AT&T, Subway, and GM Should Disavow “Unhinged” Fox News Chyron and Stop Funding Extremist Propaganda
Washington, D.C. – Today, MoveOn released a new video as part of its Stop Funding Fox campaign to spotlight consumer brands that are still inexplicably advertising on Fox News, despite the network’s track record of promoting lies and propaganda.
The latest “Bought and Paid For” video highlights a segment on Fox News from June 12 where Fox News broadcast a bottom-of-the-screen chyron that accused President Joe Biden of being a “wannabe dictator who arrested his political rival.” This segment ran the same day as Donald Trump was indicted in Florida on 37 federal charges related to his willful retention of secrets and other military classified documents in violation of federal law.
Several media outlets and observers took Fox to task for the reckless broadcasting of misinformation and propaganda. Despite the outcry, corporate advertisers like AT&T, Subway, and GM continue to support Fox News’ misinformation through financial support and advertising.
“Another week and another example of Fox News broadcasting propaganda and misinformation to mislead its viewers. Accusing President Biden of being a ‘wannabe dictator’ with its on-screen chyron is unhinged and a misuse of its platform,” said MoveOn Campaign Director Kelsey Herbert. “This type of casual Fox News misuse of the airwaves is bankrolled by corporate advertisers like AT&T, Subway, and General Motors that fund this type of disinformation and extreme rhetoric on a regular basis. We continue our call for those corporations to stop funding Fox and stop enabling its pollution of the public airwaves.”
Pressure is building on these companies to cut their ties to Fox News in the wake of the humiliating Dominion lawsuit exposing the network’s fraudulent coverage. Recent polling found that two-thirds of Americans believe Fox News divides Americans and puts a political agenda and profits ahead of getting the story right.
“Bought and Paid For” escalates the latest wave of Stop Funding Fox campaigning by MoveOn to discourage any current or prospective companies from advertising on—and therefore subsidizing—the right-wing propaganda outlet. In mid-May, MoveOn members staged a series of actions against Fox News and its advertisers. The group held actions and sponsored mobile billboards outside of Subway, AT&T, and GM’s respective headquarters, as well as an action in New York City to protest Fox’s upfront presentation the media company held to lure in advertisers. In concert with the actions, MoveOn also released a digital ad targeted to Subway, GM, and AT&T customers to shame the companies for funding and fueling Fox News’ dangerous lies.
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