Does Fox News attract racist viewers, or is there something about Fox News that makes their viewers more racist? Or is there some other factor that isn't examined here driving both trends? Although it's impossible to say definitively, we can find clues in previous research.
First, studies find that Fox News viewers do seem to have views that are different from the general viewing population--tending to underestimate casualties in Iraq, for example. Other research suggests that some of the issues Fox viewers diverge on relate directly to racial issues. A study of the proposed NYC "Ground Zero" mosque suggests that those who relied heavily on Fox for their news were more likely to believe false rumors about the cultural center and mosque--for example, that the imam who supported it was a terrorist sympathizer.
A 2010 report found that those who watched Fox News "almost daily" were 31 percentage points more likely to believe that "it is not clear" that Obama was born in the United States. ANES also suggests that Fox News viewers (both Republican and Democrat) are significantly more likely to think Obama was not born in the United States than non-viewers.
In addition, one study has documented an independent Fox News effect: that Republican vote share increases when a town gains access to Fox News. If the channel can mobilize votes for the GOP, it seems reasonable that it might affect viewers' racial perceptions. Two other academic studies find that Fox News has the power to influence policy. A 2012study by political scientists Joshua Clifton and Ted Enamorado found that "representatives from districts where Fox News begins broadcasting become slightly more conservative" (and that the effect was strongest among Democrats). More recently, political scientists Kevin Arceneaux and his colleagues found that "Fox News caused both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to increase support for the Republican Party position on divisive votes," though this effect was limited by electoral pressures.
Other studies suggest that media coverage can affect viewers' attitudes about race:Research shows that local media coverage of crime that is heavily racialized increases anti-black attitudes among white viewers. The long history of race-baiting at Fox Newsraises suspicions that its coverage is indeed affecting its viewers' racial attitudes. More research needs to be done, but it appears that Fox News' connection to racial polarization may be a powerful one.
Sean McElwee is a research associate at Demos. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMcElwee
Jason McDaniel is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University. Follow him on twitter at @ValisJason
You can write to Fox News at yourcomments@foxnews.com (or on Twitter: @FoxNews). Please remember that respectful communication is the most effective.
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