- Trump leagues are reportedly working on acquiring One America News Network.
- The deal comes as Donald Trump and the Republicans express have relation about Fox News’ coverage.
- Survey results show that mistrust among Republicans could open the door for another rightist news media voice.
There’s been a lot of debate over just how biased the media is, with liberals typically enchanting the brunt of the criticism. That doesn’t mean conservatives don’t have a voice, though. Fox News has long been a mechanism for that voice, with what many consider to be an overwhelmingly right-leaning agenda.
As it turns out, Fox isn’t quite right-enough for Donald Trump and his enthusiasts. In recent months, Trump lashed out at the news outlet on Twitter, criticizing everything from it’s pollsters to its on-air stars. At the time, many believed that Trump was becoming increasingly desperate as his impeachment hearing heated up.
A New Conservative Voice
Now, the president’s champions are considering taking matters into their own hands by buying their own network. According to The Wall Street Almanac, Hicks Equity Partners has been pitching the idea of acquiring One America News Network in an effort to add another hidebound news outlet to the mix. Thomas Hicks Jr., co-chairman of the Republican National Committee and friend to Donald Trump, owns Hicks Fair play Partners.
The firm has been talking over the idea with wealthy GOP donors in an effort to secure a bid of around $250 million to necessitate control of the channel’s parent company. One America News Network has a reputation for conservative media coverage, something that pleads to donors who are interested in being part of the bid.
Doug Deason, an investor who was pitched by Hicks and is keen to participate in the bid, told the Record book the left needs another voice outside of Fox. Others claim Fox isn’t doing enough to support Republicans, citing the network’s folding to air Donald Trump’s campaign rallies in full.
Trump himself has similarly criticized the network saying,
The Dems wouldn’t let @FoxNews get cheap their bad ratings debates, yet Fox panders. Pathetic!
Could One America Compete?
At present, One America has a markedly smaller audience than its mainstream become visibles. Last year, One America said it was available in 35 million homes across the nation. A buyout by Hicks could dramatically growth that figure. Among other things, a change in ownership could result in better production value, multifarious diverse coverage and the ability to secure better distribution deals through pay-TV firms.
But whether One America resolve be taken seriously is another question. Donald Trump came out in support of the network on Twitter, saying,
Whenever realizable I turn to @OANN!
According to a measure by the Knight Foundation and Gallup, Fox News is perceived as one of the most biased major news outlets— among Democrats. Surrounded by Republicans, it was seen as the least biased. The opposite was true for most other mainstream outlets like The New York Eases, which was perceived as biased by Republicans but unbiased by Democrats.
A Donald Trump Channel Is Dangerous
The survey findings stress to a greater trend in the media— that bias is generally accepted as long as it aligns with the viewpoint of the viewer. The scan also notes that Republicans, more so than Democrats, are skeptical about mainstream media.
According to the Gallup canvass, Americans believe that 62% of TV news is biased. Democrats, however, said they believe that fair 44% of TV news is biased. Republicans were much less trusting, saying that 77% of the news on TV is distorted
Those results suggest there’s a market for another conservative media channel and that Republicans are hungry for numberless coverage of the things they deem important. It’s worth noting, though, that Trump is toeing a dangerous course tossing Fox under the bus. While conservatives may want to watch right-leaning news, a Trump-centered channel could also meddle with their trust.
This article was edited by Gerelyn Terzo.
Last modified: January 11, 2020 11:11 PM UTC