Fox News has taken politainment to a new level - we could call it inflamotainment.
I heard the word politainment used yesterday to describe what American politics had become. I didn't know whether or not she coined the term, though I thought it was particulary relevant. I looked it up and discovered the term and concept had been around for some time. Consider the references to this article about it on Researchgate. This was being studied as early as 1983.
Politainment, a portmanteau word composed of politics and entertainment, describes tendencies in politics and mass media to liven up political reports and news coverage using elements from public relations to create a new kind of political communication.[1]Politainment, while outwardly emphasizing the political aspects of the information communicated, nevertheless draws heavily upon techniques from pop culture and journalism to make complex information more accessible or convincing and distract public attention from politically unfavorable topics. The interdependencies of politicians and media are known as the politico-media complex.
Of doubtful virtue, declining amounts of content and substance can easily be compensated by giving news stories a sensationalistic twinge. Sensationalism in the news can be traced back to the Muckrakers in 1905, they set out to reform journalism and public perception of injustices.[2] Politainment thus ranges on the same level as edu- and infotainment.
Typical catchlines in politainment reports or media will at times bluntly argue ad hominem in a generalizing manner and try to emphasize virtues and charisma ("xyz will Make America Great Again") or vices and weaknesses (by denunciation: "xyz will wreck this country", "lynching", etc.).[3] The latter example is also known as fear appeal. More moderate forms make extensive use of imprecise, metaphoric language (allegories, metonymy, periphrases, kennings etc.).
Politainment can be both a communication aspect of (1) politicians and spin doctors to their and their party's own advantage and the political adversary's disadvantage or (2) a strategy for news publishers, journalists, etc., to promote their medium and journalistic work.[4]
Politainment may be a factor in party identification, mass-influencing voter's choices, it has thus become an indispensable tool in political campaigns and elections.[1][5] As such it can also be one of the—seemingly innocuous—ingredients of crowd manipulation up to political psychological warfare.[6]
Here's another tidbit from an AP article:
She’s long been a fixture in Trump’s world
Bondi has been a longtime and early ally. In March 2016, on the eve of the Republican primary in Florida, Bondi endorsed Trump at a rally, picking him over the candidate from her own state of Florida, Sen. Marco Rubio.She gained national attention with appearances on Fox News as a defender of Trump and had a notable speaking spot at 2016 Republican National Convention as Trump became the party’s surprising nominee. During the remarks, some in the crowd began chanting “Lock her up” about Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Here's another example: "Trump’s ‘Border Czar’ Pick Has Been Auditioning For The Role On Extremist Media Platforms"
Excerpt:
(Tom) Homan has been auditioning for a high-profile Trump White House role in parts of the right-wing establishment — notably, as a Fox News commentator and as a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
Of course, Fox News, the politainment source Trump uses to massage his oversized ego played a major role in keeping Bondi top of mind when it came to making this decision.
Those wanting to curry favor with Trump know there is one way to get him to pay attention to them is to appear on Fox News and lavish praise on him. They can go on CNN as many now do but they might as well be sending a Christmas card without a stamp on the envelope to him.
Trump is an expert on the persuasive power of polititainment since this is how he consumes the news.
I don't watch Fox News live though I have seen clips of their shows on MSNBC and CNN. From their seven day a week Fox and Friends, which premiered in 1998 to Tucker Carlson to Sean Hannity to Jessie Watters their shows have been and are designed to inflame and entertain. Fox News has taken politainment to a new level - we could call it inflamotainment.
Meanwhile, the Democrats haven't even mastered the art of politainment. As I wrote yesterday in "Perhaps the Democratic Party needs to become a personality cult to win. If so they will need the perfect leader," they can't even find a potential Democrat for president who has remotely near the charisma Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had when they ran. They need a presidential candidate who can go on Fox News, Joe Rogan, and similar media and stir up some sh*t in a way that will break through into the mushy minds of those who want their president to show that they can juggle hand grenades and explain policy at the same time.
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