Trump Was the Media’s Lifeline. What Will They Do Now?

Former President Donald Trump speaks at one of his famed press conferences. Source.

Now that Donald Trump’s presidency has officially ended, an existential question remains for America’s news media: what will they do? Throughout Trump’s presidency, the media repeatedly faced backlash from conservatives and Trump supporters due to their alleged bias and vendetta against President Trump. However, now that Trump is no longer president and does not have his platform, the media will need to find another method to attract viewers. This might prove to be difficult for some outlets considering they have spent the last four years focusing on Trump and his Administration in more or less wall to wall coverage. 

The media’s obsession began early on with then-candidate Trump. Trump was never viewed as a serious candidate — especially in the news media and in Washington — but he proved to be very valuable to news networks. The countless soundbites from Trump allowed many networks to soar in views and profit, however, this came at a cost. The endless covering of Trump’s antics proved to be of value to him as free advertising. After all, as the old saying goes, all press is good press?

There are some theories as to how the news media will move forward. Some people believe the media will have nothing to cover now that Trump and his scandals are fading into the limelight, however, some argue that Biden too has some scandals that might be worth investigating. The difference in this situation is whether or not the media will deem bashing Biden as a worthy strategy. The constant bashing of Trump was successful for some networks. However, if they switch sides and begin to rail the man who put an end to Trump’s presidency, it may not end well. 

Targeting Biden may not be successful for some networks such as CNN or MSNBC, who praised Biden and relished in his victory, but it could be an effective tactic for Fox. Fox may be able to turn the tables and complain about Biden in the manner left-leaning networks complained about Trump. If they venture down this road, they will have four years’ worth of material. Currently, Fox leads in cable news viewership, and like any business, they want to continue to make a profit. 

Another theory is that many networks have nothing to worry about especially given the high probability that Trump will continue to put himself at the center of attention. Typically, former presidents prefer to stay away from Washington and try to live a simple life after having the most stressful job in the world, like Presidents Bush and Obama. Although Obama has been in the news lately, overall, he has been quiet. This will likely not be the case for Trump as he has already created a super PAC and may move forward with plans to form a new party called the Patriot Party. If Trump remains active, the media will still have material. 

Although Trump will likely continue to be in the news, media outlets will have to search for other storylines to keep up viewership. It is likely that interest in the news will remain high considering the political climate and ongoing pandemic. It may be time for the media to prove it is not biased and become more moderate and in line with the majority of the population after choosing sides during Trump’s Presidency. However, in the neverending search for sensationalism, clicks, and profit, the prospect of such a centrist shift remains to be determined.