The Outrage Industry by Berry Jeffrey M. Sobieraj Sarah & Sarah Sobieraj

Author:Berry, Jeffrey M., Sobieraj, Sarah & Sarah Sobieraj
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 2014-10-31T16:00:00+00:00

Validated Instead of Challenged

Outrage-based programs reassure and embolden the audience members rather than leaving them fearful. They do this in a variety of ways, but most notably by valorizing their audience, celebrating their strong character, and allowing the audience to position themselves in the role of the victor—capable of handily dominating naysayers in imaginary political jousts.

The hosts function as supportive cheerleaders for and defenders of the values that fans hold dear. Our respondents sound almost elated as they describe how it feels to hear their favorite host talk about the issues they care about in ways that are consistent with their own perspectives and beliefs. Roberta, whom we met earlier, described it as validating:

Usually my husband and I sit there, listening [to Schultz], being like, “Yeah, you go!” That’s what usually happens …. There’s so much right wing media, there’s so much right wing talk … and after a while of turning off most of the media, it’s just so nice to have some people you can listen to and that validate your feelings, not only validate your opinions, but also validate it with fact.

And Mary, a Maddow fan, explained what draws her to the show:

[Maddow] aligns with my own political views, and so I think I recognize that she is entertainment and that she is presenting a certain perspective, but I tend to agree with her perspective so I appreciate hearing her say—It’s that what she says resonates with my own values … she aligns with my own values.

Tuning into these programs brings no risk of social conflict, instead it brings reassurance that fans’ insights are astute and their priorities are in order.

Hosts not only affirm the political views held by members of the audience but they also tell them in many subtle and not so subtle ways that they themselves are valued. Flattery abounds in outrage. Sometimes it takes the form of direct compliments as we have here from Glenn Beck and Rachel Maddow:

I’ve tried to package these things for general consumption as much as I can, and you are doing such an amazing job, boy I hear from 9/12 people all the time, you’re doing amazing things in restoring our own history.35

But the Rachel Maddow Show viewers are not just plain old regular awesome. You are THE Awesome. We know this because one of you went online and made a little what’s called a de-motivator out of the viral photo of that gas station in Ohio…de-motivators are a cinch to make but great ones, they take genius, like these, sent by you.36

And sometimes the flattery is indirect, bolstering the audience member by making that person the center of attention, as in these examples from Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh:

You see ladies and gentlemen, now that they’ve destroyed the treasury, now they’re coming more and more for you. How many times have I had to say? This isn’t about the rich it’s about you. Healthcare: you. Cap and Trade: you. Illegal aliens: you. Diminishing your citizenship, stealing your private property, stealing your liberty.

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