Part 1: Brain Rot For The Independent Viewer
In the age of hyper-partisanship and algorithm-driven outrage, NewsNation has positioned itself as a breath of fresh air, a non-partisan haven for truth-seeking Americans exhausted by the ideological extremes of both left and right. It wants to be seen as the sensible center, the last refuge for the independent voter who still believes in facts.
For a network that prides itself on neutrality, it’s curiously overstocked with Right-Wing media veterans and Trump-world insiders: Anna Kooiman ( formerly Fox News ), Leland Vittert ( another Fox News alum ), Chris Stirewalt ( infamous for defending Fox’s political coverage ), Mick Mulvaney ( yes, that Mick Mulvaney- Trump’s former chief of staff and a Trump loyalist), and Steve Krakauer.
Krakauer, NewsNation’s media critic and executive producer, is perhaps the most emblematic figure of this duplicity. Krakauer presents himself as a media reformer, a critic of bias and sensationalism. But in practice, he spends more time targeting mainstream outlets than scrutinizing the Right-Wing media ecosystem that he continues to enable. His writing and commentary often frame critiques of Fox News as “elitist” or “unfair,” while allowing far more egregious behavior from MAGA figures slide. In a recent segment , he suggested that criticisms of Elon Musk by Democrat lawmakers were attempts to “demonize,” the Department of Government Efficiency. Krakauer’s approach isn’t intellectually honest – it’s reputational laundering for the very forces NewsNation pretends to hold at arm’s length.
This “we-never-take-sides” news network, all too often platforms extreme voices in the name of balance, MAGA-aligned politicians that lack any rigorous standard of journalistic scrutiny. For instance, during the “Cuomo Town Hall” on president Trump’s first 100 days, the questions to the president were open-ended, allowing Trump to steer the conversation and promote his narratives without significant challenge. This sort of approach wouldn’t be a problem if the network ever truly challenged it’s MAGA guests. But “centrism” at NewsNation doesn’t mean holding power accountable – it means nodding sagely while MAGA politicians lie with a smile. Interviews often unfold as if debate itself is uncouth, as if pushing back violates some sacred code of civility.
That’s the core problem: the veneer of objectivity that creates a false sense of trust. Independent voters, many of whom are already distrustful of mainstream media, turn to NewsNation for clarity. What they get instead, is a slow normalization of MAGA narratives and talking points – “migrant crime is on the rise,” “Venezuela opened its prison population into the U.S.,” and the like – couched in the reassuring language of “balance.” This isn’t a counter to partisan media. It’s a gateway for Right-Wing radicalization.
Part 2: NewsNation’s UFO Idiocy: Brain Rot For The Conspiracy-Minded
If NewsNation’s political content quietly emboldens the MAGA right, its forays into fringe topics actively fuel delusion. One of the network’s pet obsessions has been UFOs, but not from a skeptical science-based perspective. It gives air time to people like Ross Coulthart, Jeremy Corbell, and other conspiracy cranks, who operate like sci-fi evangelists rather than credible investigators.
Their claims of crashed alien craft, secret government programs, and mass cover-ups are presented without serious scrutiny. Interviews often veer into the theatrical. “What aren’t they telling us?” becomes a familiar mantra. Rarely does anyone stop to ask: what actual evidence exists? Who benefits from this hysteria? What’s the harm in turning unproven speculation into mainstream content?
This type of programming flatters the conspiracy-addled brain. The viewer who believes government is both hopelessly incompetent, and capable of orchestrating a decades-long cover-up of alien technology. It’s content that reassures such viewers that they’re not crazy for believing in the crazy and insane, they’re just more open-minded than those who do not.
These segments present speculative claims with minimal or no skeptism, potentially lending undue credibility to unverified claims. The platforming of such content can influence public perception, especially among viewers predisposed to conspiracy thinking. A study analyzing the media coverage of David Grusch’s claims of a government cover-up noted that narratives presented by credible sources can be challenging to counter, even when lacking substantive evidence. ( Source: https://jcom.sissa.it/article/pubid/JCOM_2308_2024_AO2/).
By legitimizing these narratives, NewsNation contributes to a media environment where facts are negotiable, paranoia is rationalized, and conspiracy theory is on par with critical thinking. It blurs the line between journalism and pseudoscience, turning the news into a playground for cranks, and a trap for viewers who can no longer tell fact from fiction.
The Weekly News 