March 14, 2025 – March 20, 2025
Well folks, this certainly was another busy week in the world. This week we saw coverage on the stock market, tariffs, the war in Ukraine, increasing displeasure towards Elon Musk and his companies, and an episode of Last Week Tonight covering I.C.E. detention (which ending up being good timing considering the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil).
When I think about the importance of comedy news, I often think about how effective our hosts are at point out absurdity where it is. Take for example my favourite item of the week surrounding Donald Trump and his love-hate relationship with the stock market. Originally, Trump touted the importance of the stock market, and when it was up, it was an indication of how great his term was, but now that it’s down… well, we don’t need to look at that anymore. On Monday, Seth Meyers summed it up like this:
“So let me see if I understand that. You’re saying when the economy is good under Biden, Trump gets the credit. But when the economy is bad under Trump, Biden gets the blame. What you’re saying is that the stock market is falling under Trump because Trump inherited a bad economy from Biden. But when Biden was president, the economy was so good, Trump deserved credit for it. I just want to understand. So, when the stock market is rising, it’s because investors think Trump is about to become president. But then when Trump does become president, the stock market falls because the economy under Biden was so bad that the stock market was rising because investors were hoping Trump would take over, the stock market would fall because the Biden economy was bad when Trump took credit. Is that what you’re saying? Is that what – Just tell me. Is that… that what you’re fucking saying?”
– Seth Meyers
When you put it like that, I think it’s pretty clear to see how absurd the idea is. Basically, the logic as far as I can tell is:
- If stocks are up, that is good, that is a reflection of my positive performance.
- If stocks are down, that is bad, that is a reflection of my opponent’s negative performance.
- If stocks are down as a result of my policies, it is irrelevant, because we are doing such good work.
So, with that, today I’m going to get into a little bit of communication theory. I’m going to gently ease our way into this, so we can work together getting more and more familiar with these theories as we go along.
Last week we talked a little about media literacy, and this week I want to talk about some of my favourite (and fairly popular) communication and media theories. But first I suppose you may be wondering: What are communications theories and media theories, and how are they different from one another? In my studies we often referred to these two branches as organizational communication and media studies respectively. Simply put, organizational communication refers to the communication between individuals and groups, while media studies refers to the role media plays in society and how the media interacts with audiences and the impacts it has.
If we take a look at the examples from the master’s program I’m entering, they describe them in the following way:
Organizational communication focuses on interpersonal and group interactions in the workplace; planning for internal and external communication in private, public, and nonprofit organizations; risk/crisis communication, public relations, ICT’s uses within organizations, etc.
The media studies field examines the content and the modes of operation of traditional and emerging media in their social, cultural, economic, political and regulatory contexts.
As a side note: I have a degree in public relations (under organizational communication) where my master’s will focus on media studies. Now I absolutely love both of these fields and simply can’t help pulling theory from both branches at the same time. But my true fondness lies in media studies, an unusual combination of history, psychology, philosophy, regulation, and practice.
Some of the most popular (and my favourite) theories include: Agenda Setting Theory, Framing Theory, Two-Step Flow, Multi-Step Flow, and Cultivation Theory. Now these theories are all unique in their own way, yet can still work together to explain communication, and media. So very briefly, here are some one sentence explanations of each of these:
- Agenda Setting Theory: The media tells audiences what to think about, but not what to think about those things.
- Framing Theory: The media tells audiences what to think about particular topics using frames.
- Two-Step Flow: Information flows from the media to opinion leaders to audiences in a generally linear format.
- Multi-Step Flow: Information flows more flexibly, from multiple media sources to opinion leaders who engage actively with their audience.
- Cultivation Theory: Audiences’ perceptions of reality are shaped by the media over time and through repetition.
So obviously those are some very bare bones explanations of some theories of the media, but there is more to all of them, which we can get into in more detail individually later on. Today, I want to discuss my thoughts on these theories and provide further explanation using Trump’s changing view on the importance of the stock market.
Now usually these theories are applied to the media, like television news shows, radio, or newspapers for example. But I’d argue that since we’ve seen a lot of changes in society, especially with the advent of the internet, social media, and a true 24-hour news cycle, it has become so easy to get information on anything at any time, such that individuals in positions of power (say politicians) could also be viewed as “the media” or “the source” of a message. So, when I refer to Donald Trump as a source of media, I mean to say he is taking on the role of the media in some of these theories.
Now if we were to consider these theories in the example on the stock market above, we could say the following:
- Agenda Setting: Trump is telling you what to think about – instead of highlighting the stock market, he’s suggesting that it isn’t important anymore, and to focus on the work that they’re doing with tariffs instead.
- Framing Theory: Trump is framing the stock market as either important or unimportant, telling people how to feel about it. He suggests that people don’t need to look at the stock market in that way, and really, it’s an indication that his administration is doing what it has to do to make everyone rich.
