Punditry vs. News: How Fox News Programming Shapes Americans’ Truth
The Role of Gatekeeping on Fox News Network
Sweigart, Katharine Dagnes, Alison
In an age when discovering the truth remains at the core of the news-gathering process, it is important to understand how coverage of current events differs among news outlets and how these variations in coverage shape and even obscure truth for U.S. viewers. Fox News has been criticized for its conservative slant on current events. However, the network still provides viewers with news programs--originally created to provide unbiased, straightforward news reporting. In comparison, its opinion programs were created to provide a specific perspective on the same current events. Thus, Fox News is home to two different forms of programming, each serving a distinct purpose. Public media sources, like PBS NewsHour, emphasize the importance of universal access to information and balanced news coverage that does not exhibit an overt bias. With data and observational reports, my research illustrates how Fox News and PBS NewsHour present and shape viewers’ understanding of American politics.
This paper was presented during Honors Capstone Symposium, Part 1.