One Story to Read Todayhighlights a single newly published—or newly relevant—Atlantic story that’s worth your time.
“Every moment of my work life revolves around answering the question of how we capture attention. And it just so happens that the constant pursuit of others’ attention is no longer just for professionals like myself,” Chris Hayes writes.
For more than a decade, I have hosted an hour-long cable TV show on MSNBC. When I got my own show, I imagined it as something akin to the experience of first-time car ownership. I could drive wherever I wanted to drive; although I would have to obey the law, I just had to figure out where I wanted to go, push the pedal, and go. I could cover whatever I thought was most important, whenever I wanted, for as long as I wanted.
I learned quickly, it doesn’t work like that. A cable-news show is powered by attention. It has no internal combustion engine to make it go. Yes, you can cover whatever you desire, night after night, but if no one watches it, the show will be canceled. This is what almost happened to me.
Get a new year of unlimited articles, audio, and more
Navigate all the news to come with journalism you can count on—to report the facts, challenge assumptions, make you think, and guide you through the months ahead. Subscribe today for less than $2 a week.
