One year ago, cable news appeared to be in its twilight. But in 2015, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC all saw their profits surge, according to the Pew Research Project. Erik Wemple, a media columnist at The Washington Post, calls it “the Trump Effect.” Pew hailed “a ratings bump not seen in years.” In the New York Times, media critic Jim Rutenberg has depicted news organizations plastering Trump stories on every chyron and headline in a desperate attempt to win viewers. (Ahem.)

After reaching a 21st-century peak in 2008, average primetime viewership across the three cable news channels fell by a third by 2014. The median age of Americans watching CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News was, respectively, 61, 63, and 67. In short, cable news is a gerontocratic kingdom where Fox News serves as king, with more than twice the audience of CNN and triple that of MSNBC.

Since Trump descended that escalator last June, cable news’ fortunes—particularly CNN’s—have been ascendant. Total primetime viewership for the three channels grew by 8 percent in 2015, and profits soared by about a fifth at both CNN and Fox News. Trump may be destroying U.S. democratic norms, but he appears, for the moment, to be one big beautiful orange life raft for the flagging cable news business.