What you're saying is not very far from what I've observed as a person who moved to the states ~2 years ago.
But it seems that current situation is not Fox New' fault. Read this quote from Isaac Asimov from decades ago:
There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.
To me it seems that Fox News is riding on the wave of this ignorance and fueling it.
Edit: I feel like I need to add another opinion. This phenomenon exists in, probably all countries.
It's just that in the U.S. the stakes are so high, that anything that could be exploited, is going to be. And exploiting under educated voters is not exactly new.
But it seems that current situation is not Fox New' fault. Read this quote from Isaac Asimov from decades ago:
There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.
To me it seems that Fox News is riding on the wave of this ignorance and fueling it.
Edit: I feel like I need to add another opinion. This phenomenon exists in, probably all countries.
It's just that in the U.S. the stakes are so high, that anything that could be exploited, is going to be. And exploiting under educated voters is not exactly new.