Fox News is winning the information war at the worst time

Rolling Stone

The No. 1 cable news channel doesn't deserve a pass after suddenly taking coronavirus seriously after downplaying it over the past few weeks, says Jamil Smith. "Misinformation can be fatal, and that’s why Americans need to be more vigilant and shrewd about the media that they consume, especially now," says Smith. "That is the lesson that we all should be conveying, particularly those of us in the press. We cannot rely upon the visceral danger this pandemic presents to encourage people to make smarter choices about citizenship, let alone what and who they allow to influence their thinking. And that starts with thinking critically about oneself, which too many Americans fail or refuse to do. Fox News and Fox Business are winning the information war at the worst time, all by embracing the worst in us. They’ll tell you that nothing is wrong when there clearly is —— and then imply that if you get sick, blame the Chinese. When you’re a Fox News viewer, it’s never your fault. But when the public heat rises, the Fox cable networks leap at the chance to appear civil. And too often, we waste time laughing at them or give them credit for trying. It isn’t difficult to look like you’re stepping up when you’re already at rock bottom."