Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast
Episode: A Mediapocalypse? with Ben Smith
Description: It can feel like the news industry is in a moment of crisis. Over 500 journalists were laid off from news outlets in January 2024 alone, according to a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. These layoffs are part of a broader trend of seismic changes within the media industry over the past few decades. As disinformation concerns continue to rise and we prepare for another consequential election, why are newsrooms drastically reducing headcount? Ben Smith is editor in chief and cofounder at Semafor, a recently launched digital news platform. He is author of βTraffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Bi...