The texts made vivid something that was already not a secret — that key players at the network have acted as informal advisers to Mr. Trump. It is a situation that flouts journalistic ethical norms but does not appear to dissuade Fox viewers. In November, Fox News was the most-watched network not just in cable news but in all of cable television, with an average audience of 1.5 million. Mr. Hannity and Ms. Ingraham said on Tuesday that their texts — which were read aloud in Congress Monday night by Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming — did not differ from their public statements that day. Their on-air statements continued their strong defense of Mr. Trump, 11 months after his attempt to subvert the election and his encouragement of the mob that carried out the violence.

Source: CNN December 17, 2021 00:56 UTC