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Trump Never Needed a Trump TV -- He's Got the Fox Business Network (Daily Beast)
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/03/13/trump-never-needed-a-trump-tv-he-s-got-the-fox-business-network.htmlOver the past two years, FBN—which employed this writer from 2009 to 2012—has experienced explosive ratings growth tracking with the ascent of the president to whom it has devoted hours and hours of unabashedly positive coverage. In 2015, it was the fastest-growing network on all of cable, raking in double- and triple-digit growth in almost all relevant ratings factors. And last year, it continued that impressive, record-shattering surge, this time claiming to have beaten CNBC in business-day ratings for an entire quarter—a trend that has continued into 2017.
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Indeed, a search of recent FBN segments—using TV Eyes and the TV News Archive—shows that the network doubles even Fox News in mentions of key right-wing phrases like “liberal media” and George Soros—the liberal billionaire conservatives commonly believe to be behind any and all opposition to the president. The business network also used the more pejorative phrase “left-wing media” to describe mainstream press 10 times more than its counterpart had in the same period.
FBN does feature a hefty dose of opposing views via its rotating roster of “Democratic consultants” and liberal in-house punching bags but, upon reviewing months of transcripts, its general editorial consensus is quite clear: President Trump? A sensible businessman who has quickly become a great uniter. “Never Trump” conservatives? Time to get in line. The media? Trying to undermine the president. Anti-Trump protests? Get a job. Michael Flynn’s scandalous resignation as national security adviser? The real story is the illegal, anti-Trump leaks that led to it.
-snip-
And then in FBN’s prime time comes the biggest Trumpkin of them all: Lou Dobbs.
As an early ticket-holder on the Trump train, the infamously xenophobic populist has carved something of a niche for himself: a full hour each weeknight of pure, uncut boot-licking that might possibly outdo Sean Hannity in its religious devotion to all things Trump. Dobbs’s eponymous 7 p.m. show spends so many hours promoting Trump that it should be considered unpaid advertising and surrogacy work for the inevitable 2020 campaign.
-snip-
-snip-
Indeed, a search of recent FBN segments—using TV Eyes and the TV News Archive—shows that the network doubles even Fox News in mentions of key right-wing phrases like “liberal media” and George Soros—the liberal billionaire conservatives commonly believe to be behind any and all opposition to the president. The business network also used the more pejorative phrase “left-wing media” to describe mainstream press 10 times more than its counterpart had in the same period.
FBN does feature a hefty dose of opposing views via its rotating roster of “Democratic consultants” and liberal in-house punching bags but, upon reviewing months of transcripts, its general editorial consensus is quite clear: President Trump? A sensible businessman who has quickly become a great uniter. “Never Trump” conservatives? Time to get in line. The media? Trying to undermine the president. Anti-Trump protests? Get a job. Michael Flynn’s scandalous resignation as national security adviser? The real story is the illegal, anti-Trump leaks that led to it.
-snip-
And then in FBN’s prime time comes the biggest Trumpkin of them all: Lou Dobbs.
As an early ticket-holder on the Trump train, the infamously xenophobic populist has carved something of a niche for himself: a full hour each weeknight of pure, uncut boot-licking that might possibly outdo Sean Hannity in its religious devotion to all things Trump. Dobbs’s eponymous 7 p.m. show spends so many hours promoting Trump that it should be considered unpaid advertising and surrogacy work for the inevitable 2020 campaign.
-snip-