After the top of his in style daytime discuss present in 2023, Dr. Phil McGraw launched a right-wing media community, and a brand new report from Slate paperwork a community in chaos, with suspended programming and chapter filings.
Within the November 2023 press launch asserting the launch of Benefit Avenue Media, McGraw proclaimed that “American families and our core values are under attack.” The discharge additionally echoed many different gripes from now-President Donald Trump and different conservatives, such because the U.S. having “out-of-control immigration.”
Because the networks’ launch, Benefit failed to draw viewers, averaging simply 24,000 primetime viewers in 2024. In August of that 12 months, the community laid off dozens of staffers. And that October, McGraw spoke at Trump’s racist rally at Madison Sq. Backyard, selling the community throughout his speech—to no avail.
The Skilled Bull Riders league, which had an settlement to offer content material to Benefit, give up the community final November. And this July, the corporate filed for Chapter 11 chapter.
Benefit can be concerned in lawsuits with right-wing spiritual broadcaster Trinity Broadcasting Community, with each events accusing the opposite of misleading enterprise practices.
McGraw and Benefit tried to translate a pro-MAGA message into monetary success. Most notably, McGraw carried out a fawning interview with Trump in August 2024, amid that 12 months’s presidential marketing campaign. The interview gave Trump a chance to reiterate quite a few conspiracies, together with the false declare that he “won the election against [Joe] Biden.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers in New York escort a detained immigrant into an elevator in June.
Earlier this 12 months, McGraw rode together with Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers throughout raids and recorded content material for the community.
None of this saved his enterprise afloat, although. As soon as once more, regardless of conservative claims that folks need merchandise that counter the “woke” concepts of equality and equity, such issues are sometimes failures.
For example, Goal deserted its variety efforts after Trump’s return to the White Home, and in response, the corporate misplaced hundreds of thousands in gross sales and required a administration shakeup. And Elon Musk’s Tesla has seen truck gross sales drop after the electrical automobile firm’s chief connected himself to the Trump administration.
In contrast, ventures seen as favoring “woke” values have typically been successful.
Conservatives complained that this 12 months’s “Superman” movie was described by director James Gunn as pro-immigrant—however the movie is the third-highest-grossing theatrical launch of the 12 months.
After megastar Taylor Swift endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris final 12 months, Trump mentioned he hated her and that the “Woke singer” was “NO LONGER HOT.” Nevertheless, Swift’s latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” smashed information.
She is clearly no Dr. Phil.
