Megan Basham

And worth noting, this trend is so strong right now. Publishers Weekly reports that religious book sales overall are up 18.5%, making it the fastest growing segment of the publishing business. And that's led one of the biggest publishing houses, Penguin Random House, to launch a new standalone entity devoted entirely to Christian books.

And worth noting, this trend is so strong right now. Publishers Weekly reports that religious book sales overall are up 18.5%, making it the fastest growing segment of the publishing business. And that's led one of the biggest publishing houses, Penguin Random House, to launch a new standalone entity devoted entirely to Christian books.

Yeah, very true. And I do have to say that the media landscape right now looks, well, bad. It looks really bad. If you'll remember, Georgia, right before the start of the year, we saw substantial layoffs at The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR. And as you said, that's not what you expect to see heading into a major campaign year when media revenues typically tend to increase.

Yeah, very true. And I do have to say that the media landscape right now looks, well, bad. It looks really bad. If you'll remember, Georgia, right before the start of the year, we saw substantial layoffs at The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR. And as you said, that's not what you expect to see heading into a major campaign year when media revenues typically tend to increase.

Then if we go back to the beginning of the year, in January, the Los Angeles Times cut more than 20% of its newsroom. Time Magazine cut 15%. And that kind of bad news just continued throughout 2024. By the summer, CNN had laid off 100 people, and they're now reportedly planning to lay off hundreds more. Comcast may sell MSNBC.

Then if we go back to the beginning of the year, in January, the Los Angeles Times cut more than 20% of its newsroom. Time Magazine cut 15%. And that kind of bad news just continued throughout 2024. By the summer, CNN had laid off 100 people, and they're now reportedly planning to lay off hundreds more. Comcast may sell MSNBC.

And neither of those developments should be surprising when you look at some of the cable news ratings. To put it bluntly, they're a dumpster fire. According to Nielsen data, MSNBC is still down by more than half of what it was averaging up to election night. And CNN is down by slightly less than half, though it didn't have as far to fall because it was already at the bottom of the pack.

And neither of those developments should be surprising when you look at some of the cable news ratings. To put it bluntly, they're a dumpster fire. According to Nielsen data, MSNBC is still down by more than half of what it was averaging up to election night. And CNN is down by slightly less than half, though it didn't have as far to fall because it was already at the bottom of the pack.

And even though I will say both left and right are showing media distrust, so you do have to take that into account when you look at some of those numbers from polling outfits like Gallup. You also have to take into account that Fox News's ratings are way up this year.

And even though I will say both left and right are showing media distrust, so you do have to take that into account when you look at some of those numbers from polling outfits like Gallup. You also have to take into account that Fox News's ratings are way up this year.

They're now beating the ratings of the other cable news outlets combined, suggesting that a lot of former CNN and MSNBC viewers are flocking there.

They're now beating the ratings of the other cable news outlets combined, suggesting that a lot of former CNN and MSNBC viewers are flocking there.

You know, for me, the biggest one wasn't an issue where there was clear deception or inaccuracy, but just some really appallingly callous coverage of the most momentous moment of the campaign. And that was the response to the attempt on President-elect Donald Trump's life at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th.

You know, for me, the biggest one wasn't an issue where there was clear deception or inaccuracy, but just some really appallingly callous coverage of the most momentous moment of the campaign. And that was the response to the attempt on President-elect Donald Trump's life at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13th.

That very same night, ABC viewers heard George Stephanopoulos and Martha Raddatz in part blame the victim.

That very same night, ABC viewers heard George Stephanopoulos and Martha Raddatz in part blame the victim.

And then on the print front, the day after Butler, The Atlantic ran a piece that said that, and I'm quoting, the bloodshed Trump has done so much to incite against others has touched him as well. In September, of course, there was a second assassination attempt at Trump's golf course, and you heard similar rhetoric from major media.

And then on the print front, the day after Butler, The Atlantic ran a piece that said that, and I'm quoting, the bloodshed Trump has done so much to incite against others has touched him as well. In September, of course, there was a second assassination attempt at Trump's golf course, and you heard similar rhetoric from major media.

Almost immediately after news of that second assassination attempt broke, MSNBC anchor Alex Witt asked political analyst Elise Jordan this.

Almost immediately after news of that second assassination attempt broke, MSNBC anchor Alex Witt asked political analyst Elise Jordan this.