In August, as a guest on MSNBC's Meet the Press Daily , I noted that voters take Donald Trump seriously but not literally, while journalists take him literally, but not seriously. Months later and on the far side of the election, the press is still taking Trump more literally and less seriously than voters do. The public -- also known as "customers" of for-profit news outlets -- sees Trump's words differently than journalists do. The Washington press corps, already suffering through a decade-long decline in viewer trust and consumption, would be foolish to not adapt as well. If the press covers Trump the way it covered prior presidents -- too literally -- it may find its own customers take journalism itself a lot less seriously.

Source: CNN November 28, 2016 19:29 UTC