Sick of Seeing These Same Smarmy Faces?
Here's How The Establishment Media Is Manipulating You
Emily Maitlis forcing her grimace into a smile, Private Eye sneaking into view and Alastair Campbell looking as smug and sulky as the bully Malcom Tucker who was written for him. A glance at the top podcast rankings on Apple and Spotify might leave you feeling somewhat…doomed!
Despite our constant laments of boring, elitist television execs deciding what the public should consume…it would appear that, when left to choose for themselves, that very public chooses podcasts that align closest with the whims of the establishment.
But all is not as it seems. Here are 7 things people don’t realise about why Left Wing establishment podcasts dominate Apple Podcast charts…but not YouTube.
1. The Apple charts don’t represent the top podcasts by listening numbers. This is why the Cheat Sheet podcast is there despite just starting. The truth is the charts are formed via an opaque system that is of course open to abuse and cronyism.
2. One metric they use is the number of new subscribers you have relative to the previous week. In theory, this gives small new shows a chance. But the only shows with big new audiences from the off are those run by big companies. Indies have to work for years to build audiences, so will never get that initial push in the rankings.
3. These ‘company’ podcasts are run by large teams who have an ‘in’ with the Apple and Spotify staff who decide whether or not to promote your podcasts. I’m not vaguely making assumptions about things like shadow-banning or getting into conspiracy terrain - this is a fact that they wouldn’t deny. It’s openly their business model.
4. As an indie, you’ve almost no chance of getting into those rooms, let alone convincing producers to push your show. This is especially true if there is anything remotely controversial about your show. In other words - if it doesn’t repeat the Left Wing talking points we see on TV, it won’t get pushed.
5. By virtue of being in the rankings, these establishment podcasts receive marketing help that continues their growth. This, again, is totally inaccessible to indies. Then, like a cartel, those shows use their big budgets to advertise on one another’s shows. Networks purchase a group of shows, all with the same ‘safe’ views and, these networks go on to monopolise the industry.
6. Brands won’t touch many of us if we diverge from the mainstream. It’s an irony we get called grifters when we’ve gone down the least profitable path. The establishment pods are swimming in brand deals, allowing them to continue promoting their pods with cash.
This means that mediocre establishment journalists like Maitlis first get handed a career by friends or admirers at the BBC. Then get to use these huge platforms to muscle their way to the top of an ostensibly indie medium (podcasting). Actual indies start with nothing: no budget, no fans and no industry contacts. They have to earn their way - but can’t hit the top rankings, can’t earn as much and can’t get the same PR.
The worst part is that one can imagine that Campbell and Maitlis see their success in podcasting as proof of their appeal beyond the political and media platforms that bolstered them. The reality is that it’s the very same machine that hoisted them into public view in the first place, while taking opportunities from real podcasters.
It’s actually grotesque.
7. YouTube on the other hand is about discoverability. The best creators tend to rise to the top. Big companies have tried splashing cash on promotion on YouTube but for the most part, it hasn’t worked. For that reason - on an equal playing ground - News Agents (despite its huge budgets and teams) fails to hit the heights of many of us YouTubers. After 15 years on YouTube, Private Eye only has 60k subscribers. Heretics passed this in its first two months. Yet there it is in the top rankings for Spotify and Apple.
The sad thing is: this system disincentivises alternative views and gives the false impression that the majority of the British population is left wing.
The tricky part is: how do we change it?
God the mere mention of Stewart, Campbell and Maitlis make me shudder. The latter two are especially stupid. Campbell does NO research for his podcast. He just refers to the odd snippet he's read in the Metro that morning. And Stewart of "I have lovely Muslim friends so Islam is lovely in all its forms" he's a slithery worm who fails to see any nuance and just moans when people pick on him, like a child. Maitlis is just stupid all round.
I'm inclined to think that age might be another factor. Because my generation got used to hearing the views of Maitlis, Sopel etc on the telly over several decades, they lazily pick a podcast with these "big" names. I'd be surprised if the same could be said of the younger generation.