The campaigns in this year’s presidential election have shone a light on the waning influence of mainstream media.
From podcasts and gaming streams to Substacks and TikTok debates, politicians have moved their fight to new media battlegrounds.
The shift has been ongoing for nearly a decade, but legacy outlets are now facing a fresh wake-up call.
“No longer the gatekeepers, their days of controlling the news and information flow are over,” said Brett Spencer, a senior lecturer in podcasting at City St George’s, University of London.
Trump vs. Harris online
This election cycle, Trump familiarized himself with streamers’ fanbases — particularly ones that appealed to a certain male demographic, like Joe Rogan’s or Theo Von’s.
He appeared on Rogan’s podcast and talked with him for three hours.
The interview, which aired on October 26, gained 26 million views within 24 hours, Newsweek reported. It has reached 45.9 million views at the time of writing.
The figures would have …