Courier Newsroom, a digital media company that operates news outlets and sponsors political content intended to support Democratic candidates, is ramping up its podcast efforts as part of a larger media push heading into the 2024 campaign season.
“If we want to revitalize our democracy, we need to reshape our media landscape to reach the majority of Americans who no longer consume traditional media with information and content that is relevant to their lives and that is produced for the platforms where they spend their time,” said founder and publisher Tara McGowan. She says that many legacy media outlets are reaching fewer Americans with their traditional content formats, and those that do reach them are too focused on horse race political coverage. She blames them for the “lies and misinformation” that led to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.
Courier Newsroom will not only roll out a slate of new podcasts, but it will also feature newsletters and social video content.
“For the most part, legacy media and political organizations alike have underinvested in these channels – and in doing so, have abandoned the tens of millions of Americans who get their only news and information on them,” McGowan said in the announcement.
Semafor reports the team will be led by Managing Director Kyle Thapr, who is a veteran of Democratic political campaigns.
Courier Newsroom is not the only progressive organization that is ramping up its media efforts heading into a big election year. Crooked Media announced last month that it is expanding its executive leadership team that will not only oversee the company’s reach into new areas but will also be targeted on bringing more breaking news coverage across Crooked’s podcasts.
Crooked Media, the home of podcasts such as Pod Save America and Lovett or Leave It, is expanding into book publishing. Co-founders and Pod Save America cohosts Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor will release their first book, titled “Democracy or Else” next year with profits from its sales will go to Vote Save America.