Fox News, during its coverage of the 2024 Iowa caucuses, made the false claim that nearly two-thirds of Iowa caucus voters do not believe Joe Biden was “legitimately elected” in 2020. The network failed to offer any clarification or correction on this baseless assertion. Anchor Sandra Smith first reported the findings of the network’s “Voter Analysis” poll during “The Ingraham Angle,” stating that 62% of respondents believed the 2020 election was stolen.
Two hours later, during “Hannity,” Smith presented the same report and added that out of the 35% of respondents who do believe Biden legitimately won in 2020, 45% said they were voting for Nikki Haley. Smith further stated that those who do not believe Biden won the election, which comprised close to three-quarters of the respondents, were strongly in favor of Donald Trump.
Shockingly, Smith, Laura Ingraham, and Sean Hannity, the hosts of the respective programs, provided no clarification or context to the false claim. This comes less than a year after Fox News paid a staggering $787.5 million defamation settlement to Dominion Voting Systems for spreading the very lie that the 2020 election was stolen. The network’s failure to correct false information raises serious concerns about its commitment to journalistic integrity.
Moreover, just days ago, a host on “Fox & Friends” praised a guest who claimed that Joe Biden did not win the election, referring to their viewpoint as “passionate.” These instances demonstrate a pattern of behavior from Fox News that perpetuates baseless conspiracy theories and undermines the credibility of the democratic process.
Fox News, once again, has shown itself to be a shameless propaganda outlet for former President Donald Trump. Despite claiming to provide objective election coverage, the network’s actions continuously align with Trump’s false claims and misinformation campaigns. This raises questions about the network’s journalistic ethics and its role in promoting disinformation to its viewers.
It is crucial for media outlets to prioritize accuracy and responsible reporting, particularly when it comes to covering elections and the democratic process. Spreading baseless claims, as Fox News has done, erodes public trust in the media and undermines the very foundation of a functioning democracy.
As consumers of news, it is essential to critically evaluate the information presented to us and hold media organizations accountable for their actions. The dissemination of false information and the failure to correct it only serve to further divide the nation and undermine the integrity of the electoral system.
Original Story at www.mediamatters.org – 2024-01-16 14:00:38
