Charlie Sykes argues the media is following its audience just as much, if not more than, as it is driving its audience. From November 10, 2021 American Values Coalition Webinar.
www.americanvalues.org

For years I would always push back again You know people would send me an email About the number of you know bodies of Hillary Clinton’s victims that were Stacked up in a warehouse in Ohio or Whatever and I would push back and say Okay well that’s not true you understand That I mean you know we can be Conservatives we don’t have to believe X Y and Z and for you know for years and Years the reaction I would get from People would be okay hey thanks I’m Sorry you know I’m I’m not gonna forward Uncle Otto’s the crazed emails anymore but but Starting in 2015 really and really Accelerating through 2016. what I found Was that it was almost impossible to Push back against the disinformation I Mean I would send an article from from You know the New York Times of the Washington Post or NPR or the Atlantic And people would say well those are Liberal Rags we’re we’re not going to Listen to them and then it began to dawn On me to that that in fact what had Happened is that we’d created this Impenetrable Silo that these stories Have become non-falsifiable and the Audience really began to drive you know By its taste so you know there’s a Reason why the conservative talk show Hosts who had opposed Trump in 2016 are Either gone or are supportive now

Because right now the media is in many Ways following its audience as much as It is driving its audience