In a second era of Trump in office, journalists face an increasingly dysfunctional media landscape with shifting policies, public distrust, and mass spread of misinformation. Sharon Waxman, founder and editor-in-chief of TheWrap, addresses these challenges in a candid discussion hosted by Annenberg Career Development, where students and aspiring journalists gathered to hear her perspective on navigating the industry during these turbulent times.
With trust in the media at a historic low, Waxman emphasized the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity, despite political pressures. “The core value of what we do as journalists is fact-based inquiry and fact-gathering,” she said.
While acknowledging the growing prevalence of misinformation, she urged young journalists to stay the course.
“Trump doesn’t control communications yet,” Waxman said, responding to concerns about the administration’s approach to the media. “But he has confused things—people are unsure what is completely true.”
Jennifer Nehrer, a junior journalism major at the talk, echoed the uneasy feeling about widespread mistrust in the media coming from the government. “You don’t need the government to like you. In fact, that’s not necessarily the point of journalism,” Nehrersaid. “But I think what it really does is damage the public’s perception of journalism, because the public will listen to the government.”
Waxman warned that while news organizations should remain independent, they must also be aware of the ways chaos can distract us from real issues.
Waxman pointed out that Trump’s relationship with the press has long been adversarial, but she argued that his tactics are not new in the history of the media.
“There’s a pattern in authoritarian governments to control information, and we’ve seen that reflected in Hollywood as well as real life,” she said.
She encouraged young journalists to focus on the fundamentals: gathering facts, verifying information, and holding those in power accountable.
In response to questions about executive orders barring journalists from the White House, Waxman said TheWrap is not planning to change its approach. “We don’t cover pure politics,” she explained, noting that her sector of entertainment media is not directly in Trump’s crosshairs.
Waxman also addressed the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in media and Hollywood, particularly in light of political and economic pressures. “We could already see Hollywood studios pulling back from DEI efforts, but now it’s explicit across companies,” she said.
While efforts to include more women and people of color have made some progress, Waxman observed that leadership structures remain stagnant.
“The leaders pull up people who are like them,” she said, pointing out that most media companies are still run by white men. “Every action begets a reaction. There will be a reaction. Nothing stays the same.”
For students looking to enter this field, Waxman had practical advice: “Be essential. Nobody’s going to hand it to you. You have to make yourself relevant to your reader every day.”
Grace Littleworth, a junior public relations major, enjoyed the way the event hosted a successful woman and created a space for other female college students interested in journalism and the media. “I love to go to an event with a girl boss, and to hear from any female who’s been successful; it’s always such an inspiration to me,” Littleworth said.
Moving to reflect on her own career, Waxman recalled her time at The New York Times and the lessons she learned about self-reliance. She shared how she dedicated herself fully to the publication but ultimately realized that she needed to forge her own path—one that led her to create TheWrap.
For young journalists who feel discouraged by an uncertain industry, she stressed the importance of resilience. “Most entrepreneurs start businesses in their 40s. I had 20 years of journalism experience before launching TheWrap. You don’t have to know everything in your 20s—focus on learning and building expertise first.”
Shruthi Narayana, a junior journalism major, felt comforted by this sentiment, as did other attendees. “This conversation is really important because we have these opportunities to really learn from these people in the media industry—media pioneers…and [they] shape a picture of what the industry actually looks like.”
Waxman remains confident in journalism’s resilience. “In moments of upheaval, there’s a chance to rebuild,” she said, reflecting on how she founded TheWrap amid industry-wide layoffs.
For Waxman, the path forward is simple but firm. “Stay committed to the core values,” she urged. “Keep questioning, keep reporting, and don’t shy away from calling out falsehoods. In the end, it’s your integrity and the quality of your work that will stand the test of time.”
This story is part of Flare, an Annenberg Media initiative that focuses on women and queer stories. The goal of this beat is to immerse our audience in the culture, identity, and issues surrounding women and queer communities.