Blog 12: President-Elect Trump Wins 2024 Election: FoxNews vs. CNN

 

This is the moment that all of America has been anxiously awaiting. It has officially been said that the United States’ next president is Donald Trump. For obvious reasons, I will be dissecting how FoxNews and CNN are now speaking on the fact that Trump has won. I predict that there will be noticeable differences in how each channel discusses this and it is already evident through the titles of the articles. 

 

The FoxNews article, Trump White House victory called 'the greatest political comeback in American history' | Fox News, provides statements and quotes from political commentators that reveal a more accepting tone about Trump winning this presidency. For instance, “Kochel, a veteran of numerous Republicans News, Articles & Updates, noted that while Harris "breathed some life into the campaign, some enthusiasm, the fundamentals didn’t change. People are unhappy with the economy. They think the country’s going in the wrong direction. And they wanted to make a change. And it turns out Trump won the change argument"”(Steinhauser, 2024). It is almost as if FoxNews is saying that no matter how much enthusiasm one brings to a campaign, it was not enough for the change that needs to occur. This is definitely all the more proof of how FoxNews is Republican and is proud to be as well. 

The CNN article, Trump’s return to power raises serious questions about the media’s credibility | CNN Business, immediately offers a different perspective about Trump’s win. The media is now terrified of their future under Trump’s administration: “But journalists are asking each other: What does this “red wave” election say about the information environment in the United States?” (Stelter, 2024). This article goes into detail about how since Trump won, democrats are wondering if the media is credible anymore, if it is why Trump won, or if the media has a future with him in charge. Furthermore, this is an important quote that shows just how CNN commentator debates with a Republican from the article; “Liberal commentator Ashley Allison responded: “I think we have to listen to everybody, actually.” She said, “the people who voted for Kamala Harris are struggling too. They are feeling ignored too. A Republican’s pain is no greater or less than a Democrat’s pain” (Stetler, 2024). It is evident throughout this article that CNN and democrats in general, believe that Trump is not going to run the democracy properly and that the media will not be honest anymore. Do you think this is a possibility? Is the media even honest or credible now?

The primary difference in how Fox News and CNN covered Trump’s victory lies in their framing, tone, and editorial priorities. Fox News was generally celebratory of Trump’s win, emphasizing his populist appeal and framing his victory as a necessary pushback against the political establishment. CNN, however, was more cautious and critical, focusing on the divisive nature of Trump’s rhetoric and raising concerns about the legitimacy of the election process and the potential threats to American democracy. The networks' biases were clear in their post-election coverage, with Fox News offering support for Trump’s policies and legal challenges, while CNN focused on holding him accountable and questioning the credibility of the media.