Numb to Trump: Data shows drop in scandal interest.
The public’s attention to former President Trump’s legal drama has declined with each subsequent indictment, according to new data pulled across television, social media and search activity.
Why it matters: Despite the unprecedented criminal charges against a former president, the shock is starting to wear off — for now.
By the numbers: Americans have turned to Google in droves to find information about Trump and the topic of “indictment” with every new case.
- Searches spiked with all three indictments, but the spikes are getting smaller — indicating slowing interest.
- Social media interactions with stories about Trump indictments have followed a similar trend to the Google Trends data, according to NewsWhip.
On TV, coverage of Trump’s first indictment in April drew a huge spike in viewership, according to Nielsen ratings.
- Subsequent indictments have drawn fewer viewers, although last week’s coverage of Trump’s third indictment and arrest drew roughly the same level of viewership as the second indictment in June.
What they’re saying: The arrest and arraignment of a former president — along with the usual flurry of angry social media posts and cries of a political witch-hunt — are starting to feel routine, experts say.
- “The bombast and howling accusations after each charge, the lurid threats and endless victimologies, the mind numbing repetition of it all… is supposed to do just that: numb the mind so that sense making feels impossible and paying attention seems pointless,” New York University’s Jay Rosen told Axios in an email.
- “There’s a name for it: flooding the zone with crap. It’s supposed to exhaust whatever interest we once had in following the news,” Rosen added.
