Plenty of politically focused podcasts are aimed at one side or the other. Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff is looking to change that, by targeting the largest voting bloc in the country: those neither affiliated with the Republican nor Democratic parties.
A former soldier, Paul Rieckhoff started the show with a specific focus in mind.
“My background is really in the military, and then working for veterans when I started Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,” he shared. “Part of my job in that role was to advocate on behalf of people who didn’t have a voice, and also to tell stories. To focus on issues that were below the radar and amplify the voices of people who were meeting the moment and inspiring.
“I’d always been at the intersection of news, politics, and culture, but I never really had my own platform. I was always everybody’s guest and never the host,” he continued. “For close to 20 years, I’ve been on almost every network and TV show podcast that’s out there. I felt like it was the right time for me to shape my own platform that could bring attention, especially to national security, veterans issues, and the world of independent politics, which is still completely below the radar for most Americans.”
Rieckhoff shared that polling shows that the Republican and Democratic parties now each account for 27% of all voters. But Independents are at 45%.
“I wanted to build a platform that spoke with and for those people in particular,” he said of his reasoning for launching the show.
Now more than 400 episodes into the podcast with Bleav and Righteous Media, Rieckhoff is proud of the positive growth the program has seen since launching more than five years ago.
“We have what we call the ‘five I’s’ that guide everything the show is about: independence, integrity, information, inspiration, and impact,” Paul Rieckhoff shared. “That was what I wanted to bring to this space, especially at a time when podcasts were emerging, and media was being disrupted. I felt like it could be a positive voice that could bring light to contrast the heat.”
Rieckhoff shared that he had been a frequent guest on cable news shows, and other avenues due to his military and charitable backgrounds. Those experiences only reinforced his conviction that there was a large portion of those following politics but weren’t a fan of the two major parties.
“I’ve seen all the platforms, and I think most Americans are looking for something different,” he posited. “We want to be an alternative for folks who don’t want something as extreme or partisan as most of the leading podcasts out there. If you want an alternative to Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson, Rachel Maddow, and others, that’s where we sit. We have a real audience that’s been strong and growing rapidly.”
Now that the podcast has gained strong footing with those political independents, Paul Rieckhoff admits he hopes to expand the show’s horizons. After having guests like actors Sarah Jessica Parker and Ron Perlman on the show, he hopes to make an impact by reaching new listeners who have interests outside of politics, too.
“We want to reach people who don’t usually follow news and politics but now understand it impacts their lives,” he shared. “In difficult times, people need leaders to help them navigate what feels like a battlefield every day. I want to use my experience to help people understand what’s happening and what’s next. I want to help listeners stay ahead of the curve and protect their communities, businesses, and families. We want to expand our reach, bring in inspiring guests, do more events, take the show on the road, and build community.
“There’s an aspiration for what we’re building,” he added. “We want to be for independents what Pod Save America was for liberals or what (Ben) Shapiro has been for the right. We want to be the flagship for a larger ecosystem serving the biggest underserved media market in America: unaffiliated independent Americans.”
And Rieckhoff concluded that he believes that those focused on politically independent voters is only going to increase in the coming years. So he’s glad to be at the forefront.
“That part of the media landscape is untapped, and it’s the future of politics,” he shared. “According to Gallup polling last week, 60% of young people are unaffiliated and independent. Independent doesn’t mean neutral. It means none of the above. They’re tired of corporate media and partisan corruption, and they want voices they can trust. My background working with veterans gives me a strong foundation. I’ve been in the public space for 20 years. I’ve never been a Democrat or Republican. I didn’t just change jerseys. This is the jersey I’ve been wearing since I first got on the field.
“We don’t have big money, corporate sponsors, or a media machine like Fox or CNN,” he later added. “This has been entirely organic. We started in my garage using sweat equity with my producer and creative partner, Chris Rosenthal. It’s been extremely low-budget. We don’t have a fancy studio. Sometimes I do the show from my kitchen, between picking up my kids from basketball practice. The challenge for truly independent journalists is breaking through without a marketing budget. The validation is the organic growth. We hit #36 last week on Apple’s news podcast charts. We’re punching above our weight class, and we’re just getting started.”
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
