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The Wall Street Journal believes that Trump’s performance last week was the icing on the cake.
– It is better for everyone, including himself, if he quietly withdraws.writes the main conservative newspaper writers.
The Murdoch-owned tabloid New York Post also believes Trump crossed the line with his call to supporters before the Senate was assaulted by protesters.
– This time he can’t defend himself. This he deservedwrites newspaper commentator Michael Goodwin.
Even the Fox TV channel and commentator Tucker Carlson, who have supported Trump harshly and weakly for the past four years, are now distancing themselves from the president and his “ruthless encouragement” ahead of Wednesday’s chaos in Congress.
– There comes a point where you have to ask yourself what our country will use energy for. “He’s just one president, he’s anyone, worth all this time and attention,” Carlson said during one of his monologues on Fox News.
risk
By striking a deal with Trump, the media that have pushed him forward risk repelling many of the president’s supporters, believes media professor Matt Jordan of Penn State University.
– Fox News is now doing an interesting dance. Murdoch is probably trying to stuff both in a bag and a sack., he says.
University of Maryland journalism professor Mark Feldstein agrees and believes that the media that have supported Trump are now trying to save their own reputations.
“They are probably afraid that Trump has finally gone too far and are trying to distance himself from him a little bit,” he says.
Frankenstein monster
– But let’s not forget that it was the same media that gave him the opportunity, they created a Frankenstein monster and they have to thank themselves.says Feldstein.
He doesn’t think the Murdoch-owned media changed their political views overnight, but there are entirely different reasons they are now trying to distance themselves from Trump.
– It is not about ideology, but about money, rating and earnings, he says.
Increased competition
Fox News is now facing increasing competition from several smaller and much more remote television channels, such as Newsmax and One America News Network.
Trump supporters were furious when Fox News declared Democrat Joe Biden the winner in Arizona after the November election, and anger did not subside when the channel refused to accept the president’s allegations of voter fraud for good fish.
Must change focus
To attract loyal Trump viewers and readers, Murdoch’s media must now shift focus, devote its energies to attacking Biden and the Democrats and fueling anger against them, says Northwestern University Professor Jon Marshall.
– They may be able to keep their audience using that method, he says.
Yet Feldstein believes the temptation to cling to Trump is great.
– The bite is going to be pretty boring. The television medium is good for emotions, conflicts and personalities. That’s why Trump was like nectar to them, he says.
