The year the Democrats lost the Internet

Perhaps due in part to this exclusion strategy, the audience reached by Republicans was more engaged with the content than Democratic viewers. A recent study from People First and Infegy found that conservative-leaning podcasts hosted by figures like Rogan and Theo Vaughn recently received 25 to 33 percent higher engagement than shows Harris continued, such as Call her father.

The influencers who interviewed Trump this cycle were not political creatures. Rogan and Vaughn have grown their audiences through their careers in comedy (and, in Rogan’s case, sports) and from within the entertainment industry. Their ideologies are amorphous, attracting a diverse range of viewers across the political spectrum. Both Vaughn and Rogan interviewed Trump, but they also recorded conversations with progressive lawmakers like Sanders, making it easier for each to avoid aligning themselves with either party, thus boosting trust among their constituencies.

“The Democratic Party brand online has completely collapsed,” Brock says. “People who don’t care about politics don’t like us. People who care about politics and do politics don’t know how to represent us. We are seen as completely out of touch with reality, and as more people resort to unconventional methods to get their news and media, we are set up to fail miserably.” In moving forward without a change in strategy.

In the wake of the Democrats’ defeat last month, progressive critics of the mainstream media have launched their own media startups or are looking for new funding. Amelia Montooth, CEO of Mutuals Media, says Democrats need their own programming focused on online culture.

“The right has a funnel that I think starts with Barstool, which reaches a large audience through popular culture,” Montooth says. “It’s going to take some serious investment, not just from people like the Progressive Party, but also from individuals who care about this work and journalism.”

It would also require taking risks, something Democrats, the party currently led by an 82-year-old, are known to avoid.

“Committing to the same five talking points won’t give you a true viral moment, and one viral moment doesn’t matter if it doesn’t translate into a larger movement down the road,” Brock says. “Because with criticism and ridicule comes engagement, comes conversation, inspires people to stand up for you, and inspires others to come to your aid.”