The Rise of Political and News Creators

How the ‛Influencer Election’ Will Reshape Media and Marketing in 2025

Report by Jasmine Enberg  | Jan 17, 2025
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Executive Summary
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Creators were everywhere during the election
Mainstream media has a trust problem
Social platforms have democratized ‛journalism’
Creators help consumers make sense of the news
Podcasters are particularly powerful news creators
Takeaways for marketers and media companies
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Not everyone gets news from creators and influencers. But alternative voices, especially podcasters, hold a lot of sway over key demographics, including Gen Z, men, and consumers who feel marginalized by mainstream media.
Topics
Politics
Influencer Marketing
US
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Creators were everywhere during the election
Mainstream media has a trust problem
Social platforms have democratized ‛journalism’
Creators help consumers make sense of the news
Podcasters are particularly powerful news creators
Takeaways for marketers and media companies
Sources
Media Gallery

US politicians’ embrace of creators and influencers during the 2024 presidential election is both a warning sign and lesson for marketers and media companies. In 2025, the power of alternative voices in news and politics could reach new heights, causing more upheaval in the media landscape.

Key Question: How are creators and influencers reshaping how people consume news and politics?

Roughly One-Fifth of US Adults Regularly Get News From Social Media News Influencers (% of US adults who get news from news influencers* on social media, by demographic, Aug 2024)
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Key Stat: Roughly equal shares of Democrats and Republicans (about one-fifth) regularly get news from influencers on social media, as do 37% of 18- to 29-year-olds, per August 2024 data from Pew Research Center.

Here’s what’s in the full report

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Creators were everywhere during the election
  3. Mainstream media has a trust problem
  1. Social platforms have democratized ‛journalism’
  2. Creators help consumers make sense of the news
  3. Podcasters are particularly powerful news creators
  1. Takeaways for marketers and media companies
  2. Sources
  3. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Roughly One-Fifth of US Adults Regularly Get News From Social Media News Influencers (% of US adults who get news from news influencers* on social media, by demographic, Aug 2024)Social Media Influencers Had More Impact on the Voting Plans of US Gen Z Than of US Adults Overall (% of US social users who said influencers swayed their 2024 presidential election plans in each way, Oct 2024)
Nearly Two-Thirds of US Registered Voters Say Podcasts Change Their Opinion About the News (% of US registered voters who have listened to podcasts in the past week, Aug 2024)US Adults Trust and Confidence in Mass Media, by Age and Gender, Sep 2024 (% of respondents of each group)
Main Issues That Impact US Adults' Trust in News Media, Nov 2024 (% of respondents)Top 3 Sources Internet Users Worldwide Pay the Most Attention to When Consuming News on Social Media, Feb 2024 (% of respondents in each group)
X Has More News Influencers Than Any Other Social Platform (% of US news influencers* on each social media platform, Aug 2024)How Do US Consumers Feel About Creators Posting Political Content During an Election Year? (% of respondents, June 2024)
More Democrats Than Conservatives Say News Influencers Help Them Understand Current Events and Civic Issues (% of US adults who get news from news influencers* on social media, by political affiliation, Aug 2024)US Social Media Users Who Are More Likely to Follow an Influencer If They Have Similar Political Views, by Age and Gender, Aug 2024 (% of respondents)
Comedy and News Are the 2 Most Popular Podcast Genres Among US Registered Voters (% of US registered voters who have listened to podcasts in the past week, Aug 2024)Podcast Listeners Spend Roughly the Same Amount of Time on Podcasts as TikTok Users Do on TikTok (minutes spent per day with podcasts vs. TikTok by US adult users, 2021-2025)
Extent to Which a Podcast Host's Endorsement Influences Trust in a Product/Service According to US Adults, Oct 2024 (% of respondents)

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authors

Jasmine Enberg

Contributors

Rahul Chadha
Director, Report Editing
Donte Gibson
Senior Charts Editor
Naomi Rebuelta
Copy Editor
Minda Smiley
Emman Velasco
Chart Editor
Paul Verna
VP, Content