The MSM hasn't given a single candidate any more "time" than they have given Sarah Palin. Not one. Are you suggesting that they're trying to pick Sarah Palin as our next candidate?
They're covering Trump now for the exact same reason they covered Palin - MONEY. Trump is a well-known, and increasingly polarizing and flamboyant figure. That means "controversy". In the entertainment biz, of which journalist are card carrying members of, controversy drives ratings and click-throughs. That means money in the pockets of papers, websites & networks.
At this point the exact opposite seems to be the case for Trump.
Money is always the primary consideration, but only slightly more than ideology, on average.