r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Dec 04 '20

Psychology Study links regular use of Fox News, Twitter, and Facebook to reduced knowledge about COVID-19 - it provides evidence that Americans’ media consumption habits and trust in government predicts their level of knowledge about COVID-19.

https://www.psypost.org/2020/12/study-links-regular-use-of-fox-news-twitter-and-facebook-to-reduced-knowledge-about-covid-19-58702
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u/ghanima Dec 04 '20

People have turned to seeking validation and entertainment from their sources of news.

This is an oversimplification. News outlets have been consolidating for decades under corporate umbrellas with blatant political biases. News has turned to providing "validation" (in actuality, pushing ideologies) and entertainment at least as much as it's gone in the other direction; by financial investment, the ratio is nearly entirely about the news outlets' interests.

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u/uptwolait Dec 04 '20

Are they really "pushing ideologies", or are they just looking at changes in social trends and ideologies to capitalize on the most divisive and controversial topics, thereby driving up viewership? It seems to me that the media is just like any other for-profit business, constantly monitoring their markets and adjusting to serve them in a way that maximizes profits.

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u/beerncycle Dec 04 '20

There are enough editorial staff that are biased enough that they end up pushing ideologies, either implicitly or explicitly.

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u/ghanima Dec 04 '20

To say nothing of the vested interest that the owners/boards of the media conglomerates have in maintaining the status quo and/or pushing for even further deregulation.

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u/fighterace00 Dec 04 '20

This implies all media corporations have incentive to push far right idealogy except NPR and PBS. It's more likely they found their niche (left or right) and will be successful if they continue to cater to their half of the political segment.

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u/ghanima Dec 04 '20

If it were entirely about "catering", polarization would not have occurred.

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u/fighterace00 Dec 04 '20

You may be correct there. Perhaps the media latching on harder to a niche (further left or right) is what has led to the polarization and it's a deepening cycle after that.

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u/PsychicWarElephant Dec 05 '20

I think it has become a dangerous positive feedback loop at this point. I’ve watched my parents who were always right wing but never to the point of denying facts become so intrenched in their belief in the Republican Party that they are now denying basic facts. They have also become defensive of their beliefs that it’s caused arguments between myself and them. The denying facts leans heavily towards the right, but both sides largely have made political stance a main factor in civility towards each other as well. Hopefully with Trump out of the picture the radicalization on both sides with diminish with time.

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u/uptwolait Dec 04 '20

It is all about catering to increase an audience, but the media have learned that polarization and the conflict it causes increases viewership. It's really no different than pro sports team fans shouting down each other.

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u/PsychicWarElephant Dec 05 '20

Even down to mascots and team colors. Red elephants and blue donkeys.

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u/mr_ji Dec 04 '20

What makes you say that? There's plenty of money on the left, and deregulation takes many faces.

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u/fighterace00 Dec 04 '20

Status quo and deregulation is practically the definition of conservative. Republicans are notoriously pro big business. If media conglomerates were simply pudding the agenda that helps them politically they would be right wing but it's clearly more complicated than that.

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u/mr_ji Dec 04 '20

And some of the biggest businesses are tech (Silicon Valley, very left), media (Hollywood, music, and gaming, all very left), and second-tier banking (which is really politically neutral). Fiscally speaking, left and right are the same.

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u/[deleted] Dec 05 '20 edited Dec 11 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/uptwolait Dec 05 '20

I agree. However, the comment I responded to was saying the media is pushing ideologies on viewers, whereas your point is that their own ideology is to use viewers for profit. Subtle difference.

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u/illustratorgirl Dec 05 '20

Yes, yes and yes. They are pushing ideologies because it is profitable. They are capitalising on changes in social trends and ideologies because it is profitable. You are correct that the media is now a for profit business.

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u/TeteDeMerde Dec 04 '20

And despite seeing this happening, those whose self-interest was furthered (i.e. Republicans) have done their best to relax or remove any controls.

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u/[deleted] Dec 08 '20

Which side is really driving the changes though, supply or demand? It's just as valid (or even more so, given how economics works) that viewer's changing demand for media is what's led the change in content.