In the Click-bait Era, what happens to freedom of the press?

Throughout the 2016 presidential election, candidates and supporters on each side used the media as a punching bag. President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters accused main stream media professionals of a liberal bias in their coverage. The Hillary Clinton camp complained that Trump received disproportionate coverage, legitimizing what they felt was an absurd candidacy.

Both sides have valid points, but the issue of media bias is much more complicated when you dig beneath the surface.

Here are a few things to consider about what’s news-worthy:

What motivates reporters?

The US media is not one unified body. It comprises thousands of traditional and non-traditional entities that disperse their coverage on hundreds of platforms.

Each media company has its own mission and motives, just like any other business, but the one unifying motive is not politics, but profit.