By Kathleen Wimer

Photo By Madison Inouye

Attention young people. Mainstream media is so yesterday. Witness predictions of a mid-term red wave. They don't know what they are talking about. Anyone who can impartially report the real news of the day and regain people's trust that they are hearing views, not being manipulated, owns the future. There is a void to fill.

As David Brooks reports, Americans [are] sorting ourselves out by education into two camps … people without a college degree have flocked to the G.O.P., people with one have flocked to the Democrats. He says, "Even Black voters without a college degree seem to be shifting away from the Democrats, to some degree."

And here are all these news reporters and talk show hosts from the top of America's elite higher education bastions predicting a red wave. Audiences composed of high school grads and hourly workers observe these broadcasters and their guests recognizing each other as fellow travelers and occasionally carrying on like giggling frat girls and boys. The public detects the tight apparatus represented by this conviviality and cordiality. Whether Fox News or MSNBC or PBS, a small, impenetrable, exclusive club travels those circles and shares that lifestyle. Think Met Gala guest list. They epitomize the "they" high school graduates (read Republicans) feel dismiss them for their beliefs and values. True. Even in the liberal Bay Area, a congregant recently reported someone saying to her, "You believe in Jesus? I thought you were intelligent."

Audiences and readers also understand, despite how high these news media members of the college educated meritocracy have risen, none has been beneath giving daily play to Donald Trump, fanning the flames to create the anxiety and conflict that sell. Yet 60% of those responding to exit polls on election day 2022 said they have an unfavorable view of Trump. Time to dump them both. The media and Trump. 

Donald Trump and his claims of election fraud were thoroughly reported to have been debunked in the courts as totally unfounded. The January 6 Committee further debunked the myth of a stolen election. Trump, in fact, lost the election. Everyone knows it. It's been proven. In fact, it's been proven that even Trump knows he's a loser. He's a former president. That's it. But to the college educated media crowd, he's payroll.

Elon Musk could not have chosen a worse time to buy a mainstream media company. Cynicism of mainstream news could not be higher.  Therein lies a wide open opportunity. Upcoming, technologically savvy, players central to events at ground level will handle this.  Seize the time. Figure out the way. Spread truth. And likely, just as all politics is local, so is news.