The Fourth Estate and the Road Not Taken

Giving up the anti-Trump stance may be too heavy a lift.

Poet Robert Frost wrote of the choices we face and the paths that ultimately define us; it is a concept that must surely be occupying editorial meetings across the nation as each particular outlet of the Fourth Estate determines whether it will opt for the path less traveled or the comfortable, familiar path.

Since legacy media have so avidly aligned themselves against President Donald Trump from 2015 onward, his return to the White House poses a conundrum: continue to be part of the unofficial “resistance” or play a straight hand?

Splitting the Fourth Estate Deck

There is evidence that some media outlets are attempting to go cold turkey on the Trump bashing. On the morning of Jan. 21 – one day after Trump’s inauguration – the top stories were a mixed bag. Here is a selection of the leading headlines that graced America over morning coffee:

Politico: “Time to Admit It: Trump Is a Great President. He’s Still Trying to Be a Good One.”

The Washington Post: “Trump takes sweeping actions on Day 1”

New York Times: “A Determined Trump Vows Not to Be Thwarted at Home or Abroad”

CNN: “Trump wields huge power to kick start his new ‘Golden Age’”

Most would agree that there is a measure of balance here. In fact, one might argue that these are the straight news headlines that have been missing from much of the media landscape over the last decade. They inform and entice – as every good headline should.

But what of the rest of the pack? A number of well-known outlets opted to take the well-lit and clearly marked freeway that has been their hallmark during Trump’s time in politics.

MSNBC: “Trump’s first executive orders preview his second administration’s chaos and cruelty”

AP: “Beneath a veneer of calm, Trump’s inauguration holds warning signs for US democracy”

And not to be outdone, HuffPost went for a full house: “TRUMP TAKEOVER / SHOCK MASS JAN. 6 PARDONS / WAR ON AMERICA’S GOV’T WORKERS / FRONTAL ATTACK ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP”

It seems clear that the denizens of pro-Democrat newsrooms have made very different choices.

Another Golden Age?

Does this mean those in the first list will resist the temptation to engage in the Trump-bashing that so defined them during Joe Biden’s presidency? Probably not. However, it does appear they have seen the writing on the wall – it’s black and red.

It is no secret that big box media have been struggling financially. DC’s most prominent newspaper – owned by Jeff Bezos – lost a whopping $100 million last year. This debacle was foreshadowed by its fast-receding digital audience. According to data shared with Semafor, when Biden took office in 2021, the site boasted 22.5 million daily users. After four years of playing for only the home team, that number was a mere 2.5-3 million last summer.

And just last week, the paper noted that it would be laying off 4% of its workforce – that’s about 100 people.

The Associated Press also released news that it was cutting back on 8% of its staff due to restructuring. Notably, this “transformation” came after two major newspaper chains decided to ditch the AP.

Media is a business, and the numbers don’t lie. As alternative boutique news outlets see their audiences rise, legacy outlets suffer the hit, and it seems the reason is that they are simply not trusted to deliver honest news. As Liberty Nation News’ Corey Smith reported just before the November election:

“Only 54% of Democrats, 27% of independents, and 12% of Republicans trust ‘mass media,’ defined by Gallup as ‘newspapers, TV and radio,’ when it comes to reporting the news fully, accurately, and fairly.”

Journalist Matt Taibbi wrote in his book Hate, Inc.: “Your team either won or lost, and you felt devastated or vindicated accordingly. We were training rooters instead of readers.” And here’s the rub: This partisanship was cultivated. It seems that if the legacy media are to survive another four years of Trump, a new business model might be required.

Are we about to witness a resurgence of political parity? Don’t hold your breath. While some outlets may be attempting to thread the needle and retain readership amid the slings and arrows of outrageous partisanship, it’s not likely to last. Eventually, they will choose the road well-traveled, and that will make all the difference.