Everything what Margaret Sullivan wrote is true. But she is wrong that Fox News is the problem. The Washington Post is the problem, as well as the New York Times, where Ms. Sullivan worked before. As well as major news organizations, existing long before Fox News was launched.

All of them have political bias that Fox News intelligently explored. All of them loftily ignored Fox News, giving it the free ride in misinforming the public. Now, when they found themselves with their hands in the potty, Ms. Sullivan sees a need to see Fox News as a serious player.

Similarly as Fox News, all “noble” and credible news organizations have a political leaning. Editors there do not see their role as public trusties who in the full light would scrutinize the issue of public concern. They know what the good choices are and they lecture their audience accordingly.

I described the problem on the example of the Wall Street Journal: https://medium.com/@hak1010/it-is-editors-fault-28e22a279dcc.

The problem with the “noble” media ventures is that they would never publish a text about immigration telling it straightforward as it is, as this article for example: https://medium.com/@hak1010/the-border-wall-is-not-the-real-problem-40864395de58

On healthcare, they would never publish a text challenging mantra dominating in corridors of Washington, as this text does: https://medium.com/@hak1010/19-health-care-issues-that-politicians-avoid-talking-about-8062fc01e700

Lastly, on the climate change they would never publish texts containing seditious thoughts this as this polemic for example: https://medium.com/@hak1010/19-health-care-issues-that-politicians-avoid-talking-about-8062fc01e700

Without fight they gave this turf to Fox News to explore. Fox News was given unfettered field to mold the audience up to its political orientation and intellectual level.