Summarised by Centrist
Sharon Waxman of TheWrap outlines how the year 2024 saw legacy media falter, antisemitism found alarming traction, and diversity efforts hit a wall amid backlash.
The media landscape reached a breaking point, with legacy outlets losing relevance as talent pivoted to independent platforms like Bari Weiss’s Free Press and Megyn Kelly’s YouTube channel.
Liberal media’s failure to block US president-elect Donald Trump’s reelection was a tipping point, compounded by major newspapers refusing to endorse Kamala Harris. Viewership has plummeted, leaving audiences sceptical and fragmented in their news consumption.
Waxman argues that “antisemitism (not ‘anti-Zionism’ or ‘anti-Israel sentiment’) in mainstream institutions, whether that’s the BBC, Columbia University or Irish and Canadian government offices, augurs badly for good people everywhere.”
The year also marked the decline of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) initiatives. Once embraced post-George Floyd, these programs faced mass layoffs and corporate indifference. Kamala Harris’s election loss and a broader cultural backlash against trans and LGBTQ communities fuelled this retreat.
Despite these challenges, 2024 also cemented streaming as the dominant force in entertainment, with Netflix leading the pack. However, increased production costs and AI efficiencies suggest Hollywood’s restructuring will continue into 2025.
Finally, Waxman remarks on Elon Musk’s unprecedented influence, portraying him as a shadow political force wielding wealth, technology, and media power in an increasingly oligopolistic system. As the world enters 2025, Waxman quips, “Wish us luck.”
