Unapologetic and Unwavering, Steams Ahead After Staggering Dominion Settlement,” Vanity Fair, April 19, 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/04/fox-news-dominion-lawsuit-settlement↩
  12. [12]Adam Taylor, “Mistaken address shootings echo killing of Japanese teen 30 years ago,” Washington Post, April 20, 2023, https://www.washingtonpost.com//world/2023/04/20/yoshihiro-hattori-mistaken-address-shooting-japan/↩
  13. [13]Richard K. Vedder, “Eliminate or Radically Restructure Federal Student Loans,” James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, September 16, 2020, https://www.jamesgmartin.center/2020/09/eliminate-or-radically-restructure-federal-student-loans/↩
  14. [14]Ed Mahon, “5 ways Pa.’s marijuana laws could change in 2023,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 13, 2023, https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/5-ways-pa-s-marijuana-laws-could-change-in-2023/↩
  15. [15]Scott Maucione, “Here’s what to expect in Maryland when recreational marijuana is legal in 2023,” WYPR, November 15, 2023, https://www.wypr.org/wypr-news/2022-11-15/heres-what-to-expect-in-maryland-when-recreational-marijuana-is-legal-in-2023↩
  16. [16]Mike Davis, “NJ legal weed: What we’ve learned, one year after recreational marijuana sales began,” Asbury Park Press, April 20, 2023, https://www.app.com/story/news/local/new-jersey/marijuana/2023/04/20/nj-legal-weed-recreational-marijuana-april-21/70122227007/↩
  17. [17]Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Troy Closson, “New York Has Legalized Marijuana. Here’s What to Know,” New York Times, September 23, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/article/new-york-marijuana-legalization-facts.html↩
  18. [18]Maeve Walsh and Natalie Fahmy, “How marijuana could become legal in Ohio in 2023,” WCMH, January 24, 2023, https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/how-marijuana-could-become-legal-in-ohio-in-2023/↩
  19. [19]Nina Julia, “Is Weed Legal in West Virginia? WV Cannabis Laws (April 2023),” Center For Advancing Health, April 6, 2023, https://cfah.org/west-virginia-marijuana-laws/↩
  20. [20]Sam Haut, “Carney Says State Has ‘spent Too Much Time’ On Marijuana,” Town Square Live, April 18, 2023, https://townsquaredelaware.com/carney-says-spent-too-much-time-on-marijuana/↩
  21. [21]Nick Vadala, “Delaware will legalize recreational marijuana,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 21, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/news/delaware-marijuana-legalization-weed-20230421.html↩
  22. [22]Zoe Greenberg, “A vegan cannabis lounge in West Philly hoped to be a stoner oasis. Then it was raided by police,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 20, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/news/420-cannabis-lounge-west-philadelphia-raid-sunflower-20230420.html↩
  23. [23]Zoe Greenberg, “A vegan cannabis lounge in West Philly hoped to be a stoner oasis. Then it was raided by police,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 20, 2023, https://www.inquirer.com/news/420-cannabis-lounge-west-philadelphia-raid-sunflower-20230420.html↩

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