The end of mainstream media as we know it

The media landscape, much like the world it reflects, is a tumultuous sea, churned by powerful currents of information, disinformation, and rapidly shifting consumption habits.

For decades, mainstream media (MSM) the world over served as the primary gatekeepers of news and information, shaping public discourse and influencing political narratives.

However, a confluence of factors, exacerbated by the relentless pace of social media and the sophisticated deployment of propaganda, suggests we may be witnessing the twilight of this era.

The very foundations upon which traditional media built its authority – trust, objectivity, and a shared understanding of reality – are eroding, leaving behind a fragmented, bewildered, and often manipulated audience.

The chaotic opening lines of the American band R.E.M’s 1990s apocalyptically-titled hit ‘It’s the end of the world as we know it’ is perfect theme music for today’s media:

That’s great, it starts with an earthquake

Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes

And Lenny Bruce is not afraid

… Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn

The song has been called “lyrically questionable”, and in an interview with Musician magazine, the American band’s lead singer Michael Stipe said the lyrics is a collection of a stream of consciousness and that “the words come from everywhere”.

In the buildup to the already catastrophic Israel-Iran war that is likely to envelop the entire planet, the wave of propaganda flooding social media channels is not entirely novel in its objectives, but its execution leverages unprecedented reach and speed fuelled by the daily improvements in AI technology.

While the term “Zionist playbook” is used in the prompt to describe a specific historical approach to information control, the underlying tactics – narrative control, media dominance, manufacturing consent, and the invention of excuses – are universal tools of influence. What has changed is the battlefield: social media platforms, with their algorithmic amplification and instant global dissemination, have become prime conduits for these operations.

WEAPONISE HISTORICAL GRIEVANCES

We see this phenomenon playing out with increasing frequency and impact. The sustained AI-driven attempts to make Burkina Faso’s junta leader, captain Ibrahim Traoré, more palatable to especially young people highlight how and possibly who sits behind the attempts.

Traoré and whoever steers his gun are succeeding in turning Africa’s youth against democracy with their propaganda content, none of which are produced in that country. Just as no serious journalism is allowed in that country because free media and speech are always the first casualties in a power grab.

Show me a dictatorship (even a benevolent one)… where free media thrive.

If you’ve been caught in the aura of the captain’s overly polished public persona and the incessant propaganda around him, you would believe the young officer had built 400 schools and established 100 tractor factories single-handedly since ‘he came to power’. Traoré is simply Paul Kagame 25 years ago, and the world media again stand around hopelessly to facilitate the rise of yet another African dictator. To the extent where he is lionised, young people openly question why we shouldn’t have a “benevolent dictator”, as the benefits of democracy are not visible or obvious to a downtrodden ‘born free’ generation whose default setting is to look abroad for real opportunities. No fault of their own, however.

It shows how quickly fabricated narratives can take hold and necessitate official rebuttals.

Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s need to issue various statements debunking viral claims about oil contracts and the expulsion of American citizens since her inauguration in March 2025 underscores the direct challenge social media disinformation poses to governmental authority and public understanding. These aren’t isolated incidents but symptomatic of a wider trend where official channels struggle to keep pace with the velocity of online falsehoods.

Another insidious aspect of this new propaganda wave is its ability to weaponise identity and exploit historical grievances. The examples of AfriForum and apartheid apologists pushing “white genocide” narratives, aided by bad loser oligarch types yearning for the good old days, are deeply concerning. While the claim of “white genocide” lacks factual basis, its strategic deployment aims to destabilise societies by sowing racial discord and fear.

The alleged motivations – control over mineral wealth, shipping routes, and internet connections in South Africa – point to a calculated effort to manipulate public opinion for geopolitical and economic gain.

This type of propaganda thrives on emotional appeals and a selective, often distorted, presentation of history, making it particularly difficult to counter with purely factual arguments.

Similarly, the long-standing and well-documented propaganda machinery of Israel, while facing increasing scrutiny, continues to exert significant influence.

INFORMATION WARFARE

However, the current Israel-Iran conflict has further exposed the raw, unfiltered nature of information warfare on social media. Both sides are flooding digital spaces with their respective narratives, often employing highly emotive language, selective evidence, and decontextualised imagery. For the average news consumer, navigating this deluge of conflicting information is not merely challenging; it’s a profound exercise in deciphering truth from strategically crafted falsehoods, leading to widespread confusion and a sense of informational paralysis.

