Mixed Signals from Semafor Media Derek Thompson on why everything is becoming television, and whether democracy can survive it
28 snips
Nov 14, 2025 
Derek Thompson, journalist and co-author of Abundance, dives into the intriguing notion that all media is becoming television. He unpacks the rise of endless video flows in podcasting and social apps, predicting potential national attention deficits. Thompson discusses the survival of long-form media amidst quick bites of content and explores the charisma behind impactful on-camera performances. Additionally, he shares insights on his shift to independent publishing and the surprising success of his book, revealing a curiosity-driven approach to exploring diverse topics.
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Attention Thinning Risks Deeper Thought
- The shift to feed-based, short-form video may be thinning collective attention and patience for deep ideas.
- Thompson warns this could reduce society's capacity for complex thought and favor mnemonic truth over empirics.
Data Shows Scores Dropping Since Smartphones
- Some decline in test scores aligns with smartphone and short-form video adoption since 2010–2012.
- Thompson cites NAEP and cross-national reporting showing falling reading, math, and reasoning scores.
The Barbell Of Media Consumption
- Media consumption polarizes into extreme short clips and very long-form shows, hollowing out the middle.
- Thompson calls this a barbell effect: four-second and four-hour formats both thrive while middling formats shrink.
