Professor warns podcasts can entrench narratives that reshape voting behavior

Dr. David Dowling, professor in the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication, told an Iowa City audience that podcasts now function as a primary news source for many Americans and “are extraordinarily persuasive.” He said the medium’s intimacy—hosts speaking directly into listeners’ ears—combined with long-form episodes and habitual consumption, allows podcast hosts to gradually construct coherent worldviews that filter how listeners interpret later events.

Dowling cited recent studies linking podcast reliance to voting patterns, noting that some research found roughly one in five Trump voters reported podcasts alone as a main news source in 2024. He described how extremist podcasts often appropriate journalism’s forms—transparency, conversational tone and authenticity—but repurpose them as a “journalism of affirmation,” which reinforces preexisting beliefs rather than encouraging evidence-based deliberation. “Once politics is framed as existential survival against hidden enemies, compromise becomes increasingly difficult,” he said, arguing that repeated narrative exposure can contribute to democratic backsliding.

He closed with practical advice for consumers: slow down when strong emotions are invoked, check whether independent evidence is offered, and ask who benefits from the claim. Dowling emphasized media literacy as a measurable tool to increase resilience and recommended audience members seek independent sources before accepting highly certain claims.