The Media Empire You Didn't Know About
You taught us to check multiple sources. But what if those "multiple sources" are controlled by the same people?
One man, Rupert Murdoch, owns Fox News, Fox Business, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and your local Fox TV station. When you cross-check by watching Fox News, then reading the Wall Street Journal, you're getting the same story from the same person.
Sinclair Broadcasting owns or operates over 190 local TV stations in 100+ markets. That's 40% of American households getting identical talking points disguised as "local news." Your trusted local anchor is reading the same script as anchors in 189 other cities.
What They Said Behind the Scenes
During the Dominion lawsuit, we learned what Fox News anchors were saying privately while lying to you on air:
Tucker Carlson (private text): "Sidney Powell is lying by the way. I caught her. It's insane"
Tucker Carlson (on air same day): Promoted Sidney Powell's claims to millions of viewers
Laura Ingraham (private): "Sidney is a complete nut. No one will work with her"
Laura Ingraham (on air): Featured Sidney Powell as a credible source
Sean Hannity (private): "That whole narrative that Sidney was pushing, I did not believe it for one second"
Sean Hannity (on air): Repeatedly promoted the same narrative he privately called false
Tucker Carlson about Trump (private): "I hate him passionately"
Tucker Carlson (on air): Portrayed himself as Trump's biggest supporter
But they kept saying the opposite on air. Fox News paid $787 million to keep more emails from going public.
Mom, they lied to you. You trusted them. They cashed in on that trust.
Fox News Becomes State Media
Over 20 former Fox News personalities now work in the Trump administration. Pete Hegseth went from Fox & Friends Weekend to Secretary of Defense. The same people who told you what to think about the news during the day are now making the news at night.
Mom, this is state media. This is what you taught me to recognize in other countries, when the ruling party and media become one entity.
The $787 Million Settlement
Fox News didn't fight these revelations in court. They paid nearly $800 million to make the case go away before more internal communications could be revealed. This is the largest media settlement in U.S. history.
Why would they pay that much money if they were telling the truth?
The settlement included an admission that their statements about Dominion Voting Systems were false. But they never apologized to you, their viewers, for lying about the election.
What This Means for Our Family
This isn't about liberal vs. conservative news. This is about discovering that the people you trusted were knowingly lying to you while privately mocking both you and the politicians you supported.
You taught us to value honesty and integrity. You taught us to be skeptical of people who profit from division and fear. You taught us to check our sources.
The sources failed you. But the values you taught us didn't.