WASHINGTON: Former President Donald Trump participated in what could be one of the most pivotal interviews of the current US election cycle—not with the New York Times or the Washington Post, but with Joe Rogan, the host of the world’s leading podcast.
As both Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris navigate a tightly contested race for the White House, they have largely turned away from traditional media outlets to connect with new audiences. This shift, experts say, reflects a changing media landscape in the US.
Podcasts, which were once dominated by true crime and lifestyle content, now provide candidates with an effective platform to reach hard-to-access voters in a more personal and often favorable environment, aided by hosts who hold significant sway over their audiences.
With millions of listeners—many of whom are young and potential first-time voters—the appeal of this medium is clear. Rogan’s podcast boasts an impressive 17.5 million subscribers on YouTube and 14 million on Spotify, with an average listener age of just 24, according to Media Monitors.
“The US media ecosystem is ever-changing, and campaigns must adapt accordingly,” said Megan Duncan, an associate professor at Virginia Tech. “In such a close race, where voters are already familiar with the candidates, it makes sense to reach out to low-propensity and new voters.”
