Abstract
This chapter examines synergistic, promotional news on NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC about the first season (January-April 2004) of the NBC broadcast reality television program The Apprentice. While scholars and news outlets have focused on The Apprentice as a key artifact in establishing the populist political image of then-star and later US president Donald Trump, promotional news for the program distilled this persona as well. Using a combination of concepts from The Frankfurt School, reality TV studies, the commercialization of political communication, and research on media promotion, three themes that were prominent in NBC News outlet coverage of the program are examined: prominence of/praise for Trump, his cruel authoritarianism, and his sexism.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Routledge Companion to Advertising and Promotional Culture |
| Subtitle of host publication | Second Edition |
| Publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| Pages | 304-316 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781000859171 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780367645106 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 selection and editorial matter, Emily West and Matthew P. McAllister; individual chapters, the contributors.
