Jonathan Bernstein, Columnist

Democrats Shouldn’t Envy Fox News’ Influence

Republicans rely on conservative media to champion their positions, but that can lead to a dangerous echo chamber.

August 2, 2022 at 11:30 AM UTC

Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics. A former professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio, he wrote A Plain Blog About Politics.

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Democrats sometimes refer to Fox News and other conservative media with envy, presuming that the influence of right-leaning news outlets gives the GOP a large advantage in electoral politics. Even if Democrats have an easier time making their case in “neutral” media — something both Republican voters and party actors strongly believe but for which proof is hard to find — wouldn’t it be nice to be able to reach supporters easily, with hardly any filter?

Democrats should be careful what they wish for.