“Errend boy” is a pretty generous description of the media’s role. In many cases they actively engaged in the coup by not only printing stories they knew were unverified but also suggested stories to embellish the false accusations.
What if many top news editors and programers are on call basis CIA contractors? They are recruited out of college. They do it in many countries. They learnt from the KGB that the media manufactures electoral consent. Eg, the climate change hoax.