Our Choppy Media Landscape

So-called “new media” have been around for a while. Twenty years ago, bloggers took people by surprise and shaped the conversation around the 2004 presidential election. Today, TikTok videos, pontificators on X and Facebook, and podcasters have formed an eclipse over traditional media that so many of us value.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal took a deep dive into how podcasters such as Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy influenced the U.S. Presidential election. Equally important, we should ponder how podcasters and other new media will influence our lives in the months and years ahead. Here are some high-level observations:

• Podcasters are obviously here to stay as major influencers. The good ones have tens of millions of fans and make a lucrative living. We cannot wish our way back to simpler times. Every organization should spend significant time thinking about how they crash the podcaster party.

• Maybe the podcast revolution is why I was not moved to cancel my Washington Post subscription last month. The very late decision to not endorse a presidential candidate was not exactly a leadership move, but from a practical perspective I never felt their endorsement would mean much. I also like their reporting.

• I genuinely worry what new media will mean to our collective literacy. There’s a mix of platforms out there: some deliver news and appropriately push back on guests, and others offer up Open Mic Nights. That’s great for guests … and not-so-great for people who want to separate fact from fiction.

The media landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and there’s no doubt that unchartered waters lie ahead. Hopefully our collective literacy will survive it.