Watching the evening news in 2011 is a strange time-travel experience. 'The CBS Evening News,' 'ABC World News' and 'NBC Nightly News' haven't changed their style over the decades, still going for that old-fashioned mix of voice-of-authority pomp and feel-good fluff. The difference is that people aren't watching.
The author, Rob Sheffield, reflects on the changing media landscape in the early 2010s. He notes that the evening news programs on CBS, ABC, and NBC have not evolved much over the decades, still maintaining a mix of serious reporting and feel-good stories. The main difference is that people are no longer watching as much. Sheffield's commentary is a wry observation on the state of news consumption in the digital age.
The quote highlights the disconnect between the traditional evening news format and the changing media habits of the audience. It suggests that the news programs have not adapted to the shift towards online and social media, and as a result, viewers are no longer engaged.
The quote is set in the early 2010s, a time when the media landscape was undergoing significant changes. The rise of social media, online news sources, and streaming services was altering the way people consumed news and information.
Rob Sheffield is an American music journalist and author. He is best known for his humorous and insightful writing on music, pop culture, and technology.