Are Podcasts Reshaping American Political Media?
A girl reading the Washington Post, 1969 // Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
When Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White made a speech at Trump’s victory party this week, he closed on a note of gratitude: “I want to thank the Nelk Boys, Adin Ross, Theo Von, Bussin’ with the Boys, and last but not least, the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan.” And he was right. When looking at the top 10 most streamed Spotify podcasts in the United States, a majority are hosted by far-right political commentators. So how have podcasts played such a substantial role in reshaping this American Election?
Trump’s appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast on the 26th of October has already accumulated 50 million views on Youtube. In a time when America's trust in traditional media is at an all time low, this is a clever strategy for Trump. This three hour interview has allowed him to reach Rogan’s young male audience (81% male, 34% aged 18-35). Such podcasts have allowed him to steer away from the traditional ways we have consumed him for 9 years, away from his racist dog whistles that dominate mainstream media. In exiting the realm of the overtly political, podcasts creates a more candid portrayal, giving a window into Trump’s emotional life: “I’ve never had a cigarette, and I’ve never had a glass of alcohol” he tells Theo Von. He explains that his brother’s alcoholism is why he never touches substances.
Calling Trump “homie”, Theo Von’s deradicalisation of Trump underlines why conversational podcasts have come to displace traditional forms of media. The median age of CNN’s audience in 2023 was 67 years old. Such shapeless and informal, stream-of-consciousness discussions create a chemistry between host and guest: they begin to sound like good friends bantering, whilst the listener becomes a confidant, silent but still integrated into the relationship. For listeners more and more accustomed to such casual conversations, traditional interview formats then seem rigid and unrelatable.
As Harris said herself on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, she was motivated to go on the show because “One of the best ways to communicate with people is to be real, and to talk about the things that people really care about.” By going on podcasts, she is able to appeal to some demographics she needed to turn out for her on November 5th: women, young adults,and more generally less politically engaged individuals.
Trump has been able to appeal to terminally online young males by diving into “locker-room talk”: U.F.O.s, golf, professional fighting and, most importantly, his opinion on Ice Spice (“Who the hell is Ice Spice”, he asked the Nelk Boys). There is less emphasis on him as an anti-democratic demagogue, allowing him to present himself as a former fraternity president, full of wisdom, responding to dull and empty questions. Unsurprisingly, the political commentary of these podcasts are hollow and futile. On Logan Paul’s “Implausive” podcast, Trump states that America’s fentanyl crisis would have “literally stopped” if Xi Jinping had given the death penalty to drug manufacturers.
The vast infrastructure built by conservative commentators reveals a crucial truth: Republican podcasters have mastered the art of digital influence, creating a powerful platform for figures like Trump to thrive. This dominance highlights a glaring weakness for Democrats—an inability to adapt their traditional messaging to the dynamic world of online media. If they fail to evolve, the consequences could be stark: a future defined by mounting election losses and diminished political relevance. In the battle for hearts, minds, and votes, the digital frontier is decisive—and those who fail to conquer it will be left behind.