How OJ Simpson’s ‘trial of the century’ reshaped the national media and opened the door to Donald Trump’s presidency
CNN
The impact Simpson, who was tried and acquitted for the gruesome murder of his ex-wife and her friend, left imprinted on US media will endure long beyond his death.
Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here. O.J. Simpson gripped the nation’s attention for a final time Thursday. As breaking news banners and push alerts crashed onto screens from coast to coast, stunning millions with news of the former National Football League star’s death, the moment produced one last Simpson-centric collective event for the national consciousness. But the impact the former Heisman Trophy-winning running back, who spellbound the nation as he was tried and ultimately acquitted for the gruesome murder of his ex-wife, left imprinted on America’s media environment will endure long beyond his death. In fact, it is not out of the question to wonder: Would Donald Trump have ever risen to political power and become president without Simpson? On its surface, that might seem far-fetched. But the impression that Simpson’s all-consuming trial had on shaping the modern media environment cannot be overstated. From the moment Simpson led police on a low-speed chase down a Los Angeles freeway after being charged with the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, the media landscape was never the same.
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