CNBNews

The next Presidential Election is barely on the horizon, but already the eyes are turning to November 2024 and what it could mean for the nation and our communities. The media, both social and mainstream, is poised to whip up a fervor for the benefit of their ratings. This always makes it hard to see through the noise and make an accurate prediction of who will be sitting in the White House, and what direction our economy and our communities will take. 

Right Now, It Is Anyone’s Guess

The race is usually tight in Gloucester County. The voters have picked the winner in the last two elections, and both of these elections were incredibly close races. The figure of President Donald Trump looms large over both of them. Communities across the country have a love/hate relationship with the 45th President of the United States, with very few people feeling indifferent or undecided about the man. Just as in the past two elections, it looks like President Trump will have an effect on the outcome. Most probably as the Republican Candidate. 

Sitting President Joe Biden has his own share of struggles and doubters. Many within his own party question the wisdom of him running for a second term, and many who voted for him in Gloucester County last election are questioning their choice. Economic woes cannot all be blamed on faraway conflicts and the disruption of the coronavirus and President Biden has had his share of controversies too, many of which are evolving and growing in the run-up to the election. In a Trump-Biden tie, we are guaranteed fireworks in the media, but little else. Who wins that matchup, nationally or in the county, is anyone’s guess.

Even the money men are unsure. Political financiers, sportsbooks, and casinos do not have any inside information to help them choose which horse to back in the next race. This creates some opportunities for those who like to place a bet on the election; the odds are all over the place. These casino guides can help you find out more about betting, and playing all types of casino games. Play Live casino guides answer most of people’s commonly asked questions, and Play Live operates one of the biggest online casinos in the world so they get these questions from players all the time.

Off With Their Talking Heads

For decades now, one of the most influential forces in US politics has been the media. From network news to cable news to the voices emerging on social media sites like YouTube and Twitter; everyone has something to say. There is a lot of noise and not much information. Instead of news, they broadcast opinion. The media landscape is undergoing seismic changes, however, and the influence it might have in 2024 could be a lot different from what we have seen before, further muddying the waters.

Traditional media outlets like network news broadcasts, 24-hour cable news, and newspapers, have all been struggling to attract views and maintain advertising revenue. Modern media alternatives like countless YouTube channels, personalities on Twitter and Instagram, and independent websites have rocked the world of journalism. Mainstream outlets keep committing acts that only cause them further harm too. 

The ousting of Tucker Carlson from Fox News has had a massive impact on their ratings, but the other cable news outlets haven’t picked up the slack in viewer numbers. People have just gone elsewhere. No one is sure what effect this will have on the coverage and engagement for the 2024 election, making it even harder to predict an outcome.

Twits, Grams, And Tubers

The Facebook effect was in full force in the last election. Social media’s influence over every aspect of our lives grows every day and the power it has over the next election will be bigger than last time, but a lot more diverse. Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook is no longer the king of the social media landscape, and Twitter is keen to take its crown.

Are locked in a battle between billionaires? Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter was controversial when first mooted, and his time in charge of the social media site has rocked many boats. The now infamous Twitter files have had a lot of political repercussions, including Congressional hearings. When Tucker Carlson made his exit from Fox, he found a home on the now-revamped Twitter. 

With longer posts, longer videos, and even more features being added to the platform, Tweets and Twitter media could become the new power in the political landscape. The battle between these two billionaires for social media supremacy will be a sideshow in the circus of the next election, but it will be one that will have a huge influence on public sentiment and opinions. 

Sense And Sensibilities

As ever, the election is decided by the people, for the people, at the ballot box. With mass media in a state of disarray, and public trust in the fourth estate lower than ever, the best advice for any American voter is to make their decision with their head and their heart, not their ears and eyes. The quest for ratings, and the opportunity to offer opinions instead of information, is going to lead to some mass media ‘hail marys’ to grab the public’s attention.

The voters are going to try and have to keep their cool and avoid the divisions being created across communities and kitchen tables. Pay attention to events, not the talking heads. The vote could go either way in November 2024, and we will all have to move forward together no matter the result. Who knows, both President Trump and President Biden could find a way off the ticket by then, and we could be deciding between Kennedy Jr. and DeSantis, or Harris and Pence. Harris versus Pence would be a long shot though.

A media circus is the only thing we can count on in the run-up to the next election, and probably beyond. Both presumed candidates are contentious in opposing camps. Let's make sure we respect each other's choices in the next election cycle and show the mainstream media and the candidates how to debate ideas and ideals respectfully in America. Maybe it is time for us to lead the way.