Fox is 'fake news' and 'state-run television,' says Katie Couric: 'It’s just an alternate universe'

Katie Couric says Fox News is an “alternate universe” and calls the network out for “fake news” during a political discussion at the 2020 Makers Conference.

The former Today co-host was joined by HuffPost editor-in-chief Lydia Polgreen and Yahoo News national politics reporter Brittany Shepherd for a panel about 2020 politics on Monday evening. The three discussed the differences between the leading Democratic candidates and President Donald Trump, particularly in the way the latter solicits financial support.

“He can capitalize on anger and happiness and joy and confusion in a way that the Democratic party right now, nationally, has not been able to quite suss out,” Shepherd noted. Couric said she has watched some of it play out on conservative news channels. “Sometimes I watch Fox just to see how they’re covering things. And I don’t know why I’m shocked every time I watch it, but it’s just an alternate universe,” Couric said. “And it is crazy to me. And anyway, it just, it makes me crazy.”

Shepherd checked Couric’s comment by stating that the network does get lots of viewership. Couric went on to point out why she thinks that makes Fox’s coverage even more problematic.

“They’re getting affirmation not information. As a result, they are not actually understanding facts and truth,” Couric said of Fox viewers. “I mean, if you want to talk about fake news, that’s state-run television really.”

Shepherd explained that the possibility of an uninformed public is an unfortunate part of voting rights in America.

“I think the kind of strange thing about living in America is that you can be uninformed and also vote,” Shepherd stated. “You can be wrong and vote for something.”

Follow the 2020 Makers Conference at Makers.com.