📰 Journalism in Jeopardy: From Corporate Consolidation to Coordinated Attacks
From media mergers to political attacks—the slow dismantling of a free press.
For decades, journalism has been under pressure—from market forces, from political actors, and now more than ever, from a rapidly shifting and increasingly hostile media environment. With the second Trump administration escalating its assault on the press, it’s tempting to think this crisis is new. But in reality, the erosion of a free, independent media has been decades in the making.
Let’s rewind.
Since the 1980s, we've witnessed massive consolidation in the media industry. A handful of corporate giants now control the vast majority of what Americans see, hear, and read. Local newspapers have been gutted or shuttered entirely, bought up by hedge funds or merged into national chains. Between 2005 and 2022, more than 2,500 newspapers shut down, and over 70 million Americans now live in what researchers call “news deserts”—communities with little to no local reporting.
This consolidation hasn’t just shrunk the news landscape; it’s narrowed the range of voices, priorities, and accountability. Journalism, once a decentralized watchdog for democracy, has increasingly become an industry driven by profit margins and shareholder expectations. The result? Fewer journalists doing more work, covering less ground, with less depth.
At the same time, trust in media has been declining. A 2024 Pew Research report found that only 26% of Americans say they trust national news organizations “a great deal” or “a fair amount.” That’s not just about partisan bias—it’s about years of feeling underserved, manipulated, or ignored.
Now, in 2025, we’re seeing a dangerous acceleration.
The second Trump administration has not only continued its aggressive anti-media rhetoric—it’s operationalized it. Lawsuits, regulatory harassment, surveillance, funding cuts, and threats to jail journalists have gone from campaign talking points to governing tactics. Public broadcasters like NPR and PBS have faced federal investigations. Reporters have been barred from press briefings and government transparency is at a historic low. The chilling effect is real—and growing.
But it’s important not to reduce this solely to a partisan story. What we’re witnessing is a broader structural vulnerability in our democratic system. When journalism is weakened—whether by market forces or political retribution—the public loses. Corruption flourishes. Disinformation thrives. Polarization deepens.
So where do we go from here?
That’s what we explore in this episode of Outrage Overload with our guest, veteran journalist and journalism educator Michael Deas. We talk about:
Why some major newspapers declined to endorse a candidate in 2024
How the erosion of local news has opened the door to misinformation
What newsroom leaders are grappling with under increased pressure
And what a truly independent press should look like in 2025 and beyond
If you care about democracy, civic life, and truth itself, this is a conversation worth your time.
—David
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