As the US presidential election nears, Hugh talks to American journalist Ben Smith about the intertwining of media and politics in the United States:

• how political campaigns operate like media companies
• the decline in trust toward mainstream media
• the impact of digital platforms on political discourse

They assess Kamala Harris and Donald Trump's use of the media as a campaign tool in this election cycle and look at how the media landscape is changing, with references to Ben's experiences at Politico, BuzzFeed News, and his current role at Semafor.

Ben also reflects on the consequences of publishing the notorious Steele dossier on Donald Trump's alleged links to Russia during his time at BuzzFeed News.

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