The notion of a neutral, mainstream national media gained dominance only in World War II and in its aftermath, when what turned out to be a temporary moderate consensus came to govern the country.
Meaning of the quote
The idea of a normal, popular national news media only became the main way of reporting the news during and after World War II. This was because at that time, most people in the country agreed on moderate, middle-of-the-road views, but this agreement didn't last long.
About Howard Fineman
Howard Fineman was an influential American journalist and TV commentator who covered 9 presidential campaigns over a 50-year career. He worked for Newsweek for 30 years, rising to become their chief political correspondent, senior editor, and deputy Washington bureau chief. After Newsweek, he joined the Huffington Post and was a regular contributor on MSNBC shows.
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