The New York Times gained millions of subscribers during the Trump presidents, but analysts say it’s unclear if that growth can continue
Tensions have cooled between the news media and the White House after four tumultuous years — potentially bad news for outlets struggling with a long downtrend in the industry.
The so-called “Trump bump” which boosted viewers and subscriptions at outlets such as CNN and the New York Times now appears to have turned into a slump following the departure of Donald Trump from the presidency.
Online visits to the New York Times fell 30 percent from November to February and 27 percent at the Washington Post, according to the research firm ComScore.
“This is not a new economic reality, we’ve seen this downtrend for years,” said Adam Chiara, a communications professor at the University of Hartford.
But the long-term trend, Chiara said, is people moving away from traditional cable bundles and newspaper subscriptions, relying instead on online platforms.
The Trump era was one of solid growth for key news outlets, especially those that served as a watchdog on the US leader. The number of CNN viewers doubled since 2014, while MSNBC’s tripled.
– Fewer eyeballs –
“Trump was the goose that laid the golden egg and that was especially true for the cable networks and dominant newspapers,” Berkovitz said.
Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of the Hofstra University school of communications, said Americans may be ready for a break from the intense period of news over the past few years during which Trump attacked the media as scandals were unearthed about his administration.
“I don’t think it’s simply the departure of Donald Trump. I’m sure Donald Trump would like to think that his presence alone controls the success of news media. In the United States, I just don’t think that’s true.”
After a period in which the news was equated to drama, “viewers are saying they need a time out,” Berkovitz said. “They will watch Netflix, Amazon or Apple (shows) as a break from the hysteria.”
“The news cycle will change and audience will fluctuate,” she said but added that “we are well positioned to deliver continuous growth” in 2021 and beyond.
“Their challenge is to show they have premium content whether it is analysis, reporting or investigative reporting that is worth paying the price,” Berkovitz said.
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