Why yes, I also believe this action was solely a result of one administrator's low intelligence, and not any kind of concerted campaign to take over my country through media channels. Such a campaign is literally unthinkable to me, despite illustrative worked examples of an all-right-wing media landscape in the UK and Russia, agents of the administration bragging about their ability to control media, demanding tithes from media, banning media from their events, threatening to throw media in prison, or executing hostile takeovers of non-local-TV media with their billions of dollars.
Here's a clip from John Oliver[0] from 2017 explaining a bit on the situation. While viewership is declining, I dont think it's the main reason with the overall system changing its rules to allow fewer people to control it.
You can watch tv programs via streaming services. Youtube ABC News channel has 16.7 million subscribers. Clips of those shows can be found all over social media.
There's a reason the current administration wants consolidation. It's to control the narrative. The same reason their rich supporters buy up news media companies.
There are independent YouTube channels routinely pulling 10x prime time ABC News numbers. Not just 1 or 2, more like thousands. The world has moved on.
I mean you can blatantly see who's watching this garbage by tuning in. The primetime ads are adult diapers, dementia pills and retirement financial products.
If it didnt matter, they wouldn't be changing the rules to consolidate power.
0 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GvtNyOzGogc
The average age of a Fox News, CNN or MSNBC viewer is 60+.
The median 20 year old NEVER watches TV.
Measurable, double digit swings based on which counties got TV ads in a $70m vs $10m spending campaign.
Harris+Biden spent $770M on TV ads while Trump spent $350M.
How about 2016? Clinton spent $400M on TV ads while Trump spent $125M.
How'd that go for them? Really seeing those double digit improvements.
You're also ignoring superpacs in those presidential runs. You know how many NRA sponsored ads about "her emails" I saw in 2016?
TV is far less dead than often assumed.
There's a reason the current administration wants consolidation. It's to control the narrative. The same reason their rich supporters buy up news media companies.
I mean you can blatantly see who's watching this garbage by tuning in. The primetime ads are adult diapers, dementia pills and retirement financial products.
https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2025/five-tv-trends-watch-2...