Here’s an informed prediction about the news business: It’s going to get pretty dark for a while in the aftermath of the 2024 election.
After Trump’s election victory last week, cancellations have shaken U.S. newsrooms and viewers have turned away from traditional TV news. CNN and MSNBC posted their worst ratings in the 25-54 year-old demographic in more than 20 years on Tuesday. And large newspapers have seen subscriber account terminations stack up.
404 Media, an independent news site, boldly said out loud last week what other, bigger publications were also experiencing. “In the days following Donald Trump’s presidential victory,” the website’s founders wrote, “we have seen a larger-than-normal number of people canceling their subscriptions.”