Obviously, the networks target different political audiences—but this is, in an important sense, a superficial distinction. Both channels put politics and power near the center of America. Both are impatient with the often ho-hum rhythm of ordinary life. Both want simple, good-versus-evil dramas. It’s no accident that both networks covered Donald Trump (the quintessential showman) obsessively even in the weeks prior to the start of his campaign in the summer of 2015.
