Cable news, in many ways, has been the last holdout of our enduring media shift from analog to digital. Years after Amazon conquered the publishing market; a generation after Napster and then Pandora and, finally, Spotify vanquished music publishing; and just as Netflix and a coterie of aggressive second-movers decisively overtook broadcast and theatrical entertainment, cable news still survives. Part of this is somewhat miraculous. Indeed, Jeff Zucker almost single-handedly pivoted CNN from the province of warmed-over Eliot Spitzer and Piers Morgan fodder into a mainstage, albeit left-leaning, for the national conversation. At Fox and MSNBC, executives also found ways to prey upon the age-ridden insecurities and tribalism of a shrinking but nevertheless shrill audience. (Fox, with an audience larger than CNN and MSNBC combined, was particularly successful at this tactic.) As our culture pivoted to digital amid the Trump years, each network cleared more than a billion in profit.
Try Puck for free
Sign up today to join the inside conversation at the nexus of Wall Street, Washington, A.I., Hollywood, and more.
Already a member? Log In
- Daily articles and breaking news
- Personal emails directly from our authors
- Gift subscriber-only stories to friends & family
- Unlimited access to archives
- Exclusive bonus days of select newsletters
- Exclusive access to Puck merch
- Early bird access to new editorial and product features
- Invitations to private conference calls with Puck authors
Exclusive to Inner Circle only
Latest Articles from Media
All the Newsletters Fit to Print
Ben on a Wire
MacCallum of Duty
MS NOW & Later
The Big Cibrowski
The Times’ Ruemmler in the Jungle
The Wellness Wars
Get access to this story
Enter your email for a free preview of Puck’s full offering, including exclusive articles, private emails from authors, and more.
Latest Articles from Media
The Bari Matchmaking Sweepstakes
All Tuckered Out
Lesley’s Choice
Lesley Stahl & The ‘60 Minutes’ Guys Are Staying
The ‘60 Minutes’ Adult Daycare Era
Elon’s Everything Network
Big Nick Energy
You have 1 free article Left
To read this full story and more, start your 14 day free trial today →
Already a member? Log In
Get access to this story
Enter your email to get access to one article and free previews of our private emails from Puck authors and editors.
Already a Member? Sign in
Latest Articles from Media
Last Action Shapiro
Life of Byron
Call My Agentic!
The Wolf of Broad Street
Bari My Heart at 57th Street
Will There Be “Blood Libel”?