"We don't need no stinkin' facts!" - FoxNews Viewers
Fox News fans pessimistic about the country, and Clinton
*snip*
Overall, the poll finds that the country is split about Clinton, with 46% of all respondents having a favorable view of her versus 47% unfavorable. Among people who rate Fox News as their most-trusted source of news, however, sentiments are much more solidly anti-Clinton, with 84% viewing her unfavorably, versus just 13% favorably.
Similarly, 54% of all Suffolk respondents approve of President Obama's job performance, versus 41% who disapprove. But among Fox loyalists, the numbers are radically different, with 16% approving of the president's performance and 80% disapproving.
During the Obama presidency Fox News positioned itself as a voice of the opposition. Fox's most popular shows, like "The O'Reilly Factor," reinforced these sentiments.
Suffolk's polls ask many of the same questions that other pollsters ask during presidential election years -- but add a layer of questions about media consumption on top.
The Suffolk pollsters ask: "What TV news or commentary source do you trust the most?"
In the most recent poll, 270 of the 1,000 respondents said Fox -- the single highest result of any of the networks named in the poll. This reflects Fox's tight grip on conservatives. More than 70% of the respondents who chose Fox described themselves as "conservative" or "very conservative."
154 respondents said they trusted CNN the most. The rest chose MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, C-SPAN or PBS. A small number chose Comedy Central.
The smaller the numbers get, the wider the margin of error, and the less reliable the data becomes. But Suffolk's poll is clear about the divergence between Fox loyalists and others.
An example: Only 14% of people who say they trust Fox the most say the country is headed in the right direction. 81% say it's on the wrong track.
The divide is not nearly so extreme among other respondents. For example, 55% of people who rate CNN as their most-trusted source say "right direction," and 35% say "wrong track."
Suffolk asked, "If the candidate you support loses," will you feel that "the other candidate won fair and square and deserves the support of all Americans," or that "corruption cost your candidate the election, and the new president shouldn't be seen as legitimately elected?"
43% of Fox loyalists cited corruption, versus 28% of overall respondents.
65% of Fox loyalists in the poll said they are worried that election results could be manipulated, far higher than the 38% overall response. Only 12% of MSNBC fans and 19% of CNN fans said they shared the concern.
Conversely, only 31% of Fox loyalists agreed with the view that the election results can be trusted to be fair and accurate, compared with 77% of CNN viewers, 85% of MSNBC viewers, and 57% of overall respondents.
Suffolk's pollsters asked, "When it comes to the economy, do you think we are in an economic recovery, stagnation, recession, or depression?"
Overall, 38% of respondents said a recovery; 35% said stagnation; 12% said recession; and 8% said depression. CNN and MSNBC regulars were more bullish.
But Fox viewers were the opposite. Only 11% of Fox loyalists said America is in an economic recovery; 50% said stagnation; 19% said recession; and 13% said depression.
Fox News fans pessimistic about the country, and Clinton
*snip*
Overall, the poll finds that the country is split about Clinton, with 46% of all respondents having a favorable view of her versus 47% unfavorable. Among people who rate Fox News as their most-trusted source of news, however, sentiments are much more solidly anti-Clinton, with 84% viewing her unfavorably, versus just 13% favorably.
Similarly, 54% of all Suffolk respondents approve of President Obama's job performance, versus 41% who disapprove. But among Fox loyalists, the numbers are radically different, with 16% approving of the president's performance and 80% disapproving.
During the Obama presidency Fox News positioned itself as a voice of the opposition. Fox's most popular shows, like "The O'Reilly Factor," reinforced these sentiments.
Suffolk's polls ask many of the same questions that other pollsters ask during presidential election years -- but add a layer of questions about media consumption on top.
The Suffolk pollsters ask: "What TV news or commentary source do you trust the most?"
In the most recent poll, 270 of the 1,000 respondents said Fox -- the single highest result of any of the networks named in the poll. This reflects Fox's tight grip on conservatives. More than 70% of the respondents who chose Fox described themselves as "conservative" or "very conservative."
154 respondents said they trusted CNN the most. The rest chose MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, C-SPAN or PBS. A small number chose Comedy Central.
The smaller the numbers get, the wider the margin of error, and the less reliable the data becomes. But Suffolk's poll is clear about the divergence between Fox loyalists and others.
An example: Only 14% of people who say they trust Fox the most say the country is headed in the right direction. 81% say it's on the wrong track.
The divide is not nearly so extreme among other respondents. For example, 55% of people who rate CNN as their most-trusted source say "right direction," and 35% say "wrong track."
Suffolk asked, "If the candidate you support loses," will you feel that "the other candidate won fair and square and deserves the support of all Americans," or that "corruption cost your candidate the election, and the new president shouldn't be seen as legitimately elected?"
43% of Fox loyalists cited corruption, versus 28% of overall respondents.
65% of Fox loyalists in the poll said they are worried that election results could be manipulated, far higher than the 38% overall response. Only 12% of MSNBC fans and 19% of CNN fans said they shared the concern.
Conversely, only 31% of Fox loyalists agreed with the view that the election results can be trusted to be fair and accurate, compared with 77% of CNN viewers, 85% of MSNBC viewers, and 57% of overall respondents.
Suffolk's pollsters asked, "When it comes to the economy, do you think we are in an economic recovery, stagnation, recession, or depression?"
Overall, 38% of respondents said a recovery; 35% said stagnation; 12% said recession; and 8% said depression. CNN and MSNBC regulars were more bullish.
But Fox viewers were the opposite. Only 11% of Fox loyalists said America is in an economic recovery; 50% said stagnation; 19% said recession; and 13% said depression.
