Complete Story
01/05/2018
Trust in print media rises in Trump era as digital credibility tumbles
We’re not even a year in, and already the Age of Trump has changed everything from the tax code to America’s standing on the world stage to regulations protecting the environment and the Internet. Even the office and role of the President himself has been redefined. But there’s another institution Trump appears to be transforming before our eyes, even if he doesn’t realize it: the press.
We talked about our nutty leader nonstop for the duration of last year. While Trump has been the most unpopular first-year President in modern history — his polling has consistently hovered between 30 and 35 percent — it’s equally clear that he’s enlivened the headlines.
It’s no secret that Trump has continued to make gold for the cable news networks, and the most recent ratings figures prove it. Fox News, which has remained the most-watched cable news network for 191 consecutive months now, wrapped up 2017 as its most watched year ever in terms of total day views. MSNBC climbed 47 percent in year-to-year total viewer gains, growing more than any basic cable network and topping CNN in this category for the first time since 2012. CNN also saw its highest rated year on record in terms of total day views.
It appears the Trump era has driven an increased interest in all matters political from the public. This is a great thing, and while it’s no surprise that it’s precisely why 2017 has been such a banner year for the news networks, what’s more impressive is that, by all indication, the Trump effect also seems to have resurrected the public’s interest in print media, or at least stalled its years-long demise for the time being.
