In the run up to the 2016 election, the media breathlessly followed Trump’s every move. Everything Trump was always on. It’s estimated that the candidate earned somewhere north of 2 billion dollars in free media coverage during that time. For the networks, former president Trump was the Midas Touch, netting them much needed advertising dollars. But some have argued that the in obsessively covering Trump, the networks did a disservice to democracy. Last week, CNN hosted a Town Hall with Trump in New Hampshire that brings the question top of mind once again. CNN has subsequently come under heavy criticism for hosting someone who is well known to spread lies and disinformation and that it would be impossible to fact check him live. Can the mainstream media cover Trump responsibly in his 2024 run? 

We're speaking with Jay Rosen, NYU professor of journalism and author and editor of the blog PressThink, and Ingrid Jaques, conservative opinion columnist for USA TODAY, to get their takes.

Episode Transcript available here

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