[thatboy]

In large parts of the country, mainstream media is run by the likes of Clear Channel and Media News Group (aka Digital First Media). These are right wing companies pushing right wing nonsense. If thee is a mainstream media agenda, it's way to the right.

It should be pretty obvious from the last couple elections that the influence of the “MSM” is an anachronistic concept. Trumps twitter feed is far more influential than anything some wag at the NYT says. I am certain more people get their information these days from social media, echo chambers, viral news stories (and disinformation), and memes on Twitter than they do from Don Lemon on CNN or some no name at the Washington Post. And on the right they also get info from an army of right wing personalities that dwarf Rachel Maddow: Hannity, Tucker, Ben Shapiro, Limbaugh, Prager, GlennBeck, Hugh Hewitt, Alex Jones, Kilmeade, etc., etc., etc. 

And to some degree it’s asymmetric warfare. The MSM is still held to some standard of being fair and somehow a disinterested party. They are not, of course, but the right still holds them to that standard and they themselves try to play the part to some extent. Meanwhile on the right there is no pretense. There is no fig leaf of objectivity or fairness.

Long gone are the days when Cronkite told us that’s the way it is. Even the heydays of CNN are ancient history. Media is polarized on both sides, but somehow the “MSM” is always shamed for being biased while the right wing media gets a free pass even though it’s influence is now broader than traditional media.

[thatboy]

In large parts of the country, mainstream media is run by the likes of Clear Channel and Media News Group (aka Digital First Media). These are right wing companies pushing right wing nonsense. If thee is a mainstream media agenda, it's way to the right.

It should be pretty obvious from the last couple elections that the influence of the “MSM” is an anachronistic concept. Trumps twitter feed is far more influential than anything some wag at the NYT says. I am certain more people get their information these days from social media, echo chambers, viral news stories (and disinformation), and memes on Twitter than they do from Don Lemon on CNN or some no name at the Washington Post. And on the right they also get info from an army of right wing personalities that dwarf Rachel Maddow: Hannity, Tucker, Ben Shapiro, Limbaugh, Prager, GlennBeck, Hugh Hewitt, Alex Jones, Kilmeade, etc., etc., etc. 

And to some degree it’s asymmetric warfare. The MSM is still held to some standard of being fair and somehow a disinterested party. They are not, of course, but the right still holds them to that standard and they themselves try to play the part to some extent. Meanwhile on the right there is no pretense. There is no fig leaf of objectivity or fairness.

Long gone are the days when Cronkite told us that’s the way it is. Even the heydays of CNN are ancient history. Media is polarized on both sides, but somehow the “MSM” is always shamed for being biased while the right wing media gets a free pass even though it’s influence is now broader than traditional media.