Cartoon 763a: To the Right

Rupert Murdock has built a large multinational media empire. He typically stakes out a contrarian position or approach. Then his media goes after market share. No one is as surprised as Murdock that his “tabloid” approach with Fox News worked so well and has gained mainstream acceptance. He originally was just trying to distinguish FOX as different from other traditional American nightly news by bringing the “tabloid” approach to television. He figured there was a market based on his print media. He found what worked to generate market share were things on the ‘right’. He never envisioned “tabloid” in the guise of real news to be taken so seriously as today.

Now Murdock has a problem. His monopoly position on the “Right” with Fox News television is being eroded by other Right media offerings and diverse platforms.

The far “Right” rush ushered by Trump has degenerated into “preaching to the choir”. It is not creating new converts or a larger audience and more dollars. His network is having difficulty sinking as low as the competition. Some of its most successful hosts are also appearing more and more ludicrous.

On the horizon is the pending acquisition of Tribune Media by Sinclair. Sinclair media will own the most television stations in America. He fully intends to unseat Fox News as number one with people on the ‘right’.

Murdock is taking his time with Fox News. He is waiting for the proper time to switch to a “Left” position. He will again achieve a monopoly position before others and capture the dollars