Fox News Chart of Post-Unrest Stock Performance Sparks Outrage
Category: News & Politics
Via: john-russell • 5 years ago • 18 commentsBy: Tommy Christopher (Mediaite)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By Tommy ChristopherJun 6th, 2020, 8:54 am
A Fox News graphic charting stock market performance following the killings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Michael Brown , and George Floyd , as well as the Rodney King police brutality verdict, has sparked widespread outrage.
On Friday night's edition of Special Report With Bret Baier , anchor Bret Baier tossed to Fox Business correspondent Susan Li for a report on the stock market during which the offending graphic was displayed. It featured a chart labeled "S&P 500 PERCENTAGE CHANGE ONE WEEK AFTER EVENT," and noted increases in that index following events labeled "MLK ASSASSINATION", "RODNEY KING CASE ACQUITTAL", "MICHAEL BROWN DEATH," and "GEORGE FLOYD DEATH."
Ms. Li commented on the graphic by saying "Stock markets hitting new height despite the protests this week. Historically, there has been a disconnect between what investors focus on and what happens across the rest of the country."
The graphic was shared widely on Twitter, and sparked intense reactions. Yashar Ali shared the graphic with his large and influential Twitter following, writing "This is a horrific graphic to have put up on air."
This is a horrific graphic to have put up on air.
My god. pic.twitter.com/HoDof1AN9l
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) June 5, 2020
CNN's Andrew Kaczynski helpfully tweeted a short video from the segment featuring the chart.
Here's the graphic as it aired.https://t.co/h0nP5IoTUypic.twitter.com/201rNVXeZL
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) June 5, 2020
Many other verified Twitter users were horrified, and the criticism was intense. CNN's Bakari Sellers commented "It's as if they're incentivizing…"
It's as if they're incentivizing… https://t.co/8rvbe1RsCK
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) June 6, 2020
Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush wrote "This graphic makes it clear that @FoxNews does not care about black lives."
This graphic makes it clear that @FoxNews does not care about black lives. https://t.co/gYqC2B0n4F
— Bobby L. Rush (@RepBobbyRush) June 6, 2020
Market strategist and frequent CNBC guest Sven Henrich expressed a similar sentiment to Sellers' from within the stock trading community, writing "Dead black men are apparently bullish for the stock market. Brought to you by Fox's community outreach department."
Dead black men are apparently bullish for the stock market. Brought to you by Fox's community outreach department. ♂️ https://t.co/YKZdogIqTz
— Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) June 6, 2020
The Washington Post's Greg Sargent , like many, was just stunned:
What? Is this real? https://t.co/ft2Rw7dAiK
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) June 5, 2020
The Washington Post's Karen Tumulty captioned the graphic "Fox News bares what is has in place of a soul."
Fox News bares what is has in place of a soul: https://t.co/uDFkpiOHsc
— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) June 6, 2020
Former RNC chair and current MSNBC political analyst Michael Steele wrote "This is how they mourn the loss of black men at #FoxNews - by how much the stock market goes up. What. The. Hell!"
This is how they mourn the loss of black men at #FoxNews - by how much the stock market goes up. What. The. Hell! https://t.co/Vll1NCUrIJ
— Michael Steele (@MichaelSteele) June 6, 2020
MSNBC host Joy Reid was brief, simply writing "Un….real….."
Un….real….. https://t.co/vn11JiAes8
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) June 6, 2020
Frequent MSNBC guest and author Tiffany Cross spoke out and urged people to "#AbolishFox."
I appeared on Fox a couple years ago & quickly vowed to never appear there again. People have been asking how can any Black person work or appear on this network given this But truthfully, this question shouldn't be specific to us. We should ask this of EVERYONE. #AbolishFoxhttps://t.co/NyRYeayoea
— @tiffanydcross (@TiffanyDCross) June 6, 2020
MSNBC host David Gura called out Susan Li by name.
Someone pitched this.
Someone dug up these data.
Someone made this graphic.
Someone approved this.
— David Gura (@davidgura) June 6, 2020
@SusanLiTV fronted it. pic.twitter.com/ltmbEMPDf5
CNN host and comic W. Kamau Bell wrote a short scene based on the segment.
"Daddy, what white supremacy? And what do you mean when you say it is structural?"
