'Squander the potential': Dems told they're wasting vital chance to rebuild voter base

Donald Trump's election win underscored the need for Democrats to boost their messaging to voters who don't necessarily tune into political coverage — and a media expert is offering a strategy for doing that.

Democrats have been discussing how to build out a liberal equivalent to the Republican noise machine conservatives have constructed over decades, and which now includes podcasts and streaming. Political and media historian Brian Rosenwald, writing for MSNBC Tuesday, said efforts to push back against talk radio have provided useful lessons.

"The history of Democrats trying to grapple with conservative talk radio suggests that a grand strategy for liberal media will have two key prongs," Rosenwald wrote. "First, a steady stream of Democratic guests on the types of male-focused podcasts that Trump targeted, and second, the creation of well-funded liberal shows that focus on entertainment, not advancing political goals — which is what has made conservative media so potent."

Bill Clinton recognized the influence of talk radio and used the medium to his advantage during his 1992 campaign and during the 1994 midterm elections, but other Democrats of that era either didn't share his enthusiasm or lacked his political talents, so liberals eventually tried – and failed spectacularly – to create their own talk radio networks.

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"It’s time for Democrats to play in the conservative sandbox," Rosenwald wrote. "Some, like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, who appeared with [hugely popular podcaster Joe] Rogan, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who regularly goes on Fox News, already do this. Yet too many Democrats see right-of-center media as a propaganda apparatus and find hosts like Rogan offensive. They worry about hostile receptions or confronting a firehose of lies."

Many younger voters, especially young men, hold left-leaning political positions, and Rosenwald said they would likely be receptive to liberal programming if more quality options existed.

"Podcasts and streaming programs avoid two issues that hampered liberal radio: a limited number of strong-signaled stations and radio executives committed to 'format purity,'" Rosenwald wrote, pointing out that program directors previously refused to put liberal and conservative hosts on the same station.

"Liberals will squander the potential of this new media if they produce shows driven by political goals. Instead, hosts should focus on creating engaging, authentic, entertaining programs," he added. "Their liberal values will still shine through ... Podcasting is cheaper to break into than radio, but the current moment calls for providing seed funding for a variety of shows, and then investing seriously in the ones that display promise organically.

"This recipe will enable liberals to successfully fight back on the airwaves."