I don’t understand your take.
The press is far less powerful than it used to be. We used to believe Walter Cronkite was God, or at least one of his messengers.
Now we have all kinds of news stations, plus we have a strong grass roots press in the social media that we never had before.
Donald Trump is totally indebted to the mainstream press.
If they hadn’t given him a billion in free publicity, he would be back polishing the sign on Trump Towers.
“The press is far less powerful than it used to be. We used to believe Walter Cronkite was God, or at least one of his messengers.
Now we have all kinds of news stations, plus we have a strong grass roots press in the social media that we never had before.”
True and true.
By the way, people on the left have their electronic networking too.
But I think the main-stream media is still powerful. They may not have the power to knock off conservative candidates in the primaries the way they used to. (I’m thinking Hermain Cain). But they may be able to knock off a conservative candidate in the general election. I hope I’m mistaken.
One economist tried to measure the bias and power of the press. With a balanced press, he estimated that liberal states (say Massachusetts) would vote like Tennessee, and moderate states would vote like Texas. We would have a different country.
Aside from elections, the power of the media (press, TV, and movies) remains great. I think many Americans have many false beliefs and remain ignorant of many important truths due to the media.