It is a matter of time before podcasters may face the demise that legacy media is experiencing. By Manny De Freitas
The trend of political news consumption has dramatically changed in the last 10 years. Statistics from various sources indicate that nearly 90% of connected citizens access news online, with 58% relying on social media while the traditional legacy print and electronic media continue to dramatically decline.
This is unsurprising, considering that the traditional legacy media have been so blatantly deferential to the ANC since the dawn of our democracy. In fact, they have been more than that; they have been the ANC’s mouthpiece. This is not reduced to only the SABC, it includes radio and television stations who all claim to be “independent.” Viewers and listeners are not ignorant, and they see the patent biasedness of these news outlets, making them untrustworthy and devoid of news objectivity.
It is therefore equally unsurprising that the country’s social media ecosystem continues to thrive, with approximately 26.7 million active social media individuals recorded in January 2025. This represents 41.5% of the total population, reflecting a year-on-year increase of around 700 000 users (an additional 2.7%). For people of age 18 and above, social media penetration now stands at about 59.9%, cementing its role as a pivotal pillar of the digital space. More than half, or 52,6%, of internet users in South Africa, engage with at least one social media platform.
As a result, a large number of local podcasts have exploded in recent years. This is welcomed as these local podcasters are effectively filling the spaces left open by the one-sided legacy media.
However, we are starting to see another dangerous trend within podcasting. Except for a few excellent fact-based podcasts, the others are proving to be not only more than uninformed but also literally cringe-worthy. The opinions of podcasters are based on nothing more than just the sucking of their thumbs with no facts or figures behind them. The guests invited to these podcasts, most of which usually provide rubbish information and opinions are left unchallenged. In some cases, the podcasters will agree with the guest sitting in front of them even when the guest was providing a completely opposite and contradictory opinion to their guest the previous day – with whom they also agreed at the time!
Only this week, I literally cringed at the uninformed questions posed by a podcaster, thus exposing his ignorance and unpreparedness. Another example was another podcaster who vehemently stated that he would not support the DA (he even has a special subscriber-only podcaster on this subject), explaining that he was not sure who he would be voting for, whilst in the same breath espousing the Western Cape and Cape Town’s excellent government.
I wonder if that same Joburg-based podcaster will be supporting the pathetic and useless Joburg Mayor Morero and his team who are turning Joburg into a third world city. If the new media aren’t careful, they may well meet the eventual demise that the legacy media are currently confronting.
