Like Father, Like Son: Murdoch And COVID-19

Trump TV was a disinformation leader in the weeks leading up to the eventual declaration of a national emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prime time propagandists Sean "Heil" Hannity, shrieker Laura Ingraham, and many more pushed the lie that the coverage of the growing pandemic was an attempt by Dems and the media to bring down demagogue and liar Donald "Dear Leader" Trump, calling it a "hoax" and a second "impeachment scam."

The increasingly grave situation was apparently ignored by the head of the Fux Corporation, Lachlan Murdoch, the son of depraved right-wing mogul Rupert Murdoch, who was focused on further lining his and his family's pockets:

"The chief executive of Fox News, Suzanne Scott, reacted swiftly to the threat of the coronavirus in late February: She ordered the bright, open new offices disinfected, installed hand sanitizer stations around the office and boldly canceled the company’s major ad sales event.

But her influence doesn’t extend to the most important part of Fox News: its programming in prime time.

There, for two crucial weeks in late February and early March, powerful Fox hosts talked about the 'real' story of the coronavirus: It was a Democratic- and media-led plot against President Donald J. Trump. Hosts and guests, speaking to Fox’s predominately elderly audience, repeatedly played down the threat of what would soon become a deadly pandemic.

The person who could have stopped the flow of misinformation was Ms. Scott’s boss, Lachlan Murdoch, the chief executive of the Fox Corporation. But he wasn’t paying much attention. The 48-year-old heir to his family’s media fortune was focused instead on buying a streaming company called Tubi for $440 million, a person who has spoken to him said. The acquisition would drive 'long-term growth,' he proudly announced in a news release on March 17.

That same day, the number of coronavirus cases in the United States surpassed 5,600." (our emphasis)

Note that prime time Fux programming propaganda was deliberately playing down the threat of the COVID-19 virus for weeks to their most vulnerable, elderly audience, all in service to Trump's temporary political and financial benefit. The head of Fux could have stopped it, but surprise! he didn't.

When Trumpism falls, as it eventually will, if there's any justice left in the world, the Murdochs and the right-wing hacks they employ will fall with it.

(photo: The nut didn't fall far from the tree. Peter Nichols / Reuters)