Instead of driving The New York Times out of business with his attacks, President Trump has caused subscriptions to go wild every time he tweets about the paper, which means that his attacks have the opposite effect from what the President intended.
Video of Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet on CNN’s Reliable Sources:
When asked by host Brian Stelter if Trump was the best thing to ever happen to The Times subscription strategy, Baquet laughed and said, “Trump is the best thing to happen to The Times subscription strategy. Yes. Every time he tweets, it drives subscriptions wildly. He also, if I could say something he’s accomplished. He’s also I think that there’s a long time when the press wondered about its place in society the last several years as newspaper subscriptions sort of dwindled, as newspaper, particularly local newspapers worried about their future. I think in the last couple months what has happened has been tremendous for news organizations. Our mission is clearer than its ever been. We’re covering a revolution in government and how it’s governed.”
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President Trump’s goal has been to delegitimize media that he has deemed unfriendly. Trump doesn’t want reporters asking questions, digging into details, and exposing the behavior of his administration.
His attacks on The New York Times have been designed to wreck trust in the paper while trying to drive them out of business.
What the President doesn’t understand is that the presidency itself holds a dual power. He can use the presidency as a weapon, but those he attacks will be automatically supported by his opponents. In Trump’s case, he has more opponents than supporters, so when he attacks any media outlet, he is more likely to help his target than hurt them.
President Trump’s attacks on The Times are backfiring to a degree of high comedy, but since the President’s rage against the media is driven by deep insecurities, they are unlikely ever to stop.
Donald Trump tried to harm The New York Times. Instead, he has made them more trusted and successful than ever.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
