Nothing moves the needle

Not that long ago, the press could root out corruption, topple presidents and end wars. Now, even the biggest scoops have little impact. Here's how and why the media lost its mojo.

Posted Monday, August 10, 2026 10:00 am

Craig Unger

Craig Unger | American Kompromat

Nothing moves the needle.

Lord knows, I’ve tried. But nothing moves the needle anymore. ...

Our so-called free press can no longer do what it used to do. That’s because it presumes an audience that shares the same factual reality most of us see. And that audience, a national citizenry that shares the same set of facts, no longer exists.

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Nothing moves the needle

Not that long ago, the press could root out corruption, topple presidents and end wars. Now, even the biggest scoops have little impact. Here's how and why the media lost its mojo.

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