Listen To Story Above
Trump’s groundbreaking campaign strategy in 2024 demonstrated the power of alternative media platforms, as his appearances on long-form content channels garnered unprecedented viewer engagement. His strategic pivot included notable appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience, a conversation with Elon Musk on X, and an interview with Theo Von, all of which surpassed traditional cable news viewership numbers and even outperformed his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
This shift toward extended-format media content comes at a time when conventional wisdom suggests declining attention spans should make such programming less appealing. Yet, experts point to several factors explaining this phenomenon.
Content aside. One of the reasons podcasts have exploded their audiences while cable news dwindles is that it’s actually just unbearable as a viewer to watch a bunch of people shout over each other instead of fully making their points.pic.twitter.com/YFl2tVtU9f
— Thomas Chatterton Williams (@thomaschattwill) November 9, 2024
“It’s possible what we see in podcasters, particularly those having ‘fireside chat-like’ conversations in an environment where the people are just like us, sharing our values and acting in ways we would normally act, that we connect and therefore trust them and will learn from them,” Chris Lipp, a professor of communications at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business told Newsweek.
Traditional media’s time constraints often force complex discussions into brief soundbites, while alternative platforms allow for deeper, more nuanced conversations. These extended formats enable authentic connections between viewers and subjects, as evidenced by Trump’s candid discussions about personal matters like his appreciation for wrestling and his initial reaction to the Lincoln bedroom.
“Mainstream media may carry the perception that our words are prepared, undermining our ability to convey personal power. Whereas in unedited live engagement, we have the opportunity to speak in a way perceived as authentic and therefore powerful,” said Lipp.
Psychological research provides insight into this viewing behavior. Psychologist Dannielle Haig describes how rapid-fire media consumption creates a “popcorn brain” effect, constantly seeking new stimuli. Dr. Gloria Mark from the University of California, Irvine, notes that screen attention spans have dramatically decreased from about two and a half minutes in 2004 to approximately 47 seconds recently.
“TV and film shot lengths have decreased over the years. They started out much longer. They now average about four seconds a shot length. That’s on average … . So we’ve become accustomed to seeing very fast shot lengths when we look at TV and film. Even commercials have shortened in length. Commercials used to be much longer. Now it’s not uncommon to see six-second commercials, even shorter than that,” she added.
The tables have turned ‼️
“The Mexican government says they will open 25 new shelters to house deport deported migrants”
Mexico will NOT keep and support them, within days they’ll be shipped back to their home countries, “The facilities will only house Mexican migrants for a… pic.twitter.com/A6lkZBDxKy
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) December 30, 2024
The appeal of long-form content lies in its storytelling capability. A 2022 survey identified storyline as the primary attraction of extended content, while a 2016 Pew Research Center study confirmed that readers spend more time with longer narratives.
Recent Nielsen ratings support this trend. While traditional cable news networks struggled with viewership – Fox News averaging 2.5 million prime-time viewers, MSNBC 1.4 million, and CNN 853,000 – Trump’s appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience accumulated more views than all major cable networks’ prime-time broadcasts combined.
This shift in media consumption patterns suggests that despite shorter attention spans in general, audiences remain capable of and interested in engaging with longer, more detailed content when it offers authentic, uninterrupted conversation and meaningful storytelling.
