The media model is obsolete.

[kentuck]

There was a time when the mass media had the power to destroy candidates for office with negative stories and repetition. Remember Howard Dean's scream? Remember Gary Hart? Remember Thomas Eagleton? Etc...

But with Donald Trump, they seem to have little or no impact with their similar attacks? Why is that?

[underpants]

1. Money

60 Minutes set the ball rolling when it became to first TV news operation to make money. Oh, we can make money off something the FCC requires us to provide?

It's all about ad sales and everyone (supporters and us) tune in for the next outrageous act.

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. Misdirection If you notice........... there is no mention of the 1%

by the media nor Trump on who is really moving the pieces.

[closeupready]

3. I don't know what that means, "media model".

You had state authorities in the USSR make 5-year plans for Soviet economic performance - like that?

You do realize the US media is not controlled by any central government authorities, right?

[kentuck]

4. They are self-regulating...

by the money factor.

[closeupready]

5. Actually, that's not true. Al-Jazeera operates (including in the US) at a loss, and

yet continues to have its activities underwritten by one of the arab royal families in the UAE (to bring up just one example). It might ultimately be merely a PR exercise to demonstrate a commitment to free speech and a free press, but who cares - I've seen some terrific documentaries and investigative stories on their website and on the cable channel.

And setting the commercial aspect aside, you've got people on the ground everywhere who are blogging and publishing videos, for free. That's journalism. It's not slick and pretty, and you have to dig for the good bits, but it is journalism.

I hope I'm not missing your point.

[kentuck]

6. Do you think Al Jazeera has the best interests of our country at heart...

...and are not biased toward the Arab viewpoint, no matter how hard they try?

[closeupready]

8. As a news organization, they cover very little ethnic stuff, at least

relative to what one might think about an organization bankrolled by an arab kingdom.

They've done documentaries about modern slavery in Nepal, struggling to make a living on minimum or low wage jobs in the US, immigration to the US from Latin America, and even (if I'm recalling correctly) a series of documentaries about the immigrant labor in Dubai which is building the high-rises but at a high personal cost.

Further, if a journalist is a good one, they leave their personal biases out, which is why I'll watch Steven Kroft on 60 Minutes - or even Leslie Stahl: while they both strike me as conservatives, they seem to be willing to give everyone a fair chance at giving their own points of view.

Are you, as a news 'consumer', someone who seeks out ALL the news, or only the news you WANT to see? If the latter, then you are keeping yourself partially ignorant of current events. That's not the mainstream media's fault.

[hifiguy]

10. I've seen a fair amount of AJA over the years.

I'd venture to say their closest analog is their obvious model, the BBC, and I mean that as very high praise.

[HereSince1628]

7. Media has tremendous motivation to stop populist looking to close the income gap

Letting the anti-progressive/anti-socialist rabble on the far right rage seems perfectly consistent with that.

[hifiguy]

9. They are actively promoting Trumpolini

because he's good for ratings. Profits easily override any and all other motives, particularly ones based in actual responsibility.

[kentuck]

11. I think he has paid off a couple of networks...

..so they will broadcast his speeches and his appearances in their entirety, MSNBC especially.

[Snobblevitch]

12. The media has figured out that every time they cover

cover another of Trump's stupid antics, their ratings rise. Trump seems to be able to let this shit roll right off his back, despite the media coverage.

Howard Dean's tirade leading up to the scream made him look unstable. Gary Hart dared the media to find his mistress, guess what, they did. I think the difference is more about Trump's ability to deflect.