September 2024 Right-Wing Media Report

SEPTEMBER 2024

During the September tracking period, there were 4,407 negative immigration mentions across right-wing media outlets (+9% from August) to an estimated audience of 15,415,006,927 people (-21% from August) worth an estimated $500,704,359 in publicity (-28% from August).

September Summary:

During the September tracking period, there were 4,407 negative immigration mentions across right-wing media outlets (+9% from August) to an estimated audience of 15,415,006,927 people (-21% from August) worth an estimated $500,704,359 in publicity (-28% from August).

Mainstream media:

During the September tracking period, there were 5,417 negative immigration mentions across mainstream media outlets (+15% from August) to an estimated audience of 21,159,833,096 people (+23% from August, worth an estimated $273,518,695 in publicity (+30% from August).

Last month, right-wing sites pushed several articles discussing Trump’s debate claims about immigrants in Aurora and Springfield.

Sites also amplified their coverage of supposed noncitizen voting taking place in Arizona and other states.

Right-wing media continued to tie immigrants to violent crimes and amplified Trump’s claims that 13,000 undocumented immigrants charged with murder are living in the U.S. The claims are based on a DHS report, but the figure is taken out of context by Trump and right-wing sites.

Right-wing media repeatedly framed immigrants as taking jobs and causing unemployment.

In September, the right-wing media ecosystem fixated on claims that undocumented immigrant gangs, particularly from the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, are taking over cities in Colorado, Illinois, and Texas. They mentioned “Tren de Aragua” 105 times in September, using it as another way to inject fear into their audiences, similar to claims about immigrants being MS-13 members. This narrative is rooted in Trump’s debate remarks about migrant gangs in Aurora Colorado, but sites have begun looping Chicago and Texas into the narrative as well.