Traditional media is dying, warns Cenk Uygur.
Cenk is one of the most successful media hosts on the planet. He is the co-creator of The Young Turks, a show with over 6 million subscribers and over 6.9 billion views.
On his latest guest appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Cenk explains why mainstream media is losing its footing to future media, especially podcasts.
His reasoning is compelling and backed by a simple but powerful example using CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
Wolf Blitzer is an American journalist and renowned CNN reporter. Despite his success on conventional media, Wolf may not enjoy as much dominance on other platforms where podcasters have found immense success. According to Cenk, Wolf would only amass “negative seven views.”
Why might a veteran like Wolf struggle to engage in the digital space compared to online creators like Cenk Uygur? While Wolf has built an enviable career in traditional media, success on platforms like YouTube and Spotify demands a different skill set.
Transparency, adaptability, and embracing differing perspectives are key to success in future media. However, as Cenk points out, these are missing from mainstream media.
Cenk Uygur is right. Historic media houses are declining, and podcasts will replace traditional media.
What does this mean for you as a real estate professional? As traditional media loses its critical standing, new opportunities emerge for agents to connect with potential clients and build their brands.
Let’s examine why mainstream media is losing its influence, how podcasts fill these gaps, and what this means for real estate agents who want to grow their revenues.
The Problem With Mainstream Media
In his discussion on the Lex Fridman podcast, Cenk Uygur points out that mainstream media is fraught with problems, including dwindling viewer trust due to bias towards specific interests. These problems have contributed to the decline in viewership and engagement. Here’s an in-depth look at some of these issues:
Diminishing Trust
Technology has transformed our society, including how we access information. Traditionally, mainstream media was the authority on local and international news. That meant immense power to control the narrative, a loophole that was unfortunately misused.
Mainstream media has continuously stirred controversy by spreading misinformation and disinformation.
With the advancement of future media, it has become more challenging for the traditional media industry to edit news to suit preferred narratives. As fake news and misinformation are exposed, trust in traditional media dwindles, as does viewership and engagement.
Trust in mainstream media is at an all-time low - Edelman
Propaganda and Objective Reality
Cenk Uygur points out the glaring lack of objectivity in mainstream media. Uygur cautions viewers to test reports against real-life events to avoid misinformation.
This phenomenon is especially prevalent during the election period. Media houses are known to mislead viewers about political campaign promises. The news segments may distort facts to serve selfish agendas, including the interests of political donors and advertisers.
Mainstream media’s constant need to maintain the status quo has contributed to its decline as people search for more objective sources of information.
Resistance to Change
Cenek Uygur argues that mainstream media resists significant change, especially if it threatens the established systems. He points out the example of Bernie Sanders, who faced challenges in his career because he advocated against policies that benefit corporate influence.
The backlash Bernie Sanders has received reveals an interesting aspect of established media systems that have led to its decline. Bernie has faced resistance in different forms, including:
- Negative coverage, where large media houses employ character assassination tactics to portray Bernie as unreliable.
- Limited airtime, where media houses curtail Berniie’s access to their audience and therefore his chance at presenting differing views that may threaten the corporate-aligned status quo.
Resistance to change contributes to silencing opposition or people who have differing views. With the continued growth of future media, more voices have access to a platform and an audience of willing listeners who want to hear opinions from all sides.
As long as mainstream media keep favoring right-wing figures, they lose liberal audiences to other platforms that are more embracing of all voices.
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Why Podcasts Are Outperforming Traditional Media
Traditional media has been losing its monopoly on communication for years to the digital media industry. One source that is emerging as a fierce competitor against old media is podcasts, and here’s why:
Oversimplification
Cenk Uygur and Lex Fridman discuss the primary advantage of podcasts over mainstream media - oversimplification.
Mainstream media has traditionally employed a format of short-form soundbites that do not necessarily reflect the depth of the topic. A perfect example is television news broadcasts.
To fit within the time constraints of news segments, complex issues are compacted into brief, catchy soundbites. These soundbites may be carefully edited to present a particular viewpoint while ignoring complexities and nuance.
Conversely, podcasts have successfully popularized long-form content, delving into more nuanced and lengthy discussions.
A case in point is Joe Rogan’s role in popularizing Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Before Joe’s passionate endorsement of the sport, MMA was relatively unknown. It was associated with violence and often seen as a brutal spectacle.
The sport has become a mainstream phenomenon thanks to Joe Rogan's in-depth interviews with MMA fighters.
