Scientists studied Fox News — here’s what they discovered

As a dominant force in American media, Fox News has long attracted both loyal viewers and fierce critics. Known for its conservative slant, the network has become a key player in U.S. political discourse, influencing everything from election outcomes to public health behaviors.

Given its reach and impact, Fox News has been the subject of numerous academic studies across psychology, political science, and communication. Click on each headline below to learn more about what the research reveals.

1. Trump’s attacks on Fox News altered conservative media consumption

A study in Public Opinion Quarterly explored how Donald Trump’s frequent criticism of Fox News reshaped audience perceptions and behaviors. By analyzing nearly 25,000 of Trump’s tweets, the study found that his public attacks on Fox News correlated with dips in the network’s ratings and changes in how both Republicans and Democrats viewed the network.

The research showed that when Trump promoted alternatives like One America News Network (OANN), Republican viewers expressed more willingness to switch from Fox to more hardline outlets. Democrats, interestingly, responded by viewing Fox News as more moderate and were more open to watching it. This highlights how elite cues can shift media preferences even within partisan audiences.

2. Watching Fauci on Fox News improved public health behaviors

A study in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology revealed that Fox News viewers who watched Dr. Anthony Fauci were more likely to adopt COVID-19 mitigation behaviors—such as using disinfectant and social distancing—compared to those who saw him on other platforms like CNBC.

The researchers found that viewers’ feelings toward scientists mattered more than political ideology. Although watching Fauci didn’t change beliefs about hydroxychloroquine, it did lead to increased commitment to health behaviors—but only when he appeared on Fox News. This suggests that scientists may be more persuasive when speaking directly to skeptical audiences through trusted channels.

3. FoxNews.com users showed reduced knowledge

A study published in American Politics Research found that using Fox News’ website did not harm people’s understanding of basic political processes, like how the Senate works. However, it did correlate with reduced knowledge of societal issues, such as climate change, unemployment, and economic trends.

This distinction—between political mechanics and real-world conditions—suggests Fox News may selectively inform or misinform depending on the topic. Notably, these findings held even after controlling for ideology and other demographics, indicating the effects were not merely due to who watches but potentially how Fox covers key issues.

4. Fox News opinion shows intensify political polarization

In Political Research Quarterly, researchers analyzed the influence of opinion shows during the 2008 presidential election and found that Fox News opinion programming increased hostility toward Barack Obama more than it increased support for John McCain.

The shows employed a highly oppositional tone, attacking the out-party candidate more than promoting the in-party candidate. This resulted in viewers adopting more extreme views of the opposition’s ideology, reinforcing polarization through negative partisanship. Fox News viewers, for example, came to view Obama as more extreme without necessarily adjusting their views of McCain.

5. Fox News consumption linked to COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs

A study in Research & Politics found that populist individuals—regardless of party—who consumed Fox News were more likely to believe in COVID-19 conspiracies, such as that the virus was a bioweapon or that a vaccine was being hidden by elites.

The study highlighted that Fox News viewers with populist attitudes, whether Democrat or Republican, were more susceptible to misinformation. These beliefs were tied to lower engagement in protective health behaviors, such as social distancing and mask-wearing, demonstrating how conservative media can influence both belief systems and real-world actions.

6. Trust in Fox News linked to fewer COVID-19 precautions

Published in BMJ Global Health, a survey of nearly 5,000 Americans found that those who trusted Fox News more than CNN were less likely to wear masks or avoid risky behaviors like going to bars during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study revealed that Fox viewers not only engaged in fewer protective behaviors but also changed their behaviors more quickly when Fox News downplayed the severity of the pandemic. In contrast, those who trusted CNN maintained more consistent health precautions, showing how partisan messaging can influence public health at scale.

7. Fox News increased Republican vote shares over two decades

A large-scale study in the Journal of Public Economics found that increased Fox News viewership, driven partly by the network’s channel position on cable lineups, led to a significant rightward shift in political preferences and a boost in Republican vote shares at all levels of government.

From 2000 to 2020, the study tracked millions of Americans’ political attitudes and voting outcomes and found that Fox News shaped not just how people voted in presidential elections, but also in House, Senate, and gubernatorial races. Even modest increases in viewership were enough to tip the scales in close contests—such as the 2016 election.

8. Fox News use associated with COVID-19 misinformation and prejudice

A study in Frontiers in Psychology found that people who relied on Fox News for information were more likely to believe misinformation about COVID-19 and to hold prejudiced views toward Asian Americans during the early months of the pandemic.

Those who trusted Fox News were less knowledgeable about how the virus spreads and more likely to endorse myths—such as that COVID-19 was manmade. In contrast, regular readers of NPR or the New York Times were more accurately informed and expressed lower levels of prejudice. The researchers emphasized the importance of credible news sources during health crises.

9. Fox News encouraged more Republican challenges to Democrats

Published in the American Journal of Political Science, a study showed that the entry of Fox News into new congressional districts increased the likelihood that quality Republican candidates would run against vulnerable Democratic incumbents. The effect was not mirrored for Democratic challengers.

The availability of Fox News changed Republican perceptions of electoral viability, encouraging stronger candidates to enter races they previously might have avoided. Interestingly, this didn’t translate into more successful challenges—suggesting the network influenced perception more than electoral outcomes. Still, it highlighted the role of partisan media in shaping the strategic decisions of political elites.

10. Many Fox News viewers aren’t strong partisans

Contrary to assumptions that only die-hard partisans watch Fox News, a study in the American Journal of Political Science found that many viewers of partisan media—including Fox News—are independents or weak partisans. Around 15% of Americans watch eight or more hours of partisan television per month.

The study used Nielsen and smart TV data to show that even viewers who don’t identify strongly with the Republican Party tend to stick with Fox News once they start watching it. This habit-forming nature of media consumption suggests that Fox’s influence may extend beyond ideology, reaching audiences through entertainment, style, and routine.

11. Fox News viewers more likely to believe in UFOs

A study in the Atlantic Journal of Communication found that regular Fox News viewers were more likely to believe that UFOs are real and potentially extraterrestrial. While general TV viewing didn’t correlate with such beliefs, Fox News stood out alongside shows like Ghost Hunters and podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience.

The researchers suggest that Fox’s frequent coverage of government UFO disclosures, framed in ways that often blur science and speculation, may contribute to public belief in alien visitation. The study cautions that media consumption patterns can shape not only political views, but also beliefs about paranormal and fringe topics.