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In a great feat of irony, Fox News managed to dominate the entire media landscape, ratings-wise, on Thursday, Jan. 6th, despite its lone decision to steer its coverage toward topics of actual importance to the American people at large.
“Thursday saw Fox’s 1.77 million total average day viewers significantly beat CNN’s 845,000 and MSNBC’s 1.18 million. During prime time, Fox’s average of 2.83 million total day viewers led CNN’s 1.14 million and MSNBC’s 1.92 million,” Mediaite has confirmed.
The irony is notable because left-wing activists and their numerous allies in the establishment press, particularly on CNN and MSNBC, had complained all throughout Thursday about Fox News’ decision to not center its reporting that day on the Jan. 6th riot — or “insurrection,” as the network’s critics falsely called it.
In fact, instead of regurgitating what appear to be Democrat Party talking points about the riot, several Fox News hosts reportedly bashed the talking heads at other networks for their obsession with it. This, too, displeased the network’s critics.
Here’s a small sample of that bashing:
Lead story on Fox’s morning show today, all three hours: Covid, Biden admin’s failures, “maskless” liberal lawmakers, Chicago schools. Lead story on all the other major morning shows: 1/6 anniversary.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 6, 2022
Only a few brief references of 1/6 on Fox’s A.M. show today. Generic mentions about Biden’s upcoming speech, plus this Brian Kilmeade POV: Biden “wants to talk only about January 6 and blame Donald Trump because he thinks that’s the only thing he’s going to get high ratings for.”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 6, 2022
What’s remarkable (yet also entirely predictable) is that on Fox and in the larger right-wing media ecosystem, Biden and the news media are getting more criticism during discussions pertaining to January 6 than … the former President who incited the attack on the US Capitol.
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 6, 2022
Really hard to overstate the fervor of anti-media rhetoric coming out of places like Fox today. While the press is covering the one-year anniversary of 1/6, right-wing media personalities are bashing journalists for doing so. That’s the crux of a large part of their coverage.
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 6, 2022
Accidentally tuned the tube to @FoxNews & wondered how much hate & delusion does it take to ignore this solemn Jan. 6 marking the worst incursion on our Capitol and democracy since the 1814 British burning of Washington DC. And @FoxNews and their viewers call themselves patriots?
— Len Elmore (@LenElmore) January 6, 2022
Update on coverage: CNN and MSNBC carrying event where members of Congress recall 1/6; Fox News on other stories/topics.
— Ted Johnson (@tedstew) January 6, 2022
Wanna know how we know @Foxnews and their fans are liars?
You watch the Jan 6th coverage and realize FOX isn’t covering it at all…but the entire WORLD is remembering and talking about Jan 6th.
You won’t choosing teams…this is about morals and character.
— Mark Bland (@markbland) January 6, 2022
Sadly, the people who need to hear this important speech by @potus are not watching.
Is @newsmax or @FoxNews airing this live?
Rhetorical question.
I know the answer.1/6 #InsurrectionDay
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) January 6, 2022
#foxnews is saying that the protests against injustice and brutality is worst than the #insurrection of Jan 6th.
What world do they live in?!?!? Where’s the news?
— Alexis Cardoza (@_AlexisCardoza) January 7, 2022
To hear them tell it, all that anybody in America — and the whole world, actually — cared about this Thursday was the one-day Jan. 6th riot that, as a reminder, had reportedly led to one direct death and $1.5 million in damages.
Fox News’ stunning ratings suggest otherwise.
Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” drew an estimated 3.5 million viewers at 8:00 pm that evening. Conversely, CNN’s “Live From the Capitol” drew in only 1.2 million. Even MSNBC’s “All In” attracted more viewers (1.5 million).
The difference in performance between Fox News’ “The Five” and CNN’s “The Lead” was even starker:

What does all this data say about the Jan. 6th riot and its relevance to the American people? Some might say that it shows that the obsession with the riot seen among the left is “an elite fixation,” as journalist Michael Trace put it.
“The alleged ‘trauma’ of Jan 6 was experienced largely by politicians and journalists, two of the most hated groups in the country. Hence Jan 6 = largely an elite fixation. Pearl Harbor precipitated the entire country mobilizing for World War. Such an abysmally stupid comparison,” he tweeted Thursday.
The alleged “trauma” of Jan 6 was experienced largely by politicians and journalists, two of the most hated groups in the country. Hence Jan 6 = largely an elite fixation. Pearl Harbor precipitated the entire country mobilizing for World War. Such an abysmally stupid comparison
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 7, 2022
The “trauma” he referenced was so painful for “survivors” of the few-hours-long riot that “emotional support” dogs were reportedly brought to the Capitol to comfort “victims” like, say, CNN’s Kasie Hunt.
Look:
Are these actual therapy dogs who have been hired to help journalists and political officials cope with this week? https://t.co/nTqjD9ADEH
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 6, 2022
Tomorrow is going to be a tough one for those of us who were there or had loved ones in the building. Thinking of all of you and finding strength knowing I’m not alone in this.
Thank God for the USCP, DC MPD, and every person who fought to keep us safe that day #January6th
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) January 5, 2022
As a reminder, the riot lasted one day — unlike the months-long and far deadlier and costlier Black Lives Matter riots that were downplayed, whitewashed, and at times even defended by the entire establishment press.
As in the establishment press that continues to be outperformed by Fox News …
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