By: Zach Crenshaw
A massive shift is happening in this general election. Journalists are being avoided. Podcasters are taking their place.
The same week former President Trump spurned 60 Minutes, the most-watched news program in America, he sat on a couch for a comedian’s podcast.
A month after Axios highlighted VP Harris’ glaring lack of interviews, she appeared on ‘Call Her Daddy’ and Howard Stern – both shows known less for their probing policy questions and more for their raunchy content.
There are many factors here, but I think the two most significant are:
Politicians no longer feel they have to risk tough questions to reach Americans. Why get pinned down by a seasoned political reporter who knows when you’re ‘bridging’ or ‘pivoting’ when you can chop it up with someone who will ask friendly questions and tee up your talking points?
Americans are watching less news and consuming content elsewhere (YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, etc). The news industry may, understandably, lament this shift: it diminishes journalists’ political relevance and allows politicians to skirt accountability and scrutiny. The reality is, though, politicians are making calculations – they don’t feel like the reach of news organizations is worth it. If newspapers and TV news stations, local or national, can’t make the case – with hard data – that their stories are getting in front of independent voters, then politicians will continue to run from Scott Pelley and to Joe Rogan.
I don’t see this trend changing anytime soon. In fact, I think it will be more pronounced in 2028. That said, if a return to tough questions is in the future, it will happen because Americans use their clicks, streams, and remote controls to tell to politicians that they want a probing interview, not a puff podcast.