Joe Rogan Echoes Jeff Bezos’ Warning: Liberal Media Losing American Trust
The relationship between mainstream media and American audiences is fracturing, according to podcast giant Joe Rogan. In a fiery discussion on his latest episode, Rogan weighed in on the media’s growing trust crisis, citing a recent op-ed by Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.
Bezos’ October piece, “The Hard Truth: Americans Don’t Trust the News Media,” took a hard look at the industry’s decline. “Complaining is not a strategy,” Bezos wrote, calling for media organizations to “work harder to control what we can control to increase our credibility.”
Rogan, who hosts one of the world’s most popular podcasts, praised Bezos’ analysis but went a step further. “You’re not accurate, you’re delusional,” Rogan said, attributing plunging ratings and subscriber losses at outlets like CNN, MSNBC, and The New York Times to a deep disconnect with their audiences.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Ratings Crisis in Liberal Media
Rogan pointed to plummeting viewership statistics to illustrate his point. In the aftermath of the 2024 election, cable news giants like CNN and MSNBC saw significant drops in their audiences. For MSNