Perhaps the most influential person in the media today is someone that nearly everyone in the country knows almost nothing about. The conservative leaning Matt Drudge who runs the multimillion dollar news website, The Drudge Report, is one of the most enigmatic figures in the media today. The Drudge Report often shapes current events and even breaks major stories. The Monica Lewinsky scandal of the Clinton presidency was initially reported on the website which spawned nearly a decade of stories, skits, and parodies about the former President. For all of the stories that have been reported through the website, the author has never attempted to turn himself into a story.
Previously, Drudge hosted a television show on the conservative leaning Fox News, but relinquished his position because the network refused to air a controversial picture during an abortion story. He also hosted a radio show until 2007, but since that went off the air, Drudge has become increasingly reclusive. In fact, Drudge has been so secretive over the past three years that nobody even knows where he makes his residence.
The Drudge Report is a perfect example of how an audience can decode a piece of pop culture depending on their personal beliefs and viewpoint. Those who share similar views to Drudge are more likely to use the dominant hegemonic position and take many of the reports at face value. Others, who have completely different viewpoints but read the website in the same way a conservative may read the Huffington Post would more than likely have an oppositional take. Those who have more moderate political views or recognize Drudge’s inherent bias would be more likely to decode the piece in the form of a negotiated reading.
Previously, Drudge hosted a television show on the conservative leaning Fox News, but relinquished his position because the network refused to air a controversial picture during an abortion story. He also hosted a radio show until 2007, but since that went off the air, Drudge has become increasingly reclusive. In fact, Drudge has been so secretive over the past three years that nobody even knows where he makes his residence.
The Drudge Report is a perfect example of how an audience can decode a piece of pop culture depending on their personal beliefs and viewpoint. Those who share similar views to Drudge are more likely to use the dominant hegemonic position and take many of the reports at face value. Others, who have completely different viewpoints but read the website in the same way a conservative may read the Huffington Post would more than likely have an oppositional take. Those who have more moderate political views or recognize Drudge’s inherent bias would be more likely to decode the piece in the form of a negotiated reading.
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