Amidst this chaotic landscape, Western mainstream media finds itself in an existential muddle. For decades, these outlets largely operated with a perceived monopoly on reliable information. Their modus operandi of partisan reporting and their role, often perceived or real, in fighting propaganda wars on behalf of their “oligarch owners” have left them exposed. The traditional model of ‘objective’ reporting has been challenged by proof of bias, leading to a significant erosion of public trust. Various Western media houses have been accused of not only bending to the whims of the genocidal regime in Tel Aviv, some had been accused of harbouring Israeli operatives and former IDF soldiers in their newsrooms. Talking about embedded in journalism.

The Western media, which once held itself up as a global standard for journalistic integrity, is perhaps the most stark example of the decline in trust and credibility since the 1990s when they started streaming their version of the story 24-hours a day in our living rooms.

The pervasiveness of social media means facts, war crimes and the deception of audiences are streamed live, photographed and video recorded and posted on social media for the world to see without the mainstream media painting it with their owners’ tone.

No wonder they are all jumping the zionist ship one by one.

According to Reuters’ 2025 Digital News Report (2025DNR), overall trust in news remained stable for the third year in a row at 40% globally, but national differences are significant. The report also notes that engagement with traditional media sources such as TV, print, and news websites continues to fall, while dependence on social media, video platforms, and online aggregators grows. This is particularly the case in the United States where polling overlapped with the first few weeks of the new Trump administration. Social media news use was sharply up (+6 percentage points), but there was no ‘Trump bump’ for traditional sources.

Overall, 58% say they remain concerned about their ability to tell what is true from what is false when it comes to news online, a similar proportion to last year. Concern is highest in Africa (73%) and the United States (73%), with the lowest levels in Western Europe (46%). They are struggling to adapt to a new media environment where traditional gatekeepers are bypassed and interpretation is up to the popular kids.

The rise of the ‘podcast bro’ and independent content creators, often perceived as more authentic or less beholden to corporate interests, further fragments the audience and draws away eyeballs and advertising revenue. This fragmentation means not only a loss of audience but also a loss of a shared public sphere where informed debate can take place.

News podcasting is reaching younger, better-educated audiences. The United States has among the highest proportion (15%) accessing one or more podcasts in the last week, with many of these now filmed and distributed via video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. By contrast, many northern European podcast markets remain dominated by public broadcasters or big legacy media companies and have been slower to adopt video versions, according to the 2025DNR.

The underlying issue for many mainstream outlets is their perceived entanglement with corporate and political interests. When media outlets are seen as extensions of powerful factions or “oligarch owners”, their ability to deliver unbiased news is inherently compromised. This perception, whether entirely accurate or not, fuels the distrust that has become a defining characteristic of the contemporary media landscape.

We’re not going back to a world where CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Sky and other oligarch-owned Western media houses dominate the scene but Meidastouch too have their agenda.

EVOLUTION

The current trajectory suggests that the mainstream media as we once knew it – a relatively unified and authoritative source of information – is indeed nearing its end. The forces at play are too powerful and too deeply ingrained in the digital ecosystem to be easily reversed. However, this does not necessarily mean the end of journalism or the pursuit of truth. Instead, it signals a necessary, albeit painful, evolution.

The path forward for credible journalism lies in radical transparency, a renewed commitment to verifiable facts, and a conscious effort to disentangle from partisan or corporate influence. This includes clearly distinguishing opinion from fact, acknowledging biases, and actively engaging with diverse perspectives. For the news consumer, it necessitates developing heightened media literacy skills, including critical thinking, source verification, and an awareness of the insidious nature of modern propaganda.

Ultimately, the future of a well-informed populace hinges on the ability of both media creators and consumers to adapt to this challenging environment. Without a concerted effort to rebuild trust and re-establish a shared commitment to truth, the cacophony of online propaganda will continue to reign, leaving societies vulnerable to manipulation and further eroding the foundations of informed democratic discourse. The mainstream media’s survival, if it is to survive in any recognisable form, depends on its willingness to undergo a profound transformation and reclaim its fundamental purpose: to inform, rather than to influence, and to serve the public, not powerful interests.

It is indeed the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine.