--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you talk about President Trump, the…" description: "\"When you talk about President Trump, the cable networks turned over so many hours of prime time to him. Why? Because he was entertaining, but also beca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7f/al-gore-609_cables_when-you-talk-about-president-trump-the_64857.jpg" --- # When you talk about President Trump, the cable networks… ![“When you talk about President Trump, the cable networks turned over so many hours of prime time to him. Why? Because he was entertaining, but also because it drove ratings. And that is different from what the news media is supposed to focus on.” quote by Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7f/al-gore-609_cables_when-you-talk-about-president-trump-the_64857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7f/al-gore-609_cables_when-you-talk-about-president-trump-the_64857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7f/al-gore-609_cables_when-you-talk-about-president-trump-the_64857.jpg) > “When you talk about President Trump, the cable networks turned over so many hours of prime time to him. Why? Because he was entertaining, but also because it drove ratings. And that is different from what the news media is supposed to focus on.” [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how news outlets prioritize entertainment value and ratings over substantive reporting, using Trump’s coverage as an example. **In simple terms:** Media favors ratings over duty. Key Takeaway Entertainment drives news focus. Themes media bias celebrity culture political coverage ratings pressure journalistic ethics Mood critical skeptical Type observational critical When to use this quote - analyzing news coverage - discussing media reform - teaching journalism ethics Key Concepts news values public interest audience engagement Practical Applications - media literacy training - critical news consumption Questions to Reflect On - How should news outlets balance viewership with responsibility? - What mechanisms can ensure substantive reporting? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cables/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-news-626034/) [Entertaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertaining/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Networks Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/networks-turned-868267/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [News media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news-media/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-trump/) [Prime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime/) [Prime time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime-time/) [Rating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rating/) [Ratings Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ratings-different-868266/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-cable-868265/) ## Related quotes > [If you look at the New York Times, it says X; if you look at the Washington Post, it says the same thing. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-you-look-at-the-new-york-times-it-says-x-if-you-look-at-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [And I sometimes find that members of my family are reading completely different news from what I'm reading, because they're not reading general interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/and-i-sometimes-find-that-members-of-my-family-are-reading-completely/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [“The proliferation of material means that people might start to become selective about what they consume and, if my instincts are correct, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/una-mccormack/the-proliferation-of-material-means-that-people-might-start-to-become/) [Una McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/una-mccormack/) > [The news media are, for the most part, the bringers of bad news... and it's not entirely the media's fault, bad news gets higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/the-news-media-are-for-the-most-part-the-bringers-of-bad-news-and-it/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [The people and the news media used to call me 'The Son of Sam,' but God has given me a new name, 'The Son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berkowitz/the-people-and-the-news-media-used-to-call-me-the-son-of-sam-but-god/) [David Berkowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berkowitz/) > [“If those who cause destruction have come to be ‘newsworthy’, and those who heal the devastation of that destruction have come to be less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/if-those-who-cause-destruction-have-come-to-be-newsworthy-and-those/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Dont listen to the news and media and let them influence your thoughts...open your eyes to the world and figure it out for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-listen-to-the-news-and-media-and-let-them-influence-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hoaxes are nothing new. News media isn't hard to fool. It's fun to fool and people like to mess with people. It all goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/hoaxes-are-nothing-new-news-media-isn-t-hard-to-fool-it-s-fun-to-fool/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [The news media's silence, particularly television news, is reprehensible. If we knew as much about Darfur as we do about Michael Jackson, we might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/the-news-media-s-silence-particularly-television-news-is/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [The bigger the information media, the less courage and freedom they follow. Bigness means weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-sevareid/the-bigger-the-information-media-the-less-courage-and-freedom-they/) [Eric Sevareid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-sevareid/) > [News media stimulate bubbles, since stories about them boost their audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-shiller/news-media-stimulate-bubbles-since-stories-about-them-boost-their/) [Robert J. Shiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-shiller/) > [The discoloration is very minimal. I have not turned blue. The extent of skin discoloration is not even remotely near what the news media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-jones/the-discoloration-is-very-minimal-i-have-not-turned-blue-the-extent/) [Stan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-jones/) > [It is almost superfluous to say that there is no such thing as a free and independent press among the mainstream news media today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-baldwin/it-is-almost-superfluous-to-say-that-there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-free/) [Chuck Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-baldwin/) > [If you're working on better conditions for prisoners, if you make that a popular issue and you invite mainstream media to weigh in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/if-you-re-working-on-better-conditions-for-prisoners-if-you-make-that/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I wish we had a more open discourse. It's just a shame that with our 24-hour news media and the Internet, people have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-wish-we-had-a-more-open-discourse-it-s-just-a-shame-that-with-our/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) ## More by Al Gore > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Mother Nature does not do bailouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/mother-nature-does-not-do-bailouts/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-climate-crisis-is-not-a-political-issue-it-is-a-moral-and/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I decided to pick the diet that I thought would maximize