Donald Trump never could've become president if it weren't for the media's obsession with turning politics into spectacle. This obsession helped create the crisis we're in, and prevents media from adequately covering the moment.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…
On the new episode of The Muckrake, Nick and I discuss the media's problems in trying to chase profit while reporting on a legitimate crisis, as well as the history of how we got here.
So much of what we're seeing now, with Fox News, as well as their competitors, is a result of Roger Ailes transitioning from entertainment to politics in helping Nixon. Even ideologically opposed companies have used his theories and strategies and we're all the worse for it.
What happens is that politics becomes entertainment, a TV show we watch but feel disconnected from. It immobilizes the electorate and in many cases makes people swear off politics altogether. It leads to a burning crisis that so many just can't help but watch.
We discuss the fact that Trump is actually great for these media outlets and they've become addicted to his dysfunction. They've gifted him billions in free advertising while profiting off the appearance of "resisting," all the while equivocating and normalizing his criminality.
