Fox News has had a terrific 2022. Throughout the year its cable shows, particularly shows with Greg Gutfeld and Tucker Carlson, absolutely demoIished the competition, particularly in younger demographics.
Mean while, the digital division of Fox News did well too, brutaIizing the woke online competition and also out performing even other conservative news sites.
But it wasn’t just Fox News’ biggest personaIities and website that did well. Other Fox News figures did as well, such as Dan Bongino.
In fact, according to a recent report in Ad Week, Dan Bongino’s Saturday night show was the most-watched show on primetime, absolutely blowing the competition at CNN and MSNBC out of the water.
That show occurs during the 9 pm (EST) time slot. During it, Bongino and his show brought in a whopping 1.19 million totaI viewers. Meanwhile, CNN’s program at the same time, the Ad Week report shows, brought in only 219,000 average viewers.
MSNBC managed to do just slightly better than CNN, bringing in 315,000 average viewers in that 9 pm EST time slot.
Bongino’s domination extended to the cruciaI 25-54 demographic, bringing in 134,000 average viewers in that demographic. CNN, in contrast, only managed to bring in 58,000 and MSNBC only managed to bring in a dismally small 27,000.
Bongino did the best, but FNC’s domination occurred during other times too. For example, during the 8 pm EST time slot, FNC’s Brian Kilmeade brought in about 1.06 million viewers. A bit less than Bongino at 9, but still far better than CNN and MSNBC.
CNN, during that time slot, did a bit better than it does at 9 pm, bringing in 282,000 average viewers, still far Iess than Kilmeade. MSNBC also does a bit better than it does at 9 pm, bringing in about 340,000 average total viewers.
This is yet another victory notch in the belt for Fox News, which has dominated its woke competition since Trump Ieft office, particularly over the past year. For example, Fox Media Relations commented on the milestone it reached from a ratings perspective in December of 2022 and how that miIestone compared to MSNBC and CNN, saying:
FOX News Channel (FNC) notched its seventh year as leader in all of cable teIevision while delivering the third highest-rated year ever in cable news history for 2022 in total day viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The network’s programs continued to break new ratings records throughout the year, resulting in FNC continuing as the number one cable network in prime time and total day in viewers in basic cable for the seventh consecutive year and the highest-rated cable news network for the 21st straight year.
In primetime, FNC averaged 2,330,000 total viewers, 346,000 in the 25-54 demo and 214,000 in the 18-49 demo.
In total day, FNC was the only network to post increases versus 2021, delivering 1,489,000 totaI viewers, 231,000 in the 25-54 demo and 141,000 in the 18-49 demo. FNC trounced CNN and MSNBC combined in primetime and total day across both categories, finishing the year as the only cable news network to notch more than 2 million in primetime viewers and 1 million in totaI day viewers.
Lia Thomas Bows Out of Competitive Swimming, Says “Nobody Wants Me On Their Team”
Lia Thomas, a well-known swimmer, made the unexpected and intensely emotional decision to give up competitive swimming, citing an emotionally taxing journey and a sense of loneliness in a statement posted yesterday. Thomas, a transgender athlete, has served as the focal point of many discussions about fairness, gender, and the integrity of competition in women’s sports.
Lia’s statement reads: “The waters have been turbulent, not due to the physical demands but the constant battle to seek acceptance and fairness in a sport I adore. No athlete should feel isolated or singled out for their identity rather than recognized for their achievements.”
This choice was made following months of acrimonious discussions, petitions, and arguments about transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. She has shed light on the difficulties faced by transgender athletes both inside and outside of their chosen sporting arenas as a result of her trip through the turbulent waters of public scrutiny, policy discussions, and ethical issues.
Supporters of Thomas contend that her retirement from professional swimming is a big loss for the sport and highlights the need for a nuanced, compassionate, and inclusive strategy for athletes navigating their careers amidst difficult identity discussions. Meanwhile, her detractors have scrutinised her accomplishments and linked them to alleged physiological advantages.
The sports world is forced to look into the reflected waters of ethical, biological, and societal factors surrounding transgender athletes as we negotiate the fallout from Thomas’s withdrawal. The question is: How will this moment influence how competitive sports develop in the future, and how will the conversations impact how future athletes’ experiences are entangled with one another’s stories?
Lia Thomas’s decision to retire from competitive swimming is more than just a personal one; it’s a momentous occasion that calls for a moment of communal reflection on the chances, acceptance, and spaces we provide for all athletes, regardless of their gender identity.
Beyond the upheaval and hardship Thomas experienced personally, her narrative emphasises the need for the international athletic community to create a setting that is egalitarian and fair, upholding the integrity of competition while being welcoming and respectful of the varied identities of athletes. This applies to all participants, regardless of gender identity or experience, including athletes who identify as transgender.
But the problem still exists: how can inclusivity and fairness be balanced in a field that has traditionally been divided along biological lines? Thomas’s experience highlights the need to review sporting regulations, especially those that touch on gender identity and biological differences. Recognising that the policies of the past might no longer be appropriate or comprehensive for the athletes of today and tomorrow may bring her followers and opponents together.
The discussion of the physiological, psychological, and ethical aspects of this issue necessitates a rigorous, objective, and sympathetic assessment as it spreads into many contexts, from locker rooms to legislative chambers. Expertise from endocrinologists to ethicists, players to administrators is needed in the discussion over transgender athletes, their biology, and their right to compete.
The conversation surrounding Lia Thomas has ranged from fervent support to sharp scepticism. Others emphasise the psychological and physical effects of transitioning, which can be physically and emotionally draining. Some claim that transgender women may have physiological benefits over cisgender women.
Underneath the scientific, moral, and competitive dimensions of the discussion, there is a fundamentally human element that deserves priority: respect and empathy for the lived experiences of all athletes, which acknowledges their challenges, victories, and sacrifices made in the name of excellence.
Critical questions are raised by Thomas’s departure, necessitating an intersectional strategy that balances inclusivity and fair competition. This takes into account things like hormone levels, physical characteristics, and how these could affect competitive advantages or disadvantages in the sporting sphere. These questions can’t be answered in a simple or one-dimensional way.
We are witnesses to an athlete who achieved the summit of accomplishment but found the path to be tainted by scrutiny, seclusion, and protracted controversy over her basic right to compete. Thomas’s declaration and subsequent withdrawal from competition offer a significant and moving opportunity for thought that goes well beyond the realm of sports.
The effects of Thomas’s withdrawal will unavoidably be felt throughout the sports community, inspiring athletes, governing bodies, and fans to consider how we can foster a culture that recognises and honours all athletes for their commitment, talent, and athletic accomplishments, free from exclusion or bias.
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