my chances of long-term survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-decided-to-pick-the-diet-that-i-thought-would-maximize-my-chances/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [You know there's an old african proverb that i made up: "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/you-know-there-s-an-old-african-proverb-that-i-made-up-if-you-want-to/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [One tragic example of the loss of forests and then water is found in Ethiopia. The amount of its forested land has decreased from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/one-tragic-example-of-the-loss-of-forests-and-then-water-is-found-in/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The ten hottest years in the atmospheric record, going back only 160 years, have been in the last eleven years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-ten-hottest-years-in-the-atmospheric-record-going-back-only-160/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Hey, you know what, I've gotta go on that 'Letterman' show. That show is so lame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/hey-you-know-what-i-ve-gotta-go-on-that-letterman-show-that-show-is/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/iraq-does-pose-a-serious-threat-to-the-stability-of-the-persian-gulf/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Our civilization is experiencing unprecedented changes across many realms, largely due to the rapid advancement of information technology. The ability to code and understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/our-civilization-is-experiencing-unprecedented-changes-across-many/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are many who would much prefer that the word 'climate' never be mentioned and that the issue be eliminated from our national conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-many-who-would-much-prefer-that-the-word-climate-never-be/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [As many know, the Chinese expression for "crisis" consists of two characters side by side. The first is the symbol for "danger," the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/as-many-know-the-chinese-expression-for-crisis-consists-of-two/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I think George W. Bush has a warm, engaging personality. But, you know, the presidency is more than just a popularity contest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-think-george-w-bush-has-a-warm-engaging-personality-but-you-know/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There are skeptics who do not come to their view because they have a source of income from carbon polluters. I don't mean to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/there-are-skeptics-who-do-not-come-to-their-view-because-they-have-a-2/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) [Explore all 447 Al Gore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## More Cables quotes > [I told our guys they must not have cable because Antoine Walker knows how to play, Derek Anderson can play, Shandon Anderson knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-our-guys-they-must-not-have-cable-because-antoine-walker-knows/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [What Cable is up to is not something that can be done quietly. It will raise the interest of some pretty important people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeph-loeb/what-cable-is-up-to-is-not-something-that-can-be-done-quietly-it-will/) [Jeph Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeph-loeb/) > [I don't control the schedule of the networks. We have three of our debates that are on network television, and those are on Saturday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-don-t-control-the-schedule-of-the-networks-we-have-three-of-our/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If you're working on better conditions for prisoners, if you make that a popular issue and you invite mainstream media to weigh in on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/if-you-re-working-on-better-conditions-for-prisoners-if-you-make-that/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I just think there's more paparazzi, there's more cable TV, there's millions of networks now, there's more paparazzi. People liked gossip then, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-just-think-there-s-more-paparazzi-there-s-more-cable-tv-there-s/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I knew I wanted to be used by God in big ways. I always prayed He would trust me enough to use me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-robertson/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-used-by-god-in-big-ways-i-always-prayed-he/) [Kay Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-robertson/) > [Cable is not bound because people pay for it. It's literally a choice, that's the operative word. If you don't like the language, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/cable-is-not-bound-because-people-pay-for-it-it-s-literally-a-choice/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I like to multitask. I love the process of the storytelling in television. I love the serial. Even my stab at doing a procedural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-d-williamson/i-like-to-multitask-i-love-the-process-of-the-storytelling-in/) [Kevin D. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-d-williamson/) > [I think that's so particularly exciting about this moment in time is all the new platforms that are now existing, the Netflixes and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-callender/i-think-that-s-so-particularly-exciting-about-this-moment-in-time-is/) [Colin Callender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-callender/) > [ Just before I began doing this show \[The Last Word \], a dear friend of mine, Karen Russell, asked me what I was going… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/just-before-i-began-doing-this-show-the-last-word-a-dear-friend-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It doesn't matter whether it comes in by cable, telephone lines, computor, or satellite. Everyone's going to have to deal with Disney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/it-doesn-t-matter-whether-it-comes-in-by-cable-telephone-lines/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [There's nothing terribly wrong with The November Man in a serviceable late-night cable TV sort of way but neither is there anything terribly right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/there-s-nothing-terribly-wrong-with-the-november-man-in-a-serviceable/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [India lives in several centuries at the same time. Every night outside my house I pass a road gang of emaciated laborers digging a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/india-lives-in-several-centuries-at-the-same-time-every-night-outside/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've been doing It's Aways Sunny for 12 years, and so I have this cable sensibility. When I read the Grinder script, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-ellis/i-ve-been-doing-it-s-aways-sunny-for-12-years-and-so-i-have-this/) [Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-ellis/) > [Look, we can definitively agree that cable is far superior to network. That isn't to say that there can't be a great network drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/look-we-can-definitively-agree-that-cable-is-far-superior-to-network/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) [Browse all 275 Cables quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cables/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you talk about President Trump, the cable networks turned over so many hours of prime time to him. Why? Because he was entertaining, but also because it drove ratings. 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