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Seven Letter’s Sam Smith on the changing media landscape and the role of podcasts in PR NEWS:
Former President Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the 2024 Presidential Election has ushered in new questions for candidates and campaigns about messaging strategies and how to reach people. Arguments over policy choices and turnout versus persuasion will still be core to elections, but one thing is clear: “the media” is no longer solely legacy outlets.
Social media influencers and podcast hosts may not be journalists, but they are just as much a part of the media landscape as correspondents, columnists and editors. While trust is declining in legacy media, the impact of podcast hosts and influencers is growing.
Media habits have changed. More Americans are getting their news from digital channels, especially social media and YouTube. Podcasts are growing in popularity as a source of news and serve as an essential touchstone to culture. The 2024 Election may go down as the “podcast election.”
The Power of Podcasts
While the Biden campaign experimented with its own podcast during the 2020 campaign, and political podcasts like “Pod Save America” or “The Ben Shapiro Show” have been popular with politically-minded audiences for years now, both candidates in 2024 sought out podcasts that were more apolitical or politically adjacent.
President-Elect Trump earned the endorsement of podcast host Joe Rogan, which young voters in Arizona credited with impacting their votes, according to NBC News. In the closing days of the race, Elon Musk joined “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast to discuss the race and once again pitch listeners on voting for Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, targeting young female voters. A week before the election, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff joined “The Ringer Fantasy Football Show” to make a plea to young male voters.
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