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Harris’s Outdated Media Strategy: A Faded Role in Politics

When the administration’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, stated that the press room doors would now welcome representatives from the ‘new media’, inclusive of online platforms and podcast channels, it was an apparent recognition of their growing influence. This was a development missed by the Kamala Harris campaign, which doggedly stuck to traditional media in the previous elections. Interestingly, while these ‘legacy media’ continue to lose their grasp, it’s quite the opposite for the new media. This shift in trust in media could be attributed partly to a bias perceived in the reporting style of notable platforms like The New York Times, a stalwart that conventional networks often look up to for direction.

A mere fortnight into President Trump’s term, an opinion piece was written: ‘Trump is Already Failing. That’s the Key to a Big Democratic Rebound.’ Is anybody outside the liberal demographic that peruses the Times taking note of the issues the Democrats are truly wrestling with? It doesn’t seem to be the case. High-profile departures are ensuing, such as ‘Meet the Press’ host deciding to bow out. Trump and his supporters were even burstingly blamed on ‘The View’ for an unfortunate collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army chopper.

Such overt and unsupported allegations might pander to the rage of numerous anti-Trump advocates. However, they fail miserably in enhancing the credibility of the media making such claims. Evidence suggests the left-leaning media started their week by going after nominees for Trump’s cabinet. Intense scrutiny was then unleashed on Trump and Elon Musk, with them getting depicted as nothing short of fascist bigots. To top it all off, glowing accolades were lavished on Joe Biden, in direct opposition to the derision leveled at Trump.

The mainstream media’s consistent efforts to obscure the business dealings of the Biden family, the noticeable decline in Biden’s cognitive faculties and the scandalous Hunter Biden laptop saga were hard to ignore. In the face of cultural shifts, there have always been stubborn detractors resistant to change. For instance, there were those who hesitated to move from equine to vehicular transportation. Quite a few folks were dismissive of the future of telecommunication and aviation. Even prominent Hollywood personalities were dismissive of television’s longevity.

An amusing part of history involves the resistance to more common and seemingly innocuous aspects of modern life such as the humble refrigerator and even coffee! At present, autonomous vehicles appear to be the central object of skepticism. The commonality among all these resistors of change over the eras is that they were invariably left in the dust as innovations became the norm.

This obstinate clinging to the past rather than embracing the present is a recurring issue for most of the oldschool media. The majority seem unable to contemplate introspection and are rigidly locked in their ideological stances of ‘eat your vegetables because they’re good for you.’ The prevailing notion seems to be that consumers of news should accept whatever they present, whether it aligns with their preferences or not.

This shouldn’t imply that the media must desist from critical examination of the strategies and declarations of President Trump or any members of his administration. Instead, what this should entail is a departure from the entrenched belief system of ‘he can’t ever do anything right’. It’s also crucial to acknowledge when Trump and other Republicans deliver on notable goals, instead of choosing to ignore or gloss over these moments, rushing off instead to further rounds of dubious interrogation.

Legacy media faces a challenging path to restore its credibility, tainted by the decided tilt towards the left among many of their roster. If they end up being discounted like several obsolete and irrelevant matters, they will have none but themselves to blame. An unfettered press is indispensable to the strength and integrity of our nation. The advent of new media could potentially provide a vital lifeline for journalism.