While Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and other Fox hosts deservedly face fresh scrutiny and condemnation in the wake of the El Paso shooting, let’s not forget that is because of the Murdoch family that the white nationalist rhetoric has such a platform.

As we’ve previously posted, Fox News has mainstreamed the same white nationalism as was found in the El Paso killer’s manifesto.

But Media Matters reminds us that Rupert Murdoch gave both Carlson and Ingraham their prime time shows after Roger Ailes was ousted. Murdoch or his son, Lachlan, could have easily curtailed the inflammatory, racist rhetoric that has become a staple in Fox News prime time. Clearly, they have not wanted to.

Media Matters notes:

In short, Rupert thrust two of the network’s most anti-immigrant personalities into its biggest spotlight and they’ve performed as expected, moving the network closer to Lachlan’s reported goal of solidifying the family’s empire as “an unabashedly nationalist, far-right and hugely profitable political propaganda machine.” 

…

The Murdochs appear to have been every bit as supportive of their hosts’ bigoted commentary in private as they are in public. After Carlson drew criticism for claiming that immigrants make this country “dirtier,” Lachlan reportedly sent him “personal text messages of support.” Rupert reportedly criticized Ingraham last year -- for apologizing for her comments about [Parkland shooting survivor David] Hogg, which he thought made her appear “weak in the face of negative public sentiment.”

Yes, Carlson, Ingraham et al. are responsible for the words they utter. But offscreen, the Murdochs are speaking volumes to us, too.

To put it another way, Fox, like the proverbial fish, rots from the head down.

Watch a mashup video from Media Matters below to see how white nationalism is promoted across both Fox News and Fox Business. There’s no way the Murdochs do not approve of this.

(Rupert Murdoch image via screen grab)