The liberal mainstream media is a dying dinosaur, and it's never been more clear than it has been over the last few weeks. While many anchors and reporters are having meltdowns and throwing tantrums rather than admitting their defeat and learning from it, one broadcasting legend is walking away and embracing new media.
Chris Wallace was reportedly offered a hefty contract extension at CNN, where he's served as one of the faces of the network for three years, but he declined the offer, the Daily Beast reported. At 77 years old, you might think he turned it down so he could retire and enjoy the rest of his life in private, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Wallace told the Daily Beast that he is going to attempt to get into streaming or podcasting because that is "where the action seems to be."
It appears that he doesn't have any specific plans just yet. "This is the first time in 55 years I‘ve been between jobs... I am actually excited and liberated by that," he said, adding "Not knowing is part of the challenge. I‘m waiting to see what comes over the transom. It might be something that I haven’t thought of at all."
If anyone understands the ins and outs of the legacy media and where it stands today, it's Wallace. Across six decades, he's worked in some capacity for CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox News, and CNN, winning numerous awards, including a few Emmys, for his work. He's also the son of another media legend, the late Mike Wallace, who is best known for his work as a journalist on the TV show 60 Minutes.
Rather than sit around and have a hissy fit about what's going on around him like many of his colleagues, he's making what sounds like a smart move. While this idea of "new media" has been on the rise for years, it has never been as prominent as it was during the 2024 presidential election. Many people have cited Elon Musk's X (a new, freer version of Twitter) and Trump's appearance on podcasts with Joe Rogan and Theo Von as reasons why the president-elect was able to reach so many new supporters. As Musk put it, "news should come from the people."
News should come from the people.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2024
From those actually on the scene and those who actually are subject-matter experts!
Longtime New York Times reporter Frank Bruni is another one who gets it. He appeared on MSNBC recently and broke the news to those poor souls over there. "All of us have to come to grips with legacy media is just not as important as it thinks it is... Joe Rogan's more important than any of us. He just has a much bigger hyperconnected audience that listens to his every word."
Bruni went on to suggest that the mainstream media could learn a thing or two from the Joe Rogans and Elon Musks of the world and admitted that this "whole new information ecosystem" is unlike anything we've ever seen in the history of the country.
NEW: New York Times’ Frank Bruni admits the mainstream media lost to Elon Musk, says much of the discourse now happens on X.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 10, 2024
X is the place to be 🔥
“Legacy media is just not as important as it thinks it is.”
“Joe Rogan's more important than any of us. He just has a much… pic.twitter.com/KOu9aO7R7L
Both Wallace and Bruni prove that you can teach old dogs new tricks, but many of their colleagues are just too comfortable inside their little out-of-touch media bubbles to realize what's going on, and with any luck, most of them will be left behind in this new era.
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