With Podcasts, Politicians Can Be Intimate And On-Message

KUT 90.5 | By Michael Marks

Published February 13, 2020 at 5:20 PM CST

Sen. Ted Cruz's podcast, "Verdict With Ted Cruz," was at the top of the Apple Podcasts chart during President Trump's impeachment trial.

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As podcasts continue to grow in popularity, politicians are increasingly using the medium to reach the public without having to go through traditional news media.

One standout example is Sen. Ted Cruz鈥檚 new podcast 鈥� .鈥� In it, he and co-host Michael Knowles gave listeners play-by-play commentary on President Trump鈥檚 impeachment trial. The podcast will go on even though the impeachment trial is over. Houston-area Rep. Dan Crenshaw also has a podcast, 鈥� ,鈥� in which he talks politics with various guests.

is an assistant professor of political communication at Southern Methodist University, and studies public discourse among conservatives. She says podcasts are an important tool in which politicians can control public perception more easily than through news appearances.

鈥淭ed Cruz or Crenshaw, they write the questions and the answers,鈥� Martin says. 鈥淚t is a chance to reinforce the brand they want to be seen as. It is the freedom that you don鈥檛 accidently get asked about something you didn鈥檛 want to talk about.鈥�

Traditional news media organization have also started a number of their own podcasts. And Martin says they likely have more resources and skills to maintain a podcast than Cruz or Crenshaw. Martin says podcasting isn鈥檛 as easy as some might think, and it could be difficult for politicians who jump into the medium to maintain an audience or stay competitive.

Podcasting is an extension of what politicians have been doing on social media for the last several years. President Donald Trump, for example, has used Twitter to comment on current events, speak directly to his supporters and convey a persona of his choosing.

Martin says podcasts serve a similar purpose. But it鈥檚 unclear the extent to which Cruz or Crenshaw鈥檚 constituents are swayed by what they hear. Martin says some research shows that podcasting feels like a more personal exchange between host and listener than any other medium, which could be an advantage for politicians.

鈥淵ou are getting to know someone and getting invited into their private conversation. That is what constituents feel like they are getting,鈥� Martin says.

Written by Laura Morales, edited by Caroline Covington.