“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past,” George Orwell wrote in, “1984,” where he warned about the power of the media and how it can shape reality. This warning is relevant today as now the power of media lies in podcasts, livestreams and social media, not in newspapers or print. About 57% of Americans surveyed report getting their news from social media often, while 26% often or sometimes get their news from print. As fewer Americans are receiving their news from standard forms, more and more are turning to digital media. In politics the most important aspect is communication and communication is changing fast.
Social Media is becoming one of the most important aspects of politics and podcasts themselves are becoming even more ubiquitous. Podcast usage across America has surged from the initial numbers of 9% of Americans aged 12 or older who reported listening to a podcast in the past month in 2008 to 42% listening to a podcast in the past month in 2023. Another study conducted in 2023 found that 49% of Americans reported listening to a podcast within the past year and 29% said that they listen to podcasts because they want to hear the news.
The survey also showed that many more listeners listened to podcasts unaffiliated with news networks than those affiliated with these networks. This shows that the mainstream media is no longer the primary way that some Americans are hearing about current events. Because less Americans are listening to the legacy media, politicians need to appeal to where both the youth and general Americans are. Another part of this survey was that out of listeners who do get news from podcasts, 87% of them expect the news to be accurate. A significantly larger percentage of listeners trust the news they hear on the podcasts more than news sources. With 31% trusting podcasts more, 55% trusting the same and 15% trusting it less than other sources. As trust in institutions is lessening, trust in alternative media is growing. Republicans have embraced this shift while most Democrats have not.
Podcasts today cover nearly every topic imaginable. The most listened-to podcast in the United States is, “The Joe Rogan Experience.“ Rogan’s is able to interview guests that range from academics to sport icons. These episodes frequently last several hours. The length of these podcasts allows for long-form conversations and makes these conversations seem more authentic.
During the 2024 election cycle, Rogan invited both Presidential Candidates onto his show. President Trump agreed. The Harris team attempted to negotiate terms that included a shorter, one-hour appearance and for Rogan to come to them. Rogan declined. While Kamala Harris’s status as vice president put her in a different position, the missed opportunity highlights a larger issue at hand. Democrats have not prioritized reaching voters on the platforms where voters actually are.
President Trump’s appearance on, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” episode 2,219, was nearly three hours long and has drawn more than 59 million views on YouTube alone. Some have credited this and similar podcast appearances with helping President Trump secure both the electoral and popular vote.
Throughout the campaign, President Trump leaned heavily into the podcast and livestream space. He appeared on 13 different podcasts, including popular shows like those hosted by Theo Von, Adin Ross and Logan Paul. His episode with Von lasted an hour and has garnered more than 16 million views on YouTube. His appearance with Paul on “Impulsive” was also widely shared, showcasing Trump’s willingness to engage directly with young and diverse online audiences. It also gave Trump an opportunity to share key policy and appear authentic. Vice President J.D Vance also went on both Joe Rogan and Theo Von. His appearance on the Rogan podcast lasted for about three hours, while Vance’s appearance on Theo Von was two hours long.
Republicans aren’t the only party that appears on podcasts. However, Democrats often appear on podcasts that already appeal to their base. This further strengthens their base but neglects undecided voters, unlike Republicans who are willing to go outside of their familiar territory.
Vice President Harris only went on six podcasts during the election. Including, “Call Her Daddy,” “The Breakfast Club” and “All The Smoke.” “Call Her Daddy” is hosted by Alex Cooper whose audience is composed of primarily younger women. This episode lasted 46 minutes, and they covered issues important to her audience. On “The Breakfast Club” with Charlamagne she talked about “The importance of voting and combating misinformation.” It only lasted 16 minutes. Vice President Harris also appeared on the “All The Smoke” podcast, which lasted for about 50 minutes. On this podcast she discussed her plans for ensuring economic growth and the progress towards social justice.
These three podcasts don’t just cover politics; however, when they do, they tend to lean left. These appearances helped energize Harris’ base but did little to reach undecided right-leaning voters.
The tendency to avoid these shows first started when Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) went on Rogan’s show in 2019. During this time Rogan was supportive of Senator Sanders, even endorsing him in the 2020 democratic primary election. After Sanders appeared on this podcast he drew criticism from the left, as many of Rogan’s views are deemed controversial by progressives, such as his views on vaccines and his views on transgender women competing in sports. This criticism caused progressive to become more hesitant to appear on similar shows, fearing backlash.
If Democrats actually pride themselves on diversity, they should also include platforms, hosts and audiences. Not every appearance has to be on a left-leaning show or more scripted shows. Real persuasion and messaging requires risk, and in order to do so, Democrats need to enter unfamiliar spaces.
Some Democratic politicians have started to recognize this. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is one such politician. He has appeared on a range of podcasts and YouTube channels such as, “Pod Save America,” “The Bulwark,” Fox News and the popular YouTube channel Jubilee. “Pod Save America” is a podcast that mostly appeals to a progressive audience and is hosted by former President Barack Obama staffers. On “The Bulwark,” hosted by former Republican Campaign Strategist and Communication Director for Jeb Bush, Tim Miller. Miller is a “Never-Trump Republican.” Buttigieg is able to engage in conversations with Miller whose ideology differs, which allows Buttigieg to appeal to the moderate voters.
During the 2024 election, Buttigieg appeared on the YouTube channel Jubilee. He was part of their Surrounded series where one person holds a viewpoint and is “surrounded” by those holding an opposing one. The episode that Buttigieg went on was one focused on undecided voters in Michigan, where he was able to communicate Harris’s message to more than 3 million voters. Buttigieg is also a repeat guest on the conservative news channel Fox. Thus entering unfamiliar territory and delivering his message to voters who may have never heard it.
Although Buttigieg is an example of a Democrat that goes beyond party lines and outside of familiar territory, not enough Democrats do so. The choices that they make are still relatively safe. They also avoid long-form appearances altogether for fear of going off script and not effectively communicating their message. Nowadays voters want their politicians to be authentic and state what they believe.
In this ever changing media landscape, both parties need to understand that legacy media can no longer be the only method of political outreach and messaging. As the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential elections approach, Democrats should take inspiration from Republicans’ alternative media plan.
In recent years, podcasts and streaming platforms have dominated the political messaging scene. The Republican Party, especially President Trump, has embraced this shift. If Democrats want to remain competitive in the years ahead, they must stop playing defense and start showing up.
