NEW YORK (AP) — In the current election campaign, several prominent media outlets have struggled to secure interviews with major candidates like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Notable names among them include NPR, The New York Times, PBS, and The Washington Post.
Interestingly, while traditional outlets faced rejection, Harris chose to connect with Alex Cooper for her “Call Her Daddy” podcast and engaged in discussions about Bay Area basketball on “All the Smoke.” Meanwhile, Trump opted out of a “60 Minutes” interview but chose to engage with audiences on shows like “Bussin’ With the Boys” and “Flagrant.”
Shifts in Candidate Engagement
The trend suggests a significant shift in how candidates are approaching media during this campaign, with conventional journalism being sidelined. This can be largely attributed to the rising influence of podcasts, which allow candidates to effectively engage niche segments of voters.
Despite this shift, there are exceptions. Harris participated in an interview with NBC News’ Hallie Jackson on Tuesday and conducted a CNN town hall the following day. However, political analyst John Heilemann pointed out a concerning decline in traditional media’s influence, calling it “an ancient, dying beast railing against the diminishment of its status and stature in the new world.”
Legacy Media’s Diminished Reach
Television networks, particularly, have seen their viewership drop significantly. For instance, CNN had 1.24 million viewers per night during the third quarter of 2016, a number that dwindled to 924,000 this year, as reported by Nielsen. The same decline is evident in newspaper circulation, dropping from 37.8 million on Sundays in 2016 to just 20.9 million by 2022, according to the Pew Research Center. Many campaigns no longer engage newspaper editorial boards, which used to be a common practice for candidates seeking endorsements.
“I think Americans deserve to hear the candidates have their ideas challenged,” stated Eric Marrapodi, vice president for news programming at NPR. In contrast, PBS “NewsHour” executive producer Sara Just noted, “The campaigns have their structures and their media plans are very carefully thought through, even if we don’t agree with them.”
Emerging Platforms for Targeted Messaging
As campaigns evolve, candidates are utilizing a variety of platforms to connect with specific demographics. For example, Harris recently appeared on Charlamagne Tha God’s influential radio program, which was even simulcast by CNN and MSNBC, to appeal to Black men voters. Her appearances on “The View” and Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” further extended her reach to audiences less attuned to traditional news cycles.
The Power of Podcasts
Podcasts, in particular, have transformed political engagement. With listenership nearly doubling since 2016, they offer an unmatched opportunity for candidates to target specific groups. Andy Bowers, co-founder of Spooler Media, noted that podcast audiences often exhibit a strong sense of loyalty, making it an ideal platform for reaching engaged voters.
In her interview with Alex Cooper on “Call Her Daddy,” Harris tackled important topics such as abortion, while Cooper posed pointed questions designed to resonate with their audience. For his part, Trump found a friendly space on the “Flagrant” podcast, where hosts discussed personal topics, leading Trump to remark, “I think I like this interview.” Such appearances allow candidates to present themselves in a more relatable light, avoiding traditional media scrutiny.
Don’t Count Out Legacy Media
Despite these shifts, legacy news organizations are not entirely losing ground. Rick Klein, ABC’s Washington bureau chief, argued that the traditional media still plays a crucial role, particularly in high-stakes scenarios like debates, which were hosted by ABC. Moreover, in a recent TikTok analysis by Zelf, six of the ten most viewed campaign news sources were legacy outlets, including ABC News, CNN, and NBC News.
In essence, while the landscape of campaign media is evolving, there remains substantial value in the rigorous journalism provided by established news organizations. Mark Lukasiewicz, a journalism professor, emphasized that it’s not about access but about quality reporting: “We should do journalism.”
As we continue to observe this unique election season, David Halbfinger, political editor at The New York Times, suggested that conclusions should be drawn cautiously given Harris’s late entry into the race. “It’s hard to know what the lessons will be,” he noted, adding that the mainstream media continues to fulfill its role despite attempts by candidates to sidestep traditional outlets, making this an intriguing case study for the future.
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David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
