Extended exposure to Fox News makes voters stupid, university study finds

By Stephen C. Webster
Thursday, December 16th, 2010 -- 4:53 pm

The troublesome record of spin by conservative television station Fox News has long been a cause for concern to many Americans, who frequently allege that the nation's most viewed "news" network has the effect of dumbing down voters.

Turns out, they were right.

A University of Maryland study (PDF) published earlier this month found that people in the survey who had the most exposure to Fox News were more likely to believe falsehoods and rumors about national and world affairs when compared to those who paid attention to other news outlets.

In a summary carried by Alternet, the following falsehoods were most relayed by Fox News viewers:

    91 percent believed the stimulus legislation lost jobs;

    72 percent believed the health reform law will increase the deficit;

    72 percent believed the economy is getting worse;

    60 percent believed climate change is not occurring;

    49 percent believed income taxes have gone up;

    63 percent believed the stimulus legislation did not include any tax cuts;

    56 percent believed Obama initiated the GM/Chrysler bailout;

    38 percent believed that most Republicans opposed TARP;

    63 percent believed Obama was not born in the U.S. (or that it is unclear).

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/study-confirms-spin-fox-news-voters-stupid/