A recent survey from Morning Consult reveals that over 10% of Democrats and Republicans listen to podcasts daily as part of their news consumption. Although this figure is about a third of daily television viewership, it indicates that podcast news consumption has now surpassed that of print newspapers. The data also suggests that Democrats are slightly more likely than Republicans to tune into daily news podcasts.
However, trust in podcasts and media, in general, remains low. According to Morning Consult, a significant partisan divide exists: 63% of Democrats express “a lot” or “some” confidence in the news media, compared to just 38% of Republicans, resulting in a 25-point gap.
As a relatively new medium filled with diverse shows—many from lesser-known sources—public trust in podcasts is still limited. Only 4% of U.S. adults report trusting what they hear on podcasts, with an interesting twist: Republicans tend to have more trust in podcasts than Democrats, with 5% of Republicans expressing confidence versus 3% of Democrats.
Trust issues are prevalent across media formats. For radio, for instance, only 7% of listeners express trust, with a lower 4% among Democrats.
The Morning Consult report, which draws from data collected from May 4-5 and July 31-August 4 among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults, also highlights that broadcast networks remain the most-watched, regardless of political affiliation. Nearly 60% of both Democrats and Republicans report watching ABC, CBS, and NBC. However, there are notable partisan preferences: Democrats are 23 percentage points more likely to watch CNN, while Republicans show a similar tendency toward Fox News.
In 2024, former President Trump has incorporated podcasts into his media outreach strategy, utilizing the format for longer, more in-depth discussions than those typically available on television. He has appeared on various shows, including the All-In Podcast and the Impaulsive Podcast. Similarly, Vice President Kamala Harris has engaged with audiences through platforms like We Can Do Hard Things. Podcasts provide candidates with the opportunity to elaborate on their viewpoints while connecting with a growing audience interested in political news.
