This Pod Save America episode interviews Ben Smith, Semaphore's editor-in-chief, about the state of the American free press in the context of Trump's presidency. The conversation analyzes Trump's "flood the zone" media strategy, the responses of various media outlets (including corporate appeasement), and the evolving role of fact-checking in a highly polarized information environment. Smith argues that the media's influence has diminished, partly due to technological shifts and the rise of fragmented media ecosystems, leading to a decline in trust, especially among young Democrats. He suggests that a re-centralization of media consumption around key figures and platforms is likely, creating both challenges and opportunities for news organizations.