"Good questions, daughter. Watch this." https://t.co/zlPLGew4A4
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) June 6, 2020
Maya Harris , sister of California Senator Kamala Harris, wrote "When they say the quiet part out loud…"
When they say the quiet part out loud… https://t.co/OUWvjxF0wT
— Maya Harris (@mayaharris_) June 6, 2020
Even former George W. Bush spokesman Tony Fratto — who worked under now-Fox News host Dana Perino — couldn't believe his eyes.
"This is a disgraceful graphic and a nauseating matter of inquiry…" Fratto wrote.
This is a disgraceful graphic and a nauseating matter of inquiry… https://t.co/nRaG4tU7Aa
— Tony Fratto (@TonyFratto) June 6, 2020
The official Twitter account of the Pennsylvania Treasury weighed in, writing "Who even thinks this way?"
Who even thinks this way? https://t.co/N4AaJbtIAj
— Pennsylvania Treasury (@PATreasury) June 6, 2020
The other reactions were numerous and scathing.
I am a professional word having person and I have no words to describe the people at Fox who thought this was okay. https://t.co/9D7dBvr299
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) June 6, 2020
People often like to criticize specific well-known hosts at Fox. But the reality is that there's a whole team of people over there behind the scenes who help present news in the way that has made Fox so problematic for many Americans. https://t.co/pzMQ2u5WB2
— Eugene Scott (@Eugene_Scott) June 6, 2020
@foxnews You want to defend this one or have you taken the weekend off for a klan offsite? https://t.co/7hkSOEmeyr
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) June 6, 2020
I cannot even fathom the context in which this graphic was used. Ghastly. https://t.co/c0aiNuWeDD
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) June 5, 2020
Baier tweeted the segment to his own followers Friday night as well, but without highlighting the graphic.
When contacted for comment, Fox News pointed to examples of other outlets highlighting the same data, which Mr. Ali also pointed out in a subsequent tweet that noted "The data for this infographic was pulled from a @FortuneMagazine article and an @WSJ article."
3. The data for this infographic was pulled from a @FortuneMagazine article and an @WSJ article.
Fortune: https://t.co/y36cYihDQo
WSJ: https://t.co/Y9nKgsYi4jpic.twitter.com/SmxTmc5JGO
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) June 6, 2020
They also pointed to a CNBC article, a Mediaite article featuring a clip of Jim Cramer , a Bloomberg article, and a few others that explored the theme.
The network also pointed to a later segment in which the "pathos" of civil unrest over George Floyd's death was discussed.
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
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The purpose of the graph seems to be that the stock market conquers all. Dehumanizing tragedy. That is Trump's state media (Fox News) for you.
that face ya make when one realizes riots do not hinder our economy.
The graphic depicts reality, the market went up mainly due to the good jobs numbers.
The whole world doesn't revolve around the death of one man, whose demise is used as an
political excuse for rioting and destruction of property and the killing of innocent people...including cops.
The perpetual "outrage" practiced for political purposes by some in our society is pitiful.
Is the graphic incorrect?
Yes and that is what really angers the progressive left. That they can’t use the crisis’s they create to drag down the economy.
Seems "Tragedy" ALWAYS drives the market. Not a "SHOCK" to show comparisons of "Now" v. "Then". Just Same Ol' Same Ol' stuff that has gone on for decades.
This "Shock" too ….. will wear off..... just like every other "Shock" this country goes through.
thanks to the riots ending the virus planned-panic - the economy will rebound at record speed.
of course the left is outraged about that... LOL
Usually it is news when there is a correlation between events. To have a story depicting there is no correlation between current events and the stock market seems a bit out of place and unfeeling even though it may be accurate.
That being said the outrage over someone saying "Historically, there has been a disconnect between what investors focus on and what happens across the rest of the country" is also ridiculous. Nowhere was it promoted that the death of a black man is good for the economy. Seems the lefties and the righties continue to spin what is said to further their own narrative. The sadness is that it seems to work on way too many people.
Maybe if the media and the masses looked at things with a little context we would all be better off.
Another example of how some people want to be angry so badly that they will just invent a meaning for something. Fox News could do the weather and these idiots would call it racist.
Fox News released a statement they regret airing the chart without context.
Now, if we use the reaction by liberals of the women who accuse Biden of sex assault, of Biden saying you are not black if you vote for Trump, of Virginia governor dressed in blackface, or sex assault accusations against Virginia Lt Governor or Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, then all is good with Fox, right, libs?
Seems unnecessary. They supplied a perfectly reasonable context:
Some particularly on the progressive left have a need to feel perpetually offended about something no matter how minor.