Popular podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan took aim at the mainstream media during a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, rationalizing their declining credibility and viewership. Rogan’s remarks followed an op-ed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, which highlighted the deepening distrust Americans have for the media. According to Rogan, the situation is playing out in real-time, as media outlets like CNN, MSNBC, and the New York Times hemorrhage public trust and, in turn, subscribers.
In his op-ed, Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, discussed how the media landscape in the U.S. is crashing as a result of its failure to provide diverse viewpoints and address the deepening divisions in American society. He stressed the importance of offering multiple perspectives, rather than adhering to a narrow, left-wing echo chamber. Rogan summarized Bezos’ take by noting that “the business is faltering” because it’s not meeting the demands of a broader audience.
“I was just reading something about CNN’s ratings and MSNBC’s ratings post-election – they’ve crashed. All these left-wing kooks on YouTube are hemorrhaging subscribers. Where people go, ‘You guys are out of touch, you’re not accurate, you’re delusional.’ And people are speaking with their subscriptions and they’re speaking with their purchasing of the Washington Post and their purchasing of the New York Times.”
Rogan also pointed to a recent fact-check by The New York Times as a prime example of the media’s lack of credibility. The Times published a fact-check on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claim that Froot Loops sold in the United States contains artificial ingredients that are banned in Canada.
While The New York Times ultimately confirmed Kennedy’s claim that the ingredients differ, it still tried to “debunk” the assertion in an awkward and contradictory manner. The fact-check insisted that Kennedy was wrong about the ingredients being different but then went on to acknowledge that certain harmful chemicals were indeed present in U.S. Froot Loops that are banned in Canada.
Rogan questioned the motivations behind The New York Times‘ defense of these chemicals, asking: “What is your motivation for saying he was wrong?” He speculated that the media might be motivated by money, ideology, or perhaps a fear of losing influence among its audience. Rogan suggested that there could also be a deeper political motivation, such as the left-wing rejection of RFK Jr. due to his ties to former President Donald Trump, which have led some critics to unfairly associate him with extremist ideologies.
“What else could it be?” Rogan asked, rhetorically. “What are you trying to do? Are you trying to remove all leftover credibility?” He even joked that perhaps the media is “secretly working for the Chinese,” suggesting that the motivations behind some media decisions are so baffling that they seem almost conspiratorial.
As more people turn to alternative news sources—such as independent podcasts, YouTube channels, and even social media platforms—many feel that traditional outlets are becoming increasingly out of step with the public’s concerns and values. This has led to a sharp drop in trust and viewership, particularly among younger generations who are less likely to engage with corporate-owned media.
The decline of trust in legacy outlets is not just about partisan divides but about a fundamental loss of confidence in the media’s ability to provide objective, factual reporting.
As Rogan’s podcast continues to thrive as the most popular in the country, it’s clear that his audience values a different kind of media—one that doesn’t shy away from challenging the status quo and questioning the narratives pushed by traditional outlets. In this new media landscape, outlets that remain rooted in ideological rigidity may find themselves increasingly irrelevant, while voices that offer nuance and thoughtful analysis continue to gain influence.
There goes Rogan again, cryitisinsing LATE, just as he endorsed Trump just hours before the election. This Rogan guy is getting more attention that he warrants.