Sarah Taber
Anyone else been hearing a lot about "We just need better messaging!" "We just need a left Joe Rogan!" lately?
About that. There's one reason the right has more social media than the left, with bigger audiences.
Right-wingers pay their creators. End of list.
(Also you can't copy-paste Joe Rogan onto the left bc scam supplements are ~key to his business model. There's a limited number of suckers who fall for that. And they're already listening to Joe Rogan.)
Steve's Place
@sarahtaber Rupert Murdoch did it as an immigrant with hate in his heart. He built an empire out of lying about the 1st and 2nd amendments, Democrats, minorities, and anyone he disagreed with. Now he's a billionaire dictating US policy through the mouths of illiterate and politically-educated rubes.
Meanwhile, Air America died.
Buy one of the big-3 networks. Make damn sure it has tons of comedy and some rural-appealing shows. Spin off a TV news network embedding the network's name.
It would help to rebrand the network. Foxes are cute and not scary. That helped with the psychology of Fox News.
If people really want to mess with heads, buy Firefox. Rebrand the network Firefox Network. The news spinoff would be Firefox News. Screw the old Fox. This one's on fire!
Sarah Taber
The relative ease of financing right-wing social media means more creators can turn it into a full-time job. They can stick w it long enough to build big audiences.
That's why the right has so many highly-viewed podcasters & social media creators. And it's why they won in '24.
Sarah Taber
Post '24, elected leaders & major donors on the center-left have woken up to this problem. "We need more social media!"
As far as I can tell though, they still don't know what to do about it. Last I heard they were stuck on "Who's gonna pay for it? How do we build the grant programs?" etc. 🤦🏻♀️
Sarah Taber
The thing is, we've had lots good left-leaning & center-left podcasters & content creators.
But making good consistent content is a full time job for multiple people.
Very few left or center-left creators can get to the point where they can afford to make that.
Sarah Taber
So they move into some other genre of content. They paywall. Or they just quit making media entirely.
There are other reasons lefty media creators have a hard time staying in the game, but this is the existential one IME. If you can pay your bills, you can overcome most of the other barriers.
Sarah Taber
Meanwhile right-wing creators have a relatively easy time finding grants, partnership deals, etc.
They also target gullible people & teach them to be paranoid about new information. That makes it easier to sell them scam supplements, crypto currency, etc.
Sarah Taber
That's why I'm doing short videos- to get free, high-quality info in front of people who really need it.
It's also why I'm beating the drum on this sponsorship drive. It's *extremely* up to individual creators to find a way to pay our editors, researchers, etc.
Sarah Taber
The upshot: the US left is having a moment where it really needs to find its new voice.
And the fact that big donors have no idea how to build up social media yet? Means rank & file people get to decide what that new voice sounds like.
Sarah Taber
Which is a bummer, because right now is a GREAT time to be getting info in front of your average rank & file Americans.
Public opinion's already turning on the new president due to cost of living.
https://x.com/AstorAaron/status/1892339242950344830
And BOY do I have some stuff to say re: cost of living.
Sarah Taber
Anyway, here's my Patreon! It's got cool bonuses like extra news videos.
patreon.com/farmtotaber
And here's my Ko-Fi, a one-time tip jar if monthly subscriptions aren't for you but you still want to support.
ko-fi.com/farmtotaber
If you can't give, we've all been there, please signal boost!
Katrina Katrinka :donor:
Roger Ailes had a lot to do with Fox's success and his goal was to build a right wing propaganda network that would prevent another Nixon from resigning or being successfully impeached.
#Slate's #SlowBurn podcast did a good series explaining how Fox was built to be what it became.
Old Fucking Punk
@steter @sarahtaber The problem with Air America (and MSNBC) is that they are just regurgitating the Democratic Party neoliberal stances. They attacked Bernie Sanders' socialist messaging relentlessly. The left is tired of not being able to vote for the candidates they want due to the Democratic Party's primary blocking.
It's a two-party system and the capitalists get all the money.
Steve's Place
@lwriemen @sarahtaber Air America hasn't existed for years, though. MSNBC, I agree, is guilty as charged.
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