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MSNBC is a Cult
As one of the 99.9% of Americans who never or rarely ever watch MSNBC, my viewing habits were unaffected by the reports of the hissy fits triggered by the hiring and then firing of a failed RNC chairwoman. The pull of bias at MSNBC has so completely collapsed into itself like a cognitive black hole that there is not even room for a token punching bag RINO on staff.
I used to tune in occasionally. I was interviewed by Chris Matthews regarding a topical issue way back when the network was brand new, back when he was still using a blue-collar, regular-guy Democrat persona based on his former staff work for Tip O’Neill. That version of Chris Matthews disappeared into the bias black hole long ago.
At his peak, Rush Limbaugh’s audience was 20-40 times larger than any show on MSNBC. Limbaugh and Fox News provided content and a viewpoint that was not available in the media echo chambers online, in print, or on the air. The appeal was because it offered a substantive challenge to the prevailing intellectually lazy, leftish orthodoxy.
In stark contrast, MSNBC is itself a circling of the wagons against any challenge to that orthodoxy, presenting highly distilled versions of The Narrative often using some deeply pathetic presenters and “experts”. Limbaugh’s audience was forced to listen to the other side from many outlets all day and welcomed support for the resistance he led, glad that a debate was undertaken and appreciative of the sheer novelty of common-sense pushback. MSNBC literally wants to prevent such debate. The use of caricature, fear, an aversion to disobedient facts, and a strange common smugness create a well-defined but small and self-limited audience. It is a cult that thinks it is speaking to the nation.
The weird thing is that a show in which articulate conservatives and non-zombie liberals conducted respectful, focused debates with informative interviews of real experts could probably double or triple MSNBC’s net audience in the evening slots; even allowing for the departure of most of their bubble-dwelling regulars, who would be triggered, offended and horrified. But there is a greater probability of LGBTQ+ concerns being debated on Saudi or Iranian news channels than such an event happening on MSNBC.
Published in General
One feature of a cult (or a Marxist) is that hypocrisy is common as their stated principles are not their principles. MSNBC hosts say they cannot have political partisan like RRM, but gladly have Jen Psaki. Or, they are not a cult and are just obedient propagandists. Either way, you don’t hate corporate media enough.
A test case is the RFK campaign. Leftist media will hate him, if he challenges their power. Will they hate him when his VP has $100Million to spend on advertising??
MSNBC did have Hugh Hewitt on in 2017-18 (though on Saturday morning, not a prime time), and Hugh appeared on various NBC programs until 2021. Apparently NBC stopped inviting him to appear. I guess the NBC people aren’t interested in appealing to anyone not already in the bubble. (See a column by John Schroeder Wednesday on Hugh’s website about the bubble.)
Schroder made good points:
I guess NBC hasn’t learned from Netflix and others that it is better to ignore employee vapors than give into then. Especially with one of those absolutely insufferable “I was wrong” letters from the one who made the decision. Makes the entire organization look weak and ineffectual.
Morning Joe Scarborough alleged himself to be a Republican once upon a time.
It’s been quite something to see at NBC/MSNBC: Watching grown, educated men and women, supposedly sophisticated in the give and take of party politics, turning into squealing middle schoolers at the thought of having to sit next to a girl with Trump-cooties.
Same with Nicole Wallace and Michael Steele.
I loved Chairman Cesar Conde’s email to staff announcing the firing:
So much for diversity.
But it was never about ideological diversity. Only skin color etc.
Mao, Stalin and Pol Pot thought the same about governments.
MSNBC a regular paragon on journalistic ethics!
The MSNBC thing reminds me of something said by Stalin’s master propagandist, Willi Munzenberg. Advising the writer Arthur Koestler (‘Darkness at Noon’), who at that point was still a Communist, Munzenberg said:
Don’t argue with them, Make them stink in the nose of the world. Make people curse and abominate them. Make them shudder with horror. That, Arturo, is propaganda!
That is precisely the approach being taken not only by MSNBC in this matter, but by much of the Left in all matters…don’t debate your opponents, rather, paint them as so evil as to be beyond debate.
Intimidation vs Persuasion
Hold on. Hewitt is a Progressive. Why wouldn’t MSnBC have him on? I recall listening to Hugh interview Mitt Romney. Lugubrious is the kindest adjective I can think of to describe the interview. Romney was gushing about the great importance of that geyser of cronyist corruption, the ExIm bank, and Hugh was gushing right along with him. He’s just as much a ‘severe conservative’ as Mitt, author of the original version of Obamacare. Please.
I think might be a you problrem.
It will be interesting to watch what happens at NBC after this.
Remember when Chris Matthews would occasionally guest host for Rush?
And he could talk to the in an engaging and polite manner?
Hard to remember, but methinks yes.
Hugh wasn’t Progressive. The only issues where I disagreed with him were Mitt (Hugh got on the Romney Train early, and wouldn’t get off) and the nomination of Harriet Meyers for the Supreme Court. We ended up with Samuel Alito instead of Meyers. I’d call that a significant upgrade.
Maybe the RNC, GOP candidates, and Trump should refuse all interviews or contacts with NBC out of compassion given that a differing point of view might be hurtful and triggering. It would be fun to craft that directive and make it public.
Hugh Hewitt says that NBC is now a “tear down project” and is “dead”. “It can’t be remodeled”. lol
For example, debating my otherwise smart, rabid Democrat brother-in-law.
From a fully red area, not purple or anything like that. It’s all about money.
I am so curious about all of these people. I think it just comes down to money.
S.E. Cupp
It is precisely the above mentioned people and numerous others politically aligned with them…all previously claiming to be Republicans…that make many of us distrust the Republican Party.
They didn’t say that. They just said diversity. Don’t help them wriggle out of it. Don’t do Democrats’ dirty work for them.
Yes, but it will also be interesting to see if the right-conservatives have the attention span to mock MSNBC for this at every opportunity, or whether they will just move on to the next outrage.
They don’t need anyone’s help. Why would they accept anyone who has “wrongthink?”
Exactly. Don’t do it. Make them own it.