Rachel Evans
Fox News has been described as a Roman Catholic channel that pushes Roman Catholic views and has a number of Roman Catholics in top positions. The owner of Fox News, Rupert Murdoch, is a Roman Catholic. One of the network's top on-air Catholics is Jonathan Morris, a former priest who has been a contributor to the network since 2005.
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What You'll Learn
- Fox News' top on-air contributor, Jonathan Morris, is a former Catholic priest
- Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch, a Roman Catholic
- Fox News has been accused of pushing Catholicism on unsuspecting Christian viewers
- Fox News has spent a lot of time discussing Catholic Church issues
- Fox News has been accused of spreading anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda
Fox News' top on-air contributor, Jonathan Morris, is a former Catholic priest
Jonathan Morris, a former Catholic priest, is a top on-air contributor to Fox News, a channel that has been described as discreetly pushing Roman Catholicism. Morris has been a contributor and analyst for the network since 2005, providing analysis and commentary on social, religious, and political issues. He has appeared on several Fox News programs, including Fox & Friends, Dayside, Hannity and Colmes, The Live Desk with Martha MacCallum, and The O'Reilly Factor.
Before joining Fox News, Morris served as a Catholic priest, first in the Legionaries of Christ and later as a secular priest in the Archdiocese of New York. In 2019, he requested dispensation from the clerical state, citing struggles with the commitments demanded by the Catholic priesthood, particularly the inability to marry and raise a family. His request was approved by Pope Francis, and he subsequently left the priesthood.
In addition to his work at Fox News, Morris has authored several books, including "The Promise: God's Purpose and Plan for When Life Hurts," "God Wants You Happy: From Self-Help to God's Help," and "The Way of Serenity: Finding Peace and Happiness in the Serenity Prayer." He has also appeared as a theological advisor for the History Channel and as an actor in the film "The Irishman." Morris is a sought-after speaker and industry expert, offering commentary on a wide range of topics, including Christian, Faith & Religion, Inspirational, Motivational, News & Media, and Personal Growth. He has also co-founded Morris & Larson Advisors, an executive coaching firm.
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Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch, a Roman Catholic
Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch, an Australian publisher and businessman, who is also the current Chairman Emeritus of Fox Corporation and News Corp. Murdoch has had a nearly 70-year career in the media industry, during which he has proven to be a transformative leader and dealmaker.
Murdoch's foray into the news business began in 1985 when he took ownership of Twentieth Century Fox and several regional television stations in the US. He then established the FOX Television Stations group, comprising 25 stations across the country. In 1988, he launched Sky Television in the UK, followed by Sky News in 1989, which became the first 24-hour news channel in Britain.
In October 1996, Fox News Channel debuted and quickly became a leader in 24-hour news services. Over the years, Fox News has expanded its reach and influence, becoming a prominent and often controversial source of news and opinion.
Regarding Murdoch's religious affiliation, some sources identify him as a Roman Catholic. It is claimed that Murdoch has staffed top positions at Fox News with fellow Roman Catholics, pushing Roman Catholicism and presenting it as the ultimate authority on Christianity. However, it is important to note that other sources simply refer to Murdoch as a publisher without specifying his religious beliefs.
In addition to his media holdings, Murdoch has also made significant investments in the film and entertainment industry, including the acquisition of Move, Inc. and the operator of Realtor.com in 2014. In 2019, Murdoch oversaw the launch of Fox Corporation as a standalone, publicly traded company, further solidifying his influence in the media landscape.
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Fox News has been accused of pushing Catholicism on unsuspecting Christian viewers
The channel has been accused of presenting Roman Catholicism as not just Christianity but as the ultimate authority on the religion. For instance, during its coverage of Billy Graham's funeral, the lone Fox News religion "expert" was a Roman Catholic priest. Fox News has also been accused of rallying around the birth control controversy, spending an inordinate amount of time pushing the claim that the White House is openly hostile to Catholics and that Democrats have somehow declared war on the pontiff.
Additionally, Fox News has been criticized for its selective coverage of stories involving the Catholic Church. For example, the channel spent a significant amount of time discussing supposed political slights directed at Catholics by the Democrats while avoiding stories that portray the Catholic Church in a negative light, such as the Nuns on the Bus tour spreading a progressive message and the Illinois Attorney General's investigation into sexual abuse in the Illinois Catholic Church.
Furthermore, Fox News has been accused of downplaying issues within the Catholic Church, such as child abuse allegations. In contrast, the channel has dedicated extensive coverage to targeting pro-LGBTQ+ sentiments, such as Target's Pride Month merchandise, framing these messages as a supposed threat to children. This coverage has been criticized for contributing to a larger homophobic campaign to conflate the LGBTQ+ community with grooming and child abuse, putting queer people in danger.
While Fox News has been accused of pushing Catholicism and selective storytelling, it is important to note that the channel also features diverse voices and perspectives, including those that disagree with or criticize the Catholic Church.
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Fox News has spent a lot of time discussing Catholic Church issues
Fox News has been accused of spending a lot of time discussing Catholic Church issues and presenting itself as a channel for Christians. It has been described as a Roman Catholic channel that discreetly pushes Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, and homosexuality. According to some sources, Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch, a Roman Catholic, has staffed most top positions with fellow Roman Catholics, with a few Mormons, Episcopalians, and homosexuals providing diversity.
The channel has been criticized for its coverage of certain Catholic news stories, such as its focus on supposed political slights directed at Catholics by the Obama administration and its claim that Democrats have declared war on the Church. Fox News has also been accused of spreading anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda and fearmongering about the supposed threat to children from pro-LGBTQ+ messages while ignoring reports of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
On the other hand, Fox News has also covered stories of Catholic leaders taking a stand on social issues. For example, it reported on a California bishop who excused Catholics from attending Mass due to fears of immigration raids under the Trump administration. The diocese of San Bernardino, California, issued a rare dispensation in response to the Trump administration's mass deportation operations, recognizing the fear and hardship faced by immigrants in the community.
Additionally, Fox News has featured shows focusing on evangelical Christians who converted to Catholicism as adults, and its hosts have been known to praise the presidency of Donald Trump while bashing liberals. Raymond Arroyo, a host on EWTN (which has been described as the Catholic Fox News), interviewed Trump and brought up Hillary Clinton's emails, suggesting that they revealed plans to change Catholic Church teachings to accommodate a political agenda.
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Fox News has been accused of spreading anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda
Media Matters, a liberal watchdog group, noted that Fox News host Greg Gutfeld praised a female teacher accused of having sex with a 16-year-old student on-air. In addition, during Pride Month, Fox News linked the Progress Pride flag to "grooming and pedophilia," enraging LGBTQ+ advocates and activists who blasted the outlet for spreading lies and dehumanizing the LGBTQ+ community.
Laura Ingraham, a Fox News host, has been accused of bumping up her anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric during Pride Month, spreading false claims such as kids dressing up and biting each other in schools. Tucker Carlson, another Fox News host, has regularly used his platform to spread anti-trans sentiments, calling trans people "a challenge to the perpetuation of the species" and spreading misinformation about medical care for trans youth, referring to it as "child abuse" and "genital mutilation."
Furthermore, Fox News has provided a platform for Republican elected officials to spread anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation. For example, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) lied that the Equality Act would "replace mom and dad with bureaucrats," while Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) claimed that the act would require the government to put a transitioning sexual predator in a women's prison. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) also appeared on Fox News to fearmonger about the Equality Act exposing young girls to transgender individuals in locker rooms.
These actions by Fox News have been described as central to its business model, helping fuel the rise in right-wing attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, including discriminatory bills being considered and passed in state legislatures.
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