- Two-Step Flow & Multi-Step Flow: I’ve combined these two theories together today as they’re very similar to one another for this example. So, like I said above, I view Trump as a source of media, but in these two theories, also as an opinion leader. He provides a message which other opinion leaders disseminate, this includes podcast hosts, lawmakers, and news sources. But he also reacts to how his followers respond to his claims and statements, based on their reactions to them. For a separate example of that, look at rallies and see how he responds. In some instances, he would make a claim, statement, policy suggestion, or create a new nickname for an opponent, and if the crowd cheered, he would say that “oh you guys liked that one.” For our example on the stock market, you can see in some examples provided by Colbert and Meyers this week on lawmakers and news sources now touting the lessening importance of a rising stock market.
- Cultivation Theory: Trump has cultivated the idea that the performance of the stock market is an important reflection of how well a sitting president is performing. It’s possible that this change from saying it is highly important to now less important may take time for his followers to believe. Remembering as well that he is now promoting the idea of tariffs making the country rich again.
Now again, I’ve provided a very simplistic run-through of some of the most popular theories of communications here. There are more theories I’m going to touch on in the weeks to come, but I do want to promote the idea of thinking of media consumption looking at these theories. How do you see these theories in use in your consumption? How do you see them from the folks I look at below? At the end of the day this gain goes back to last week’s discussion on media literacy, and being more present and aware of the news media you’re consuming. If we look at those theories one last time, here are some questions I would pose for each:
- Agenda Setting: What are your sources covering?
- Framing Theory: How are your sources covering it?
- Two-Step Flow & Multi-Step Flow: Who is covering it, what are they saying, and how do you feel about what they’re saying and how they’re saying it?
- Cultivation Theory: Is what they are covering and how they are covering it repeating, and repeating among your sources?
And with that, let’s take a look at what folks covered this week.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Season 12 – Episode 4 – Monday, March 10, 2025
Minor Story Mentions:
- U.S. pausing intelligence sharing to Ukraine.
- The defence department removing DEI references.
- The “woolly mouse” a genetic attempt at recreating woolly mammoths.
- Trump’s congressional address.
- Justin Trudeau’s response to tariffs.
- The increase in calls to U.S. senators from an average of 40 calls a minute to 1,600.
- The poor performance of Republican town hall meetings.
Main Story – I.C.E. Detention:
- Failed I.C.E. raids.
- The intended use of Guantanamo Bay.
- In the past Oliver spoke on many different immigration topics, but today the intent is to discuss I.C.E. detention centres specifically.
- The excitement of private prison company CEOs on Trump’s intended immigration mandate.
- Today’s questions on I.C.E. Detention Facilities:
- Who is in them?
- Who runs them?
- And what’s it actually like inside?
- When questioned on who has been arrested thus far into Trump’s term, and how many of those are criminals, his press secretary claimed that they were all criminals since they were in the country illegally. Oliver explained how this isn’t exactly true, as some entered legally and overstayed their visas, and that being undocumented is a civil violation, rather than a criminal offense.
- Oliver provided an example to where someone was detained, despite having a hearing date for his asylum claim. He went on to explain that detention is supposed to be used to ensure people actually show up to their hearing dates, then citing that 95% already do.
- The United States now has the world’s largest immigration detention system.Nearly 91% of those held in the immigration detention system are held in facilities owned by private prison corporations (ACLU).
- “Among detained immigrants, those with [legal] representation were twice as likely… to obtain immigration relief…” (American Immigration Council). While unfortunately “some detention facilities… have only one immigration attorney within a 100-mile radius for every 200 people detained” (ACLU).
- Oliver then discusses how in some facilities, the detainees are required to work, paid very minimally. When one of the private prison companies was taken to court, their lawyer stated that “disciplinary segregation can be used as a sanction for the refusal to work… they make a decision each time whether they’re going to consent to work or not.” To which the Judge replied “or eat, or be put in isolation, right? I mean, slaves had a choice, right?”
- Oliver then went on to discuss the deaths that occur in the facilities, citing that “95% were preventable or possibly preventable if ICE had provided clinically appropriate medical care” (ACLU).
- The immigration detention system is a business in the United States.
Monday, March 10, 2025
Stewart was off this week.
Trump Tanks Stocks, Exhausts Wall Street | Erasing “Women” From The Internet | The King’s Playlist
Colbert covered:
- Stock market values plunging (Dow down 890 points).
- Fox News coverage saying that the Dow dropping was negligible.
- GDP shrinking at the fastest pace since the pandemic lockdown. – Reuters
- How Trump stated that “you can’t really watch the stock market” when asked about what he meant by “a disruption.”
- Terms the Trump administration is seeking to remove from government, these include: multicultural, anti-racism, gender identity, barriers, sex, and women.
- Pete Hegseth removing DEI references in website postings, photos, news articles, and videos. This included photos of Enola Gay (the plane that dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima) and “photos of an Army Corps of Engineers dredging project… because a local engineer…had the last name Gay” (The Guardian).
- Trump being upset that King Charles hosted President Zelenskyy in the U.K.
- King Charles debuting a podcast (radio show on Apple Music). He also released a curated playlist.
Trump Won’t Rule Out Recession as Markets Plunge; Musk and Rubio Clash in White House: A Closer Look
Meyers covered:
- How during Trump’s first term he always focused on how well the stock market was doing.
- Trump also claiming that during Biden’s term when the stock market was going up, that it was because investors thought he (Trump) was going to win the election. But now that the stock market is falling during Trump’s term, Republicans are blaming Biden for handing Trump a bad economy.
- How now Trump is saying that “you can’t really watch the stock market.”
- Trump’s belief that tariffs will generate a lot of revenue.
- Republicans stating that drugs are pouring in from Canada across the northern border.
- Trump dodging questions on whether he believes there will be a recession or not.
“All I know is this: We’re gonna take in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs, and we’re gonna become so rich you’re not going to know where to spend all that money, I’m telling you, you just watch. We’re gonna have jobs. We’re gonna have open factories. It’s going to be great.” – Donald Trump
- Musk and Rubio fighting behind closed doors during a cabinet meeting on skills and firing staff.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Trump Trade War Wipes $4T Off The Stock Market | Rebrand Your Tesla | RFK Jr. On Measles
Colbert covered:
- The Dow dropping more than 450 points today, and in the last two weeks the stock market has lost $4 trillion in value.
- A risk of recession at 40%.
- The trade war with Canada, and Ontario placing a 25% tax increase on energy exports to the U.S. (later paused).
- Elon Musk losing $16 billion yesterday alone, with Tesla’s stock plummeting 50% since December, and people vandalizing Teslas.
- Trump seeking to fight the boycott by purchasing a Tesla in support of Musk.
- RFK Junior suggesting that diet and malnutrition is contributing to measles cases.
Meyers did not have a closer look on Tuesday.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Beer Will Cost More Under “Chaotic” Tariffs | Trump: Khalil Detention Is The First Of Many To Come
Colbert covered:
- Fighting tariffs with tariffs.
- Tariffs starting on aluminum and steel. This will increase prices on many items such as beer, metal furniture, furniture parts, air conditioning parts, and horseshoes.
- Canada and the EU launching back with tariffs.
- The Wall Street Journal commenting that: “We said from the beginning that this North American trade war is the dumbest in history, and we were being kind.”
- Trump blaming Biden for the economy doing poorly.
- U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, claiming that the tariffs are “the most important thing America has ever had.” He also went on to say that the current situation “is not chaotic, and the only one who thinks it’s chaotic is someone who’s being silly.”
- I.C.E. agents arresting Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, who helped lead Columbia University protests, without presenting charges or telling his pregnant wife.
- Trump stating that “This is the first arrest of many to come.”
- Trump’s anger at protests at Tesla dealerships.
Trump Shills for Tesla as Musk Loses Billions; Mahmoud Khalil Arrest Sparks Outrage: A Closer Look
Meyers covered:
- Trump’s approval rating: having the worst net approval rating at this point in a presidency of any other president… other than himself in 2017.
- On the economy, his net approval is the worst of any president.
- Explaining how tariffs work: increasing prices for consumers.
- Press secretary defending tariffs versus the press, insisting that it isn’t a tax… when it is.
- Tesla stock falling 15% in one day, and 40% since the start of the year, losing billions of dollars.
- Musk being more unpopular than Trump.
- International drop in Tesla sales, with some percentages hitting as much of a 70% reduction compared to the year prior.
- Trump purchasing a Tesla to show support for Elon Musk.
- The arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who led a protest at Columbia
- University. Despite being a Permanent Resident having a green card, I.C.E. detained him anyways. He also wasn’t even charged with a crime.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Au Revoir, Champagne | EPA Is Abandoning The Environment | Vandalizing Teslas
Colbert covered:
- The Dow dropping another 537 points today.
- Prices of groceries continuing to rise.
- Tariffs between the U.S. and European Union.
- Trump’s meeting with the Irish president.
- The repealing of dozens of EPZ environmental protection regulations.
- E.P.A. administrator, Lee Zeldin, stating that the organization would reframe the organization’s purpose to “lower the cost of buying a car and running a business.”
- A “growing trend of Cybertrucks vandalised… used as skate ramps or covered in garbage.”
Trump’s Tesla Stunt Flops as Stock Drops, Sales Plummet Amid Anti-Musk Protests: A Closer Look
Meyers covered:
- Elon Musk’s initial success with supporting Trump.
- DOGE’s claims of cuts and savings that were extremely inaccurate.
- Marco Rubio and Sean Duffy fighting Musk during a closed-door cabinet meeting.
- Tesla shares plummeting, losing billions of dollars, and protests outside of Tesla dealerships and showrooms.
- Musk’s enthusiasm dropping as things continue to go poorly.
- Trump encouraging people to buy Teslas after stating how bad electric cars were throughout his campaign.
And there you have it…
Another busy and chaotic week covered comedically.
Comedy Communications 