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"Turning the Page: How Media’s Shift Away from Trump Could Revitalize Our Democracy" [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-11-27

Some time ago, I wrote: Yes, I am looking forward to January 20, 2021, and hearing people say, “I don’t know,” when asked to remember the name of the 45th President of the United States. From my perspective, Trump’s name (and his feckless political philosophy called “Trumpism”) cannot be assigned to the dustbin of history fast enough.

While my wish did not come true, I remain optimistic.

What I most look forward to now is the media’s shift away from its overly (to say the least) Trump-centric news coverage. Below is what I imagine such a time might look like.

The unrelenting media focus on ​Donald Trump, with every tweet, statement, and controversy endlessly dissected, is paradoxically contributing to a stagnation in our public discourse. There’s an undeniable discrepancy between Trump-related content’s high engagement metrics and the actual value it adds to collective understanding and progress. It is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of this fixation and consider the benefits of reducing the bandwidth it consumes.

The lure of Trump’s coverage seems to be irresistible. Yet, the success of media should not solely be measured in instantaneous engagement but in the sustained contribution to a knowledgeable society. Trump’s media dominance often crowns the spectacle over substance, sidelining the comprehensive reportage of systemic societal issues.

We’ve traversed the mire of Russian campaign ties, impeachment proceedings, and findings of the Mueller report ad infinitum. Trump’s legal embattlements — his federal indictments for mishandling classified records and for conspiring to disrupt an official proceeding, as well as his RICO indictment in Georgia and his records falsification indictment in New York — have pervaded headlines. While these events are historically significant, their overexposure in the media has exhausted public interest and diminished our collective consciousness.

The media’s pivotal role as a reflection and builder of democracy is at stake. The media’s continuous coverage of the same individual, especially one so polarizing, risks fragmenting our society further, erodes faith in journalistic objectivity and leads to news fatigue. The necessity for diverse, rigorous journalism that holds all corridors of power accountable has never been greater.

Diminishing Trump from our media palimpsests would free up narrative space to spotlight broader issues—urgent environmental challenges, healthcare reform, and systemic inequalities. It would amplify new voices in the political arena, fostering informed debates and nurturing emerging leadership. There is a profound need to pivot towards proactive journalism that empowers civil society and engages constructively with the future.

Cultivating robust civil discourse is the bedrock of a healthy democracy. Yet, the prevailing Trump-centric media approach often sparks more heat than light, more division than understanding. Transitioning focus could heal divisions, promoting dialogue over diatribe and collaboration over conflict.

The current media paradigm is not immutable. As we acknowledge the undue emphasis on a singular figure that not all deem newsworthy, media outlets have the opportunity, if not the obligation, to recalibrate their compass. In the age of information overload, curation is essential, and discernment must prevail over the mere allure of clicks and views.

The media stands at a crossroads, with a choice to perpetuate a worn narrative or embrace a broader, more inclusive, and constructive journalism. This new path demands courage, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to serving the public’s best interests. Embracing this challenge might rejuvenate our worn-out public discourse and restore the media’s central role in a flourishing democracy.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/11/27/2208172/--Turning-the-Page-How-Media-s-Shift-Away-from-Trump-Could-Revitalize-Our-Democracy?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

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