> seems to show the internet/media's ability to influence opinions is much smaller then they predict. Please note that the study I cited was about search resul

> seems to show the internet/media's ability to influence opinions is much smaller then they predict. Please note that the study I cited was about search results and not the media coverage. I'd suggest that the media has shot themselves in the foot with the wild coverage of trivialities over the past couple decades. When every Republican is a racist/sexist/*phobe/bigot, then the terms lose meaning. Seriously, before McCain was "honorable" this year, he was a warmonger in 2008, and the savior from Bush in 2000. Now we have the media flipping out because Trump has two scoops of ice cream (back in May) and because Melania wore high heels (this week). At this point, most of the media has the attention span of a meth-addled chipmunk.. and too many of them have the depth to match. Serious discussions are behind them.