Trump Is A 'Ratings Machine.' Does That Justify The Media's Binge?

[Commentary] Like CNN’s Malaysian Airlines flight 370 coverage, the media’s coverage of Presidential candidate Donald Trump seems to illustrate, as in a child’s primer, the problem with having ratings dictate coverage. Unlike the Malaysian Airlines flight 370 craze, however, the media's Trump obsession isn't just harmless fodder for “The Daily Show.” In fact, it has had a substantial effect on the political process. Trump’s poll numbers began to rise -- and have continued to inch upward -- only after he became a fixture on all the news channels. The media is fueling the Trump phenomenon, which it justifies by pointing to spectacular ratings.

The ratings-chasing game isn't new. The demands of the market have weighed on journalism since the dawn of the television news broadcast. But the Internet has accustomed consumers to getting what they want. Organizations like Fox News have made their livelihood -- and beat competitors -- by feeding viewers a steady diet of right-wing fluff. Journalism's role as a public service has largely persisted because those in positions of power -- news executives and producers -- has sought to balance the quest for ratings with the duty to inform the public about matters of substance. But with the networks’ 24-hour Trump binge, that sense of duty seems to be in short supply.