How the Right Took Over the Media

Sun Feb 09 2025

Ben Smith, former media columnist at the New York Times and now the editor-in-chief of Semafor, joins Dan to talk about today's ultra-challenging news media landscape. The industry is significantly weaker than it was in 2016, and Trump's aggressive lawsuits have the executives in charge of CBS and ABC scrambling to appease him. Will the death blow for America's free press come from within? Smith runs through what we should have learned from the first Trump presidency, how cults of personality rule in journalism just like they rule in politics, and why the dominance of the Times is terrible for fascism-proofing the country.

Summary

Pod Save America: How the Right Took Over the Media

Release Date: February 9, 2025

In the February 9, 2025 episode of Pod Save America, hosts Dan Pfeiffer and Ben Smith delve deep into the evolving landscape of American media, focusing on how political right-wing forces have significantly influenced and, in many cases, overtaken the traditional media ecosystem. This comprehensive discussion sheds light on strategic maneuvers, shifting trust dynamics, and the challenges facing journalism in the current political climate.

1. The "Flood the Zone" Strategy and Media Overwhelm

The conversation kicks off with an analysis of Steve Bannon's strategic approach, termed "flood the zone," aimed at saturating the media with information to overwhelm and control narratives.

Ben Smith introduces the concept:
“Bannon first described this approach in 2018... 'They hit them with three things, they'll bite on one, and we'll get all of our stuff done.'" [04:26]
Dan Pfeiffer concurs on its effectiveness in the early weeks of Trump’s administration:
“It is a very accurate description... they've been trying to implement this muzzle velocity approach from the start.” [05:04]

2. Media’s Changing Role Under the Trump Administration

Pfeiffer and Smith discuss how the Trump administration's aggressive media tactics have altered the traditional role of the press.

Ben Smith observes:
“Trump is out there 24/7... he benefits from the comparison to Biden because Biden was perceived to be fairly or unfairly as absent.” [08:25]
Dan Pfeiffer adds:
“The media fell in love with a narrative about itself... that made liberals love them and conservatives hate them.” [14:17]

3. Declining Trust in Media Among Republicans

A significant portion of the episode addresses the erosion of trust in mainstream media among Republican audiences, highlighting a shift from viewing media as simply "too liberal" to believing it fabricates information.

Dan Pfeiffer references polling data:
“The decline in trust in the media is among Republicans... it flips from the media is too liberal to the media is making everything up.” [37:43]

4. Media Consumption Shifts Among Younger Generations

Smith and Pfeiffer explore how younger Americans, particularly Gen Z, consume news differently, favoring conversational and podcast formats over traditional news outlets.

Ben Smith states:
“The New York Times app... is what they go to for everything... it has replaced the conglomerate of major news sources.” [45:26]
Dan Pfeiffer notes the confusion in media consumption:
“Podcasters are producing shows that are more interesting than most of what's on TV... it’s going to be increasingly consolidated around big individual voices.” [63:12]

5. The Challenge of Curation and New Media Models

The hosts discuss the importance of curation in the fragmented media landscape and how new media outlets like Semaphore aim to bridge information gaps.

Ben Smith emphasizes curation:
“Curation is a place where media can rebuild trust with audiences... trust is built with individuals.” [56:45]
Dan Pfeiffer highlights Semaphore's role:
“We see our lane as narrower... providing really good information but not ultimately resolve the argument.” [29:00]

6. Fact-Checking and Journalism’s Evolving Role

The efficacy of traditional fact-checking in an era where political narratives often disregard reality is critically examined.

Dan Pfeiffer questions the impact of fact-checking:
“I don’t think those fact checks were changing a lot of minds... formalized fact checking, I’m not sure what it was doing in the end.” [25:14]
Ben Smith adds:
“What matters is the reality remains reality... the crisis is that people are less informed about what’s happening now.” [49:58]

7. The Current Media Ecosystem and Future Outlook

Pfeiffer and Smith conclude by contemplating the future of media consolidation and the potential resurgence of centralized media models amidst technological and economic shifts.

Dan Pfeiffer reflects on media consolidation:
“There's going to be a recentralization of audiences and of content... it’s going to get a little less fragmented.” [55:19]
Ben Smith envisions the future:
“We’re in a moment of crazy transition... politics is the war for attention, politics is the information war.” [66:00]

Key Takeaways

Strategic Media Dominance: The right’s "flood the zone" strategy has effectively overwhelmed traditional media narratives, reducing the press’s ability to set agendas.
Trust Dynamics: A significant decline in media trust among Republicans has emboldened right-wing media ecosystems, making it harder for legacy outlets to maintain influence.
Generational Shifts: Younger generations prefer conversational and decentralized news formats, leading to further fragmentation and challenges for traditional media.
Role of Curation: New media models focusing on curated content and trusted individual voices are emerging as potential solutions to the fragmented information landscape.
Future of Media: The consolidation of media around major voices and platforms is anticipated, potentially decreasing fragmentation but raising concerns about diversity and accountability in journalism.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

"They hit them with three things, they'll bite on one, and we'll get all of our stuff done." — Ben Smith [04:26]
"It is a very accurate description... they've been trying to implement this muzzle velocity approach from the start." — Dan Pfeiffer [05:04]
"Trump is out there 24/7... he benefits from the comparison to Biden because Biden was perceived to be fairly or unfairly as absent." — Ben Smith [08:25]
"The decline in trust in the media is among Republicans... it flips from the media is too liberal to the media is making everything up." — Dan Pfeiffer [37:43]
"Curation is a place where media can rebuild trust with audiences... trust is built with individuals." — Ben Smith [56:45]

This episode of Pod Save America offers a compelling analysis of the shifting power dynamics within American media, the strategic maneuvers of right-wing forces, and the challenges facing traditional journalism in a rapidly evolving political and technological landscape.