Elon Musk’s X Is Changing The Media Game And They’re Freaking Out About It [WATCH]

Elon Musk continues to disrupt traditional media, this time with his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which is drawing fire from mainstream outlets for its growing influence in news distribution.

Media figures have openly criticized Musk’s approach, calling it a threat to their industry as X provides an unfiltered platform for information and independent voices.

A recent example of this tension came during a CNN panel discussing Musk’s appearance at Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving.

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Panelists expressed alarm, with one calling his visit “creepy” and suggesting Musk had no business holding government contracts.

JUST IN: CNN *LOSES IT* over video of @ElonMusk and @RealDonaldTrump celebrating Thanksgiving together.

“It’s all really creepy, but money talks. And it’s clear that — that Elon Musk has a motive here. He sees by cozying up to Donald Trump, he’s going to have influence in ways… pic.twitter.com/FakBGWRBnp

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 29, 2024

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei also voiced concern about Elon Musk stating that “X is the media now,” reflecting the platform’s rising dominance in reaching audiences.

NEW Axios CEO melts down over @elonmusk telling users “You are the media now” — mounts passionate defense of dying legacy media:

“My message to Elon Musk is b*llshit. You’re not the media!”

The MSNBC panel applauds:

“Social media people lying every day, every hour, every… pic.twitter.com/SBwgI9hFfC

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) November 25, 2024

Catherine Herridge, a respected former investigative reporter for Fox News and CBS, weighed in on the shift to X during a post on the platform.

Herridge highlighted the significant reach of X compared to traditional news outlets, saying, “The data doesn’t lie.”

She elaborated, pointing out that posts on X receive far more engagement than traditional network evening news broadcasts. “I would take the 40 million views on X over the 4.5 million views on the evening news,” Herridge wrote. “that’s where the growth is. That’s where sort of the diverse audience is.”

Herridge described X as the “next chapter for media,” signaling a paradigm shift in how news is consumed and distributed.

“The data doesn’t lie.”

30 million engagements on @X versus 4.5 million “viewers” on Network Evening News.@X is where the growth is.
That’s where the diverse audience is.

“I feel like this is the next chapter for media.”

Our 22+ minute subscribers only interview also… pic.twitter.com/RVUsFGjvt3

— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) November 29, 2024

Her decision to focus on reporting through X rather than signing with another network underscores the platform’s appeal to journalists looking to reach wider audiences without network constraints.

Elon Musk has championed independent media voices by reshaping X into a platform where stories can reach millions without being filtered through mainstream media spin.

This accessibility allows users to watch videos, view evidence, and decide for themselves, bypassing the traditional gatekeeping of legacy news outlets.

Musk himself often weighs in on key issues, further amplifying discussions and drawing attention to underreported topics.

This direct engagement with users exemplifies the shift away from centralized media narratives, which has been a major source of contention with traditional outlets.

Legacy media outlets have not taken kindly to X’s disruption. Many have criticized Musk and the platform, often citing concerns over misinformation and the lack of traditional editorial oversight.

However, observers note that the criticism may also stem from declining viewership and waning influence in the face of X’s meteoric rise.

As Herridge pointed out, mainstream networks are struggling to retain relevance in a rapidly changing media landscape.

She specifically criticized CBS for withholding the transcript of a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris, an example of the editorial control viewers now seek to bypass.

Remember Kamala’s word salad answer about Israel on 60 Minutes? It’s gone.

This is what many Americans will now see. pic.twitter.com/H4w7btDv6x

— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 8, 2024

The rise of X reflects a larger cultural shift toward decentralizing news and breaking the traditional media monopoly on narratives.

Platforms like X offer users direct access to content, fostering greater transparency and allowing individuals to form their own opinions.

For mainstream media, this shift represents an existential challenge.

For users, it marks a step toward greater freedom in how information is shared and consumed.

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