The varying perspectives on Alvin Bragg’s criminal case against Donald Trump, its influence on Trump’s electoral chances and the role of media are worth pondering over. Pro-Trump parties argue that the trial will further energize Trump’s base, calling the trial an unfounded witch-hunt devised by Democratic New York judges and juries. In contrast, Pro-Biden factions assert that Trump’s base is already in favor of him and the main concern lies in the impact this trial would have on independent voters and suburban women who will play a pivotal role in the 2024 election. The trial under question revolves around Trump’s affairs with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, and his alleged falsification of business records to hide these affairs. As evidence emerges during the trial, it seems unlikely Trump will gain any further support from these critical voter groups.)
Media attention will naturally gravitate towards the consequential evidence being presented during the trial. This could potentially provide a reprieve from the widespread practice of amplifying minor Trump issues and painting a grim picture that the country might be in a severe crisis. The media, in its attempts to attract readers and viewers, has potentially been harming the chances of the Democratic Party winning the presidential election.
The digital era has brought about several changes in journalism and content creation. One of them is the focus on readership metrics that drive advertising rates, writer’s pay, and even career trajectories. Writers have been quite proactive in leveraging this readership-centric culture by using Trump’s name, accompanied by a few adjectives, to grab attention.
The excessive focus on Trump’s minor offenses could end up harming the Democrats’ cause, with some exhausted readers increasingly sympathizing with the much criticized Trump. However, the criminal trial might aid by replacing the media’s obsessive coverage of Trump’s every word with independently verifiable and genuinely newsworthy facts.
The trial presents a justified reason for the media to write about Trump rather than relying on conjecture and clickbait headlines. Sensationalizing every remark made by Trump may draw in readers, but it can also be harmful in a way by provoking sympathy amongst some people for the overly criticized Trump and by leading to exhaustion with the persistent high alert status.
Thus, the hush-money trial could bog down the massive stream of clickbait coverage in favor of focusing on significant issues related to Trump, which the Biden campaign may appreciate but can’t control independently. The trial’s focus on Trump’s verifiable offenses, rather than his offhand comments, may give the public some respite from the barrage of sensationalized headlines about Trump’s supposed offenses.