In 'Hoax', Brian Stelter unveils the gripping tale of how misinformation has transformed media landscapes and influenced public perception. Through riveting stories and behind-the-scenes insights, he explores the intersection of politics, media, and technology. Stelter chronicles the rise of a particular narrative that reshaped reality and the role of key players in perpetuating it. With meticulous research, he reveals both the dangers and the responsibilities of modern journalism. This thought-provoking examination invites readers to reconsider their relationship with truth in an era of relentless skepticism.
By Brian Stelter
Published: 2020
"In the age of misinformation, the truth is not just a commodity; it is a battleground."
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An NPR Best Book of the Year “A thorough and damning exploration of the incestuous relationship between Trump and his favorite channel.” —The New York Times “A Rosetta Stone for stuff about this presidency that doesn’t otherwise make sense to normal humans.” —Rachel Maddow, MSNBC “Stelter’s critique goes beyond salacious tidbits about extramarital affairs (though there are plenty of those) to expose a collusion that threatens the pillars of our democracy.” —The Washington Post The urgent and untold story of the collusion between Fox News and Donald Trump from the New York Times bestselling author of Top of the Morning. While other leaders were marshaling resources to combat the greatest pandemic in modern history, President Donald Trump was watching TV. Trump watches over six hours of Fox News a day, a habit his staff refers to as “executive time.” In January 2020, when Fox News began to downplay COVID-19, the President was quick to agree. In March, as the deadly virus spiraled out of control, Sean Hannity mocked “coronavirus hysteria” as a “new hoax” from the left. Millions of Americans took Hannity and Trump's words as truth—until some of them started to get sick. In Hoax, CNN anchor and chief media correspondent Brian Stelter tells the twisted story of the relationship between Donald Trump and Fox News. From the moment Trump glided down the golden escalator to announce his candidacy in the 2016 presidential election to his acquittal on two articles of impeachment in early 2020, Fox hosts spread his lies and smeared his enemies. Over the course of two years, Stelter spoke with over 250 current and former Fox insiders in an effort to understand the inner workings of Rupert Murdoch's multibillion-dollar media empire. Some of the confessions are alarming. “We don't really believe all this stuff,” a producer says. “We just tell other people to believe it.” At the center of the story lies Sean Hannity, a college dropout who, following the death of Fox News mastermind Roger Ailes, reigns supreme at the network that pays him $30 million a year. Stelter describes the raging tensions inside Fox between the Trump loyalists and the few remaining journalists. He reveals why former chief news anchor Shep Smith resigned in disgust in 2019; why a former anchor said “if I stay here I’ll get cancer;” and how Trump has exploited the leadership vacuum at the top to effectively seize control of the network. Including never before reported details, Hoax exposes the media personalities who, though morally bankrupt, profit outrageously by promoting the President’s propaganda and radicalizing the American right. It is a book for anyone who reads the news and wonders: How did this happen?
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“In the age of misinformation, the truth is not just a commodity; it is a battleground.”
Hoax
By Brian Stelter
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Brian Stelter is a respected journalist and author, known for his insightful analysis of media and politics. As a former chief media correspondent for CNN, Stelter has a keen understanding of the evolving landscape of news and journalism. His notable works include "Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV" and "Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth." Stelter's writing style is characterized by its clarity, thorough research, and a critical perspective on media influence and accountability.
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