Since its launch in 1996, the Fox News Channel has taken over the #1 spot in American cable news networks. Their slogan is Fair & Balanced, but their reporting and especially their editorial content has a decidedly conservative bent. Created by media giant Rupert Murdoch and run by arch conservative CEO Roger Ailes, the network boasts a number of conservative anchors (Bill OReilly, Sean Hannity, Megyn Kelly), correspondents, regular guests and contributors. Their major demographic appears to be older Americans, who tend to be more conservative than younger ones, and understandably the channel is also very popular among members of the American military and evangelical organisations. It frequently targets the Obama administration and its policies in its editorial content and it is also roundly criticised by liberal and progressive news organisations for distorting the news to fit its conservative viewpoint.
1. American Exceptionalism
Its always been bandied about in political and intellectual circles, but its modern form has its roots in the American efforts to help win World War II. America provided most of the arms, soldiers and funding for the Allied efforts, and we were very proud of that. When the Soviet Union began to export Communism, the Americans responded with the Marshall Plan. In the mid-20th century, American brands were considered the best. In the 1960s, Americans went to the moon. We did things that no one else could do. But in the 1960s, the counter-culture revolution began to question the need to put the American stamp on everything. Today, the primary purveyors of American Exceptionalism are those who identify as conservative and/or religious. They tout that the American version of capitalism and/or Christianity is the road the rest of the world should follow and get quite peeved about it when it doesnt. Which particularly American things do you think the US will never give up? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