Joe’s is one of many examples of how podcasts facilitate a more honest and comprehensive exploration of topics, while mainstream media tends to prioritize ratings and sensationalism over substance.
This contrast makes podcasts a valuable platform for in-depth discourse and a more honest and comprehensive exploration of topics.
Gatekeepers Lose to the Wisdom of the Crowd
Cenk Uygur further discusses mainstream media's reliance on a small group of gatekeepers to decide which news stories are worth covering and which ones are not.
These gatekeepers are often journalists or editors who heavily influence the news that reaches the public. According to Uygur, gatekeepers are also influenced by other interests, including advertisers, donors, and subscribers.
The emergence of other future media, including podcasts, has bypassed the gatekeepers to connect directly with audiences. This has led to the democratization of information and a shift from the centralized control of media.
Pursuit of Truth
Cenk advocates transparency in podcasts, especially on societal issues. As an online creator himself, Uygur explains his stance on rent control. Cenk, a firm believer in free markets, affirms that he would not endorse rent control on his podcasts.
With traditional media, however, hidden agendas and propaganda tramples the public’s interest, especially from the political sphere.
While podcasters sometimes face backlash for defending and standing on their beliefs, their pursuit of truth has fostered trust in creators and drawn more people to the digital space.
Podcasts facilitate the free dissemination of information by inviting Industry leaders and niche authorities to share unfiltered truths with an eager audience of over 129 million listeners.
How Top-Producing Agents Leverage Podcasts for Real Estate Growth
Top-producing real estate agents are always aware of emerging trends that can propel their businesses forward. One such trend is leveraging the increasing power of podcasts to reach a wider audience and close more transactions.
Podcasts have succeeded in the digital space, amassing millions of followers and resulting in billions of dollars in revenues. Top names in real estate podcasting include BiggerPockets, The Tome Ferry Podcast Experience, and ICONS of Real Estate Podcast.
These top shows are a testament to the power of podcasting to grow audiences, establish hosts and guests as industry leaders, and generate leads for business growth.
But how can a real estate podcast help you sell more houses?
Connect With a Wider Audience
With over 135 Million listeners in the US, podcasts command a broad audience of potential clients.
Traditionally, reaching a nationwide audience would have cost a fortune. With real estate podcasts, however, agents can connect with potential clients nationwide from the comfort of their offices.
As more listeners gravitate towards the podcast’s valuable content, agents can attract potential clients seeking real estate services.
Showcase Your Authenticity
In an era of AI, chatbots, and virtual assistants, authentic communication can be challenging to distinguish from generative interactions.
More professionals are enlisting chatbots to answer emails, handle client communication, and attend to repetitive tasks.
A real estate podcast reinforces your authenticity by showcasing the real you. Interacting with your listeners helps you build rapport and trust on a more personal level.
Stay Top Of Mind Through Consistent Content
Real estate podcasts are a medium of engagement through content creation. Podcasts help agents stay at the top of clients' minds by engaging regularly through valuable content.
Podcast content is also versatile, as it can be repurposed for other channels, including social media, newsletters, and blog posts.
Video snippets or highlights from episodes can be posted on socials, while episode content can be turned into an article for increased engagement.
Podcasts' versatility makes them perfect for busy agents who want a channel to create content while simultaneously generating traffic.
Expand Your Network
Real estate podcasts allow the host to rally a community of professionals and other stakeholders. Guests on the show form strong relationships with the host, introducing them to other industry players for mutually beneficial relationships.
Additionally, agents with their own podcasts can host other top shows for exposure to audiences they otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach.
These networks generate referral leads and other business opportunities at little to no cost to the agent.
Take Control of Your Narrative, Control Your Messaging in Real Estate, Launch a Podcast!
Real estate podcasts have become a powerful tool for agents to establish their authority, showcase their expertise, and connect with a wider base of potential clients.
Join the future of real estate by starting your own podcast. As host of your real estate podcast, you leverage an audience of over 70 million adult Americans.
At ICONS of Real Estate, we have produced over 50 podcasts for top industry professionals, including Kevin Tremmel’s 239 Real Estate Roundtable Podcast and Kathy Brynes’ Real Estate Riches Podcast.
If starting your own show seems too big a step right now, you can guest on the ICONS of Real Estate Podcast. Guesting enables you to test the waters before committing to a show.
Reach out to the #1 Real Estate Podcast Network on the Planet, the ICONS of Real Estate, and grow your reach, network, and revenues with the power of podcasting.
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