[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]

New media. What does that even mean? Its a whole new world out there. This is an anti-system to the media-political complex which has become corrupted. Mavericks embrace technology which others are afraid or ignorant to use.

Imperial media is not going away, it has too much propaganda value shaping overly-sensitive, easily-influenced, less-rational, left-of-center audience, who succumb to its advertising. However, its reach has fallen precipitously with over 50% drop this year. The cable channels will collapse when carriage fees terminate. Carriage is the forced subscription to cable/satellite channels you never watch. The leading newspapers have fired editorial staff, CNN and MSNBC are for sale so they do not burn the parent corporation. Massive layoffs are happening.

To establish new media influence requires little more than a computer, camera, and internet connection, a far cry from the massive outlays of the formerly dominant imperial media network. Why are some sites phenomenally successful, while others have a pittance? It helps immensely to have name recognition, but even that does not assure success. The technology is not the key. Technology changes across platforms

Three factors determine the success of the enterprise. The site must provide enlightenment, entertainment, and personality. A nod to the Blaze who promote the first two words.

Enlightenment is information, with perceived value, in a positive take. Entertainment is becoming involved in the conversation with a flair, not necessarily music, comedy, or other art forms. Personality must be bigger than life, but relatable.

Dominant personality requires moral courage, a leader at least in his field, experience which is not the same as age, and fact-based experts.

Look at a few illustration. The man who made the survival of AM-radio, the late Rush Limbaugh, was a college-drop out. He began his program with a well-researched monologue, followed by callers, interspersed with parody and occasional music. He had no professional guests. With the largest radio audience in the world, he influenced Presidents and was the target of the imperial media. His self-deprecating description was ‘harmless little fuzzball.’ The format lent itself to listening to the show, while doing other activities.

Pod-casters Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan sit down with professional guests for an entertaining dialogue in a two to three hour discussion, having rapport, irreverent humor, and questioning authority. A social liberal, Rogan was outcast by the left because he questioned Covid policies. His culture has been moving right.

Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X, because of its constraints on his free speech. After reorganizing and firing 70% of the employees, X has become a free-speech platform. One of the biggest draws is Musk’s own quips and memes. His actions illustrate his experience with cutting the over-burden of large organizations, including government.

Tucker Carlson, Russel Brand, Kid Rock, and Dr. Jordan Peterson in their media-presence have become much more vocal preachers for the Christian life-style than the traditional organized religion leaders. The Christian community was one of the most maligned segments by imperial media, but has a rather unusual voice in new media. The segment is more active with a less ostentatious approach.

Trump is another voice in new media with his massive rallies, where he was bigger than life, but very relatable to the audience. A definitely looming persona, people still would like to sit down with him for a McDonald’s burger. He interspersed music with rhetoric and created his own ‘dance’ that has been adopted across sports and party get-togethers around the world. Bending the knee is out.

These personalities communicate very effectively, have personal fun, and reach massive audiences, more than any network or cable programming ever dreamed.

The Nation magazine whined “Liberals need to build their own Joe Rogan.” Other pundits and politicians have made similar comments. Why will that not work?

First, the message is not enlightening and far from positive and uplifting. There is no humor. By definition, humor makes fun of someone. Their philosophy does not allow questioning their authority, but is only degrading the opposition. Entertainment is not naturally part of their dialogue, they must pay someone to entertain them. The personalities are not relatable or believable. Spiro Agnew’s mocking “the nattering nabobs of negativism” is still relevant.

Rational facts matter. Positive attitude matters. Personal fun matters. Larger-than-life matters. Relatable matters.

Ahh! By just saying those statements, we are rewarded with a collective sigh of relief.

Think about it. Have fun. Know good ideas. Attack bad ideas.