WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new peer-reviewed study by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found a statistical association between Fox News viewership and increased support for great replacement theory beliefs among white Americans. This association remained even after accounting for partisanship, ideology, and racial attitudes.
The study utilized longitudinal survey data, tracking responses from over 500 white Americans, and indicated that increased consumption of Fox News programming correlated with a rise in the adoption of these beliefs over time. The researchers, Adam Eichen, Jesse Rhodes, and Tatishe Nteta, hold academic research positions at the university.
The great replacement theory posits that political elites are implementing permissive immigration policies to replace native-born white Americans with immigrants of color. The researchers state that this theory has been connected to instances of political violence targeting people of color and religious minorities.
Survey results showed that 39 percent of all white Americans agreed that immigrants are invading and colonizing the United States. This percentage rose to 61 percent among white Americans who reported watching Fox News.
Other correlations found by the study included that Republican identification and conservative self-identification correlated with higher support for these tenets among white Americans. Additionally, holding negative racial attitudes toward other demographic groups correlated with increased support for these beliefs. Previous academic research indicates that exposure to the network's programming correlates with Americans holding more conservative views on topics such as pandemic response, immigration policy, and criminal justice.