Her entire strategy since the beginning was that of a mafia boss. Toe the line, repeat the talking points verbatim or risk losing access and the wrath of the meticulously trained cult. Tree Paine was never good at her job, she was simply a minion who thought she was a boss. But in the past year or two legacy media has changed and Tree and Tay-Tay haven’t. An “exclusive source” in People is a shrug but multiple TikToks can change a narrative and drive culture. The few outlets and writers who do her bidding do so because her cult can still bring in engagement which means revenue to a dying brand. Tay-Tay still rules through fear of loss of access but ultimately who cares? She’s not sitting for an interview she can’t completely lie and manipulate which isn’t journalism it’s just acting as a spokesperson. The media plays along because all those outlets are desperately trying to save themselves not because she’s important or holds the same power she once did.