Steve Benen, in discussing Fox News’s soaring ratings, revisits something he wrote 16 months ago - when Fox’s ratings were slipping:

But then imagine how thrilled they’ll be if Dems control the House, Senate, and White House. Fox News and its audience are their most content when they have a target for their rage. These guys want someone to be mad at, and come January 2009, they’ll have no shortage of options.

Poniewozik added: “News on Fox looks like a video game, full of bluster, blondes and blaring graphics. Ideology aside, Fox makes the news urgent, even when nothing’s going on.”

True, but an Obama/Pelosi/Reid triumvirate [in 2009] practically guarantees that plenty will be going on, and Fox News and its loyal Republican audience will be pissed about it.

It might be the best thing to ever happen to the network.

And it was. Populist rage is highly profitable - which is why Fox stokes it. Murdoch ain’t dumb.