The Information Silo Election

The Republican's silo is robust; the Democrat's is weak

On the middle Letterman show—not the misplaced morning show on NBC where he and Paul did wildly innovative comedy for lucky stay-at-home moms, or the Late Show on CBS where he finished his late night career, but the Late Late Show on NBC where he really found his sea legs with the Top Ten list and Stupid Pet Tricks—Dave did a bit called “Limited Perspective” where, for instance, an electrician reviewed the blockbuster “Titanic” on the basis of the movie-ship’s lighting.

The political pundits are viewing this election from their limited perspectives of policy and campaign strategy. I’m from media, so I’m seeing this election from the perspective of information sent and received.

The left-wing silo is barren. A couple of old line newspapers and magazines. MSNBC and a handful of smallish digital platforms and shows. Pod Save America stands nearly alone as a left-leaning podcast with a large audience.

By contrast, the right-wing silo is vast and deep. It houses YouTubians, TikTokkers, broadcasters on Fox, Newsmax, Sinclair TV stations, and talk radio stations; posters on social media; and narrowcasters on myriad podcasts. As I’ve previously noted, the Donald Trump three-hour marathon on Joe Rogan’s pod/YouTube ‘cast was seen and heard by almost exactly the same number of people who voted for him.

Cult-of-personality? To be sure. But a nurturing, enabling media ecosystem repeating these lies: the stolen 2020 election, the “peaceful” January 6th Capitol riot, the “terrible” economy (which in truth is the envy of the world), the stupidity of Democrats (okay, that one’s debatable), and the “millions of immigrants assaulting our Southern border,” (those numbers are way down) was instrumental in the Trump victory.

It is said that eighteen year-old Baron Trump suggested the campaign seek podcasts and streams where young men do what young men do—a meet-them-where-they-are strategy. Out of the mouths of babes. It wasn’t just Joe Rogan, it was pod after pod of surfer bros, MMA fighters, Charlie Kirk, and Tucker Carlson to name a few. The once and future president showed up for most—he’d show up for the opening of an envelope if TV cameras were present—and when he wasn’t there, his surrogates were. Four of the top ten podcasts are right wing, two of them aimed specifically at Gen Z men.

Sure, the price of eggs was a driving force in the election, but over time, it will become clear that the realignment of media was most important to the outcome.

The Demographics of Media Usage

From Dave Van Dyke at Bridge Research:

            •          Digital Platforms: A majority of U.S. adults (86%) access news through digital devices like smartphones, computers, or tablets.

            •          Social Media: Over half of U.S. adults (54%) sometimes get news from social media, with platforms like Facebook and YouTube being the most popular.

            •          Television: Still a significant source, with 63% of adults getting news from TV at least sometimes.

By Age

            •          18-29: Prefer social media (78%) and search engines (74%) as primary news sources. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are particularly popular among this age group.

            •          30-49: Have a slightly higher preference for news websites or apps (70%).

            •          50+: Favor television (71%) and print publications more than younger groups.

By Gender

            •          Men: Use news websites or apps more frequently (68%), while women are more inclined towards social media (59%).

            •          Women: Also show a higher tendency to get news from platforms like TikTok and Instagram compared to men.

By Education

            •          High School or Less: Prefer TV and print.

            •          College Graduates: Inclined towards digital news websites or apps and podcasts.

By Platform Popularity

            •          News Websites: CNN.com leads.

            •          Social Media Sites: Facebook and YouTube for regular news; younger users go to TikTok.

It seems possible that this election signals the death of our traditional media structure. That in itself is unsurprising. Society and technology evolve. Smoke signals gave way to the Pony Express, which in turn gave way to the telegraph. Telephones displaced telegrams. Silent movies took a bite out of live theatre until “Talkies” ate the silent stars. Radio killed Vaudeville. Television took radio’s drama and comedy, leaving it with only music until the talk revolution on AM in the Nineties. It doesn’t take an Alvin Einstein (have you watched “Bad Monkey”?) to see that digital platforms are supplanting “linear” TV.

Influencers

Dave Pell informs us that "about 21% of U.S. adults are turning to “news influencers” for information, with most saying creators 'helped them better understand current events and civic issues.' The number was higher among young adults, with 37% of people ages 18 to 29 saying they turn to influencers for news." One in 5 U.S. adults get their news from social media influencers. I’ve posted a more detailed look at the study from Pew online.

The reorder is only beginning. Tighten your chinstraps.

©2024 Jon Sinton