Podcasts become politician magnets
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Presidential candidates eager to reach new audiences in a more relaxed environment are bypassing riskier network interviews and flocking to podcasts.
Why it matters: Cord cutting, the rise of TikTok and the scattering of audiences have made podcasts a more powerful platform for candidates this election cycle compared to last.
The big picture: While podcasts don't offer the same reach as a primetime network news interview, they afford the opportunity to deliver a specific message to a narrower slice of the electorate.
- "We all have insane information overload, so if you try to spread yourself too thin and you're saying 10 different things to appeal to everyone, people are just going to forget about it," Lulu Cheng Meservey, founder of strategic comms firm Rostra told Axios' Eleanor Hawkins last year.
Driving the news: Kamala Harris' recent media blitz included stops with popular podcasts "Call Her Daddy" by Alex Cooper and "All the Smoke," hosted by two former NBA players.
- Call Her Daddy's audience is is 70% women and 76% under 35, according to Edison Research data obtained by NPR, while "All the Smoke," is known for its popularity among Black men.
- VP nominee Tim Walz went on the popular Smartless podcast this week, as did Biden in 2022.
- Trump has worn out podcast microphones in recent months, joining the All In podcast, Lex Fridman, Theo Von and Logan Paul, part of an apparent effort to win over young men in particular.
Between the lines: Podcasts often give guests a friendlier setting to put forward the most attractive version of themselves.
- They're able to share biographical anecdotes, show off personality and banter with the host.
- And unlikely in journalistic interviews, the hosts rarely try to pin them down on policy or pepper them with tricky follow-ups.
- In recent podcast interviews, Trump showed a rarely seen softer side when he discussed his brother's alcoholism and his own mortality. Harris recalled memories of her late mother with Alex Cooper.
Zoom out: Leaders in other industries are finding the upside of podcasts through a "going direct" strategy. That includes major tech figures, who have expressed frustration with what they see as persistently negative coverage from mainstream media.
- Mark Zuckerberg, who has been scarce in the press over the last year, appeared on the Acquired podcast last month and the Dwarkesh Podcast earlier in the year. Elon Musk has also hit the podcast circuit hard.
- In sports, major names like LeBron James, JJ Redick, Travis and Jason Kelce and Draymond Green made themselves accessible to fans through podcasts.
The bottom line: TV audiences are dwindling, and hit podcasts over-index with audiences public figures want to reach. That's why big names and presidential hopefuls are grabbing podcast mics.
