For journalists who worked through the Trump years, much of the analysis in News After Trump will be familiar. But for people outside the profession looking to learn more about how the Trump years shaped the mainstream American press, the book may serve as a useful guide -- both as a history and as an explanation of the major arguments that continue to divide journalists today.
Quinta Jurecic, Lawfare
Trump's period in office sent shockwaves across an already fragile U.S. news media industry. This beautifully written book explains how all of that happened and why it matters for the future of American democracy. But more than that, it maps out a brave new understanding of journalism itself. Deftly avoiding nostalgia for halcyon days that never actually existed, News After Trump roots its argument in the complex, hybrid realities of today's media system while making it abundantly clear that confronting deception, inequality, and bigotry is journalism's urgent civic mission.
Andrew Chadwick, Loughborough University
What if the answer to America's declining trust in—and relevance of—journalism is a reimagined journalistic commitment to morality, community, and authenticity? News After Trump offers a provocative and compelling proposition: instead of doubling down on 'detached objectivity,' journalists must tap into their authentic moral voices, drawing upon their own experiences, communities, and identities as they engage with events and issues. It's hard to feel optimistic about journalism and democracy right now, and yet, I leave this book convinced that by tapping into their moral voice(s), journalists can help rebuild public trust and make the lives of would-be populist authoritarians much, much harder.
Dannagal G. Young, University of Delaware