Cable News Viewers Have a Skewed Attitude Toward Gaza War, Survey Finds

Americans who get their news primarily from cable are the only people who believe that Israel is not committing a genocide in Gaza, according to according to a new survey that examined the relationship between attitudes toward the war and news consumption habits.

The survey puts numbers on trends that have become increasingly apparent: Cable news viewers are more supportive of Israel’s war effort, less likely to think Israel is committing war crimes, and less interested in the war in general. People who get their news primarily from social media, YouTube, or podcasts, by contrast, generally side with the Palestinians, believe Israel is committing war crimes and genocide, and consider the issue of significant importance.

When it comes to the salience of the war on Gaza as an electoral concern, the trend continues. Just 12 percent of the overall public lists it as a top three issue, and just 3 percent say it’s their top issue. Of that 3 percent, nearly all of them get their news from social media or YouTube. One in 5 social media news consumers say Israel’s war is a top-three issue; the same is true for 18- to 29-year-olds.

Asked if Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza, cable news viewers said no by a 34-32 margin. All other news consumers said Israel is committing genocide, including print (36-33), YouTube (41-31), and social media users, who agree with the statement by a 44 to 19 percent margin. People aged 18 to 29, meanwhile, have similar views (48-21 percent), while those over 65 say by a 47 to 21 percent plurality that Israel isn’t committing genocide.

aubeynarf,

Younger viewers attend to social media, which amplifies outrage and doesn’t have the benefit of an editor or trained journalist staff doing fact checking; only fringe TV outlets run with the loaded/emotional slant that is seen in typical short-form social media content.

Additionally, social media is chock full of (and, in TikTok’s case, controlled by) propaganda actors - usually operating on behalf of regimes such as the CCP and Russian government, who field well-known efforts to tarnish the reputation of the US and its allies.

For example, here on Lemmy, posters like Linkerbaan submit sometimes 20 or more anti-US and anti-Israel articles a week from anywhere they can find them - often comprising their sole activity on the network. There is little balance there.

Another thing - cable TV news viewership is dominated by Fox News, with almost double the ratings of MSNBC and triple the ratings of CNN. Any analysis that lumps all cable viewers together will be describing mostly Fox News viewers.

Linkerbaan,
@Linkerbaan@lemmy.world avatar

Good thing we can trust the mainstream media such as New York Times to fact check and definitely not hire ex IDF soldiers to write propaganda stories.

Mastengwe,

They’re seemingly a far lot more trustworthy than the bullshit you post. I mean… is there anyone on lemmy that gets banned for misinformation more than you?

Ensign_Crab,

You consider anything that supports genocide to be trustworthy.

And isn’t your whole thing attacking the mods because they don’t immediately censor anything that disagrees with your singular devotion to the support of genocide? Why are mod actions suddenly trustworthy to you?

Mastengwe,

I consider anything that acknowledges nuance to be at least worthy of some trust. Unlike people like you, I don’t blindly buy into outrage just because the other kids in school do. Then again, I’ve been through this shit before so I get how it works.

Ensign_Crab,

deleted_by_moderator

    •
    Mastengwe,

    What a stupid fucking question.

    Ensign_Crab,

    deleted_by_moderator

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    Mastengwe,

    So, you’re suggesting that I support genocide?

    Ensign_Crab,

    deleted_by_moderator

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    Mastengwe,

    ROFL… kid, you don’t know me enough to tell me when I’m mad. What I do is call out blatant propaganda when I see it.

    As I’ve said… I’ve been through this before. We both know you didn’t know where Palestine even was less than a year ago. Get over yourself.

    Not everyone that disagrees with you supports genocide. We just know there’s something called “nuance” to everthing.

    But this has been explained to you already. Hasn’t it.

    Ensign_Crab,

    deleted_by_moderator

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    Mastengwe,

    As I’ve said. I know this has been explained to you before. I’ve seen it done. Many times. So I’m not going to waste my time repeating it here so that you can just continue on with your bullshit false accusations as if I never set you straight on it. It’s just not worth the effort. You’ll never admit you are wrong.

    It’s easier just to call you out for what you’re doing.

    Ensign_Crab,

    You’ll never admit you are wrong.

    Why would I lie?

    Mastengwe,

    It’s all you do.

    Ensign_Crab,

    Which lies have I told in this thread? I mean actual lies, not just disagreeing with you.

    Mastengwe,

    Nice try kiddo. We’re done here. Be sure to award yourself the “w” because I refuse to waste my time educating you as others have tried and failed in the past.

    Because that’s how internet rules of debate work- until you grow up.

    Ensign_Crab,

    So I haven’t lied at all and you know it, so you’ll call me a child.

    Mastengwe,

    Okay, I’m going to give you the opportunity to have the last word because frankly, you’re boring the shit out of me. You’re clearly a troll, and while knowing this from the start, I thought I’d entertain your nonsense for a bit and see what you’re about. Turns out…. You’re about nothing at all.

    So here’s the deal. You go ahead and give it your best shot. Try your little heart out to say something that demands a response, and we’ll see if it works.

    Aaaaaaand……

    Go!

    Ensign_Crab,

    You called me a liar, yet cannot back up that claim. I haven’t lied.

    None of your abuse or wild accusations have changed that.

    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    Leading with the disingenous question along the lines of “when did you stop beating your wife” is poor engagement.

    Removed the entire slap fight. Do better.

    baru,

    They continued 😂

    Stovetop,

    Makes me wonder how much is causation vs correlation. Other studies show a clear age divide on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with elderly people more likely to support Israel and younger people more likely to support Palestine.

    Each group happens to get their news through different media, with boomers more likely to watch cable TV and younger generations more familiar with getting news from the internet.

    I don’t think that necessarily speaks to the quality or accuracy of news across each medium, because you’ll still find bullshit all over the place. Despite the large volume of Israeli apologia/misinformation on the internet, young people are still sympathetic to Palestine because they know not to take claims at face value. And boomers in denial can be presented with factual, provable truths on TV yet still wave them off as liberal conspiracies.

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