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Post-Election News Overload Leads to Plummeting Viewership for MSNBC and CNN
A new AP-NORC Center poll reveals that about two-thirds of American adults have recently limited their media consumption of politics due to overload, impacting TV ratings with MSNBC and CNN viewership down significantly while Fox News viewership is up; the poll was conducted December 5-9, 2024, among 1,251 adults.
- What are the potential long-term consequences of this decreased political news engagement for civic discourse and the future of traditional news media?
- The decreased engagement with political news suggests a potential for future challenges in maintaining informed civic discourse. The networks' response to this trend will be crucial for their survival. MSNBC's planned corporate spin-off adds another layer of complexity. The shift toward alternative news sources, such as YouTube, also suggests a broader trend impacting traditional media.
- How does the public's decreased consumption of political news relate to their opinions on political commentary from celebrities and other public figures?
- The post-election decline in viewership for MSNBC and CNN, contrasting with Fox News's increase, reflects partisan divides. Democrats, more likely to limit their political news intake, heavily favored MSNBC and CNN before the election. This pattern mirrors previous election cycles where networks heavily identified with the losing side experience viewership dips. The poll also shows that Americans desire less political commentary from celebrities and public figures.
- What are the primary causes and consequences of the significant drop in viewership for MSNBC and CNN after the recent election, contrasting with Fox News's increase?
- A recent AP-NORC poll reveals that approximately two-thirds of American adults have limited their media consumption of political news due to overload. This is significantly higher than the percentages for other news categories like international conflicts, the economy, or climate change. The impact is evident in plummeting television ratings for MSNBC and CNN, while Fox News viewership increased.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing centers on the decline in viewership for MSNBC and CNN, highlighting the post-election exhaustion of the Democratic voters. While the increase in Fox News viewership is mentioned, the emphasis leans toward the negative impact on the networks associated with the losing side. The headline and introduction set this tone, suggesting an effect mostly from the losing voters.
Language Bias
The language used is mostly neutral, but certain phrases might carry subtle bias. For example, describing Trump as "President-elect Donald Trump" and referring to the period after the election as "interregnum" may suggest a negative connotation. Phrases like "clown show" used by a subject carry negative connotations that are not countered.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the decrease in viewership for MSNBC and CNN after the election, and the increase in viewership for Fox News. It mentions the opinions of several individuals who have reduced their media consumption, but it omits the perspectives of those who continue to engage with political news, or those who switched their viewing habits to other networks besides the three mentioned. The article also omits analysis of the broader media landscape beyond cable news, including the role of social media and online news sources in shaping political discourse.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat false dichotomy by framing the issue as a simple choice between either engaging with political news or tuning out completely. It neglects the possibility of selective engagement, choosing specific sources or focusing on particular issues while avoiding others. This oversimplification overlooks the diversity of ways people consume and process information.