We live in an era intensely driven by narratives. One such narrative was recently put forth by MSNBC’s Al Velshi, who made the audacious claim that his audience is free from conspiracy theorists. This declaration was made to none other than Nika Jankowicz, almost appointed head of the controversial ‘Disinformation Governance Board’ at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Velshi’s assertion is buoyed by the presumption of a utopian audience, a claim ripe for scrutiny given MSNBC’s history of narrating the debatable Russia collusion theory for four years.
MSNBC’s @AliVelshi: Unlike Fox News, “my audience doesn’t have conspiracy theorists in it … people bathing in the cesspool of conspiracy are not watching me.” pic.twitter.com/xeCLySecpS
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) July 15, 2023
The conspiratorial irony in this statement is not lost on keen observers, given that this comes from a network with a flourishing track record of sensationalizing the ‘Russia collusion’ narrative, a plotline that has bewitched their viewership and added allure to their broadcasts. To assert that an audience deeply invested in a significant conspiracy theory for its duration is bereft of conspiracy theorists is a mismatch of proportions that challenge believability.
Furthermore, Velshi’s conversation centered around Ray Epps, recently known for his lawsuit against Fox News, alleging the channel proclaimed him an FBI agent encouraging the Capitol riots on January 6. In this context, Velshi’s claim of an audience devoid of conspiracy theorists, who favor his show for so-called ‘egghead’ takes on economics, appears misplaced.
Becoming somewhat notorious for standing in front of a burning building in Minneapolis during the BLM/Antifa riots while negating any unruliness, Velshi’s narrative seems to feature a common theme of obscuring facts and engineering narratives. If Velshi’s show is as fact-driven and logical as he claims, then dismissing a potential section of his viewership points to a lack of self-awareness on his part.
Exactly how our Sickular MSM reported anti-CAA peaceful riots
The reporter, standing in front of a burning building in middle of a riot & says, "I want to be clear on how I characterize this. This is mostly a protest. It's not generally speaking unruly." pic.twitter.com/8SmMtBXpdZ
— Bihari Bengalurean एकमेवाद्वितीयम (Àj) 🇮🇳 (@Ekamevadvityam) May 29, 2020
Velshi’s statement, made to Jankowicz, is a dramatic assertion. It exposes a seemingly impassive reaction to the idea of conspiracies, which in reality, is an integral part of modern political discourse. It lays bare the urgent need for prominent television hosts and outlets to acknowledge the inherent biases and potential for conspiracy theories among their viewers and, in fairness, themselves as well.
The assertion of a conspiracy-free audience echoes an ironic yet familiar undertone within MSNBC, a network often accused of partaking and promoting conspiracy theories. In spotlighting this assertion, we intend not to demonize conspiracy theories per se but to highlight the cognitive dissonance between the perception of their audience and reality.
In conclusion, considering the inherent fallibility of audiences and the demonstrated leaning towards certain narratives, categorically claiming an absence of conspiracy theorists among his viewers unveils a disinterested view of the complex matrix that constitutes an audience’s political ideologies. The real issue is not the theory itself but a failure to recognize that everyone’s perspective is shaped by their subjective understanding of reality, an understanding that can get entangled in the web of distressing conspiracies when facts are mixed with fiction. Velshi’s confidence in his audience’s immunity from conspiracy theories just may be the most gripping conspiracy theory yet. His statement reminds journalism, once again, of its sacred duty – to responsibly portray the world rather than reinforce preferred narratives.
