The Fox Effect 🦊

April 28, 2023 - Tucker Carlson's out at Fox. But don't get too excited.

Apr 28, 2023

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The Fox Effect

Tucker Carlson is out at Fox News. That is plenty reason to be delighted. It is no reason to breathe a sigh of relief.

Carlson’s dismissal seems to have more to do with damning text messages, largely about women — and not the $787.5 million payout the Fox media company agreed to payout to Dominion Voting Systems (the largest in a defamation suit) for falsely claiming that the company was part of a “massive and coordinated effort to steal” the 2020 election.

There are only reports about messages; that they were, as this NYT piece points out, “highly offensive and crude… that went beyond the inflammatory, often racist comments of his (Carlson’s) prime-time show.” Certainly, these messages, which have the potential to bring Fox back to the courtroom or else settlement table, rather than the falsehoods Carlson and others at Fox peddled, were bad enough for the Murdochs to send their star host packing.

That’s troubling.

(Following #MeToo and the numerous revelations at Fox, the company paid out $13 million and took a hit when advertisers bolted.)

Fox News has been the dominant cable news channel for the past two decades. It’s guarded that status less through actual news and reporting and more through entertainment. That’s what Tucker Carlson was. His show had over two million tune-in nightly, not for insight, but for sensation. Cue conspiracy theories, lies, and bigotry.

It’s highly unlikely that Fox will suddenly upend this lucrative model, moving away from theatrics towards the truth. It’s a matter of what theatrics the company will tolerate before it damages the bottom line. That’s bad. What’s worse goes beyond Fox and right to the heart of progress.

Many have written about the polarizing impact Fox and its right-wing narrative have had on American politics. In our hyper-connected world, the “Fox effect” is not limited to our borders. Strongmen around the world have embraced Fox’s tactics, to augment and hold on to power. Russia, China, Turkey, Hungary, Philippines, and El Salvador are evidence.

Wednesday, May 3 marks “Press Freedom Day.” Not surprisingly, according to the Press Freedom Index, press freedoms are on the decline, mostly in the countries named above. Censorship and laws restricting expression are at an all-time high. So too are hacking and spying on journalists. Digital technology has made all those things easier. Yet, it is wrong and frankly lazy to lay the blame on the digital door.

Media is a tool. It can probe, reveal, and hold power to account. It can also, as Fox has shown, manipulate and control the powerful, if not become power itself. (Carlson was the GOP puppet master.) That has been damaging in the United States, where political polarization has paralyzed governance and erased decency. It is consequential in those places where the courts and rule of law are weak.

Tucker Carlson may be out at Fox, but you can be sure that the network will find another demagogue to replace him. What’s harder is removing the likes of Putin, Erdoğan, Orbán, and Xi, who act as both heads of state and talking heads.

— Elmira

On our radar...

South Korea’s visit to the White House

It’s worth noting that while the Biden White House welcomed South Korea’s visit on a state visit, President Yoon came to power dismissing women and has threatened to close down the gender ministry. If the US had a feminist foreign policy, that would have been a major talking point. It’s a shame that it wasn’t.

South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is on a state visit to the US. Among the things he and Biden discussed were nuclear weapons. Rachel Whitlark and Jessica and Taylor join others to look at US-South Korea relations. (Atlantic Council)
President Yoon suggests that South Korea might need its own nuclear deterrent as North Korea's nuclear capabilities progress. Jennifer Lind and Daryl Press discuss the logic and implications of the statement. (Foreign Affairs)

As an aside: Mr. Yoon Goes to Washington belts out an impressive American Pie.

Sudan

We’re still watching what’s unfolding in Sudan….

Listen to Sudanese citizens! Michelle Gavin weighs in on the crisis in Sudan and how the West can support a civilian-led government in the country. (CFR)
Many countries have been evacuating citizens out of Sudan — except Great Britain, says Leila Latif. (The Guardian)
The ongoing political and economic crises in Sudan are the result of decades of authoritarian rule and economic mismanagement. Azza Ahmed Abdel Aziz says the Sudanese government's failure to address these issues has led to protests, civil unrest, and violence, including the recent coup that overthrew the transitional government. (Middle East Eye)

US

The implications of recent Supreme Court decisions undermine civil rights protections in the US. Tara Sonenshine calls for a renewed commitment to protecting civil rights and strengthening democratic institutions. (The Hill)

A coalition of human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, has launched a Community Safety Agenda in the US. Olivia Ensign has the details. (HRW)

Buh-bye Tucker. Nitish Pahwa fills us in on what happened to the former Fox News host. (Slate)

Africa

In Kenya, over 90 people died after a cult leader ordered them to starve to death. Evelyne Musambi on this disturbing event. (AP)

In Uganda, as parliament is set to pass a draconian law that would punish “serial offenders” of homosexuality with the death penalty, a new report shows that the US, UK, and EU funded anti-LGBTQ organizations, writes Jessica Abrahams. SMH. (Devex)

Botswana has long had a deal with diamond giant De Beers, which has been a major source of revenue for the country. But now, as Marisa Lourenço notes, the country is reexamining its position. She explains why. (African Arguments)

Asia

What role does India play in the Indo-Pacific? Aditi Malhotra says New Delhi wants to do more than act as a balancer in the region. (Inkstick Media)

India is seeing a rise in militant Hindu nationalist women leaders. Sanya Dhingra historicizes and analyzes the deeply complex roots of this trend. (New Lines Magazine)

Remember the protests that gripped Sri Lanka last year and forced Gotabya Rajapaksa from the presidential palace? Sri Lankans do and are still waiting to see serious change, writes Devana Senanayake. (The Diplomat)

China has decided now is its time to shine. Ana Palacio on how the US needs to step it up to restore its influence, especially in the Middle East, as China takes center stage in the global spotlight. (Project Syndicate)

Afghanistan has gone back and forth between being completely isolated from the world to one of the most connected countries in the world the last few decades. Should other states engage with the Taliban to try and solve Afghanistan’s current isolation? Farkhondeh Akbari, Niamatullah Ibrahimi, and William Maley think perhaps not. (Just Security)

The Americas

Chilean voters are not so sure about President Gabriel Boric these days. With a surge in violent crime in the country, Patricia Garip says Boric is being put to the test. (WPR)

Brazilian President Lula Inacio Lula da Silva walked back previous comments he made suggesting Ukraine was also responsible for the Russian invasion of its country. Belén Carreño explains the reaction to Lula's comments and his attempts to smooth it over. (Reuters)

The Venezuelan opposition party is calling on President Biden to ease sanctions on the current government, a major shift from where the opposition has stood for the last four years. Vanessa Neumann, Luis Gilberto Murillo, and Mark Wells explain why. (The Dialogue)

Europe

LGBTQ Ukrainian soldiers are fighting for their country and for their rights. Amanda Coakley says the visibility of LGBTQ soldiers may be a turning point in the fight for equal rights. (Coda Story)

The EU is looking to pass the EU AI Act. Lucie Audibert warns of the potential dangers of AI technologies if not properly regulated. (Al Jazeera)

Are EU-Central Asia relations evolving? Anna Matveeva explains. (Carnegie Europe)

Middle East

Israel turns 75 soon. Hadas Gold says that the country stands at a precarious crossroad. (CNN)

How should the West prepare for the May 14 Turkish elections? Aslı Aydıntaşbaş and Jeremy Shapiro offer some guidance. (ECFR)

Is Turkey’s President Erdoğan losing his grip on power? Gönül Tol fills us in on the current state of the upcoming elections, including a new, surprising video released by the opposition candidate, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. (Middle East Institute)

Women have a lot at stake in Turkey’s upcoming election. Zamira Sydykova looks at the gains and losses Turkish women have endured under the current regime — and what’s to come. (USA Today)

Prospects for peace in Yemen have improved, but not just because Saudi Arabia and Iran have reestablished diplomatic relations. According to Shireen Al-Adeimi, the US shift away from its unconditional support for Saudi Arabia's military campaign in Yemen has helped create space for regional actors to pursue peace negotiations. (Responsible Statecraft)

The 2003 US invasion of Iraq has had a significant impact on US foreign relations, but how has it impacted other aspects of Iraqi life? Renee Ragin Randall says that when it comes to literature and art, the war is just a piece of the country’s complex history. (The Conversation)

Climate Change

The 2023 Goldman Environmental Prize has announced its awards this week. Sara Schonhardt with more from three winners who discuss their efforts to protect the environment. (Scientific American)

India’s on a quest to build the world’s largest solar farms. 😳 Meera Subramanian dives deep into what this plan entails. (New Yorker)

Technology

Technology is transforming the deadly voyage from Cuba to Florida. Lidia Henández-Tapia speaks with Cuba’s seaborne migrants who relied on digital technology to make their way. (Rest of World)

The world is buzzing with hype about new AI technology, including ChatGPT and Midjourney. But this new tech could easily turn dangerous, say Cathy Li and Klaus Schwab. (South China Morning Post)

Links We Loved....

World Book Day was this past Sunday. The IRC put together this list of books about refugees – check it out! 📚
Check out this list of 40 recipes to make in the spring. Yum.
It’s lesbian visibility week in the US, UK, and a few other nations! 🏳️‍🌈Read up with the resources that can be found here.
We can’t WAIT to see Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret. And we loved this essay that brings to life what the book meant to Gen X.

Job Opportunities

Duolingo is hiring for a Director of Product, here in NYC.
The McCain Institute has two opportunities, one for a job as a Program Coordinator for Combating Human Trafficking, and they’re taking applications for the Junior Fellowship.
If you’re an Arabic speaker and interested in the Middle East, The Century Foundation has a position for a Policy Associate.
Rolling Stone is hiring for a full-time Social Media Manager - and you can get pet insurance. In NYC.
Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Fellowship is taking applications through May 6.

Editorial Team

Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Editors:

Rasmiia Abasova

Samantha Felman

Anouk Jouffret

Pin-Shan Lai

Catherine Lovizio

Emily Smith