Slow Burn

The Rise of Fox News | 6. What Hath We Wrought?

11 snips
Oct 23, 2024
Brian Stelter, Chief media analyst for CNN, teams up with former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly for some candid discussions about the media landscape. They delve into the manipulative strategies of Fox during the 2004 election, revealing how the network prioritized ratings over ethics. The conversation also scrutinizes the fallout from sexual harassment allegations against O'Reilly and the culture of silence that allowed such behavior to thrive. Listeners get a compelling look at the intersection of media, politics, and the responsibility of journalists.
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INSIGHT

Ratings Obsession

  • Roger Ailes prioritized viewership above all else in cable news.
  • He believed ratings were essential for survival in the industry.
ANECDOTE

Spongebob Cake

  • Fox News celebrated surpassing Spongebob Squarepants in ratings.
  • They held a party with a Spongebob cake.
ANECDOTE

CableNewser

  • Brian Stelter started CableNewser to track cable news ratings while still in college.
  • Fox News PR fed him proprietary ratings data, boosting the site's popularity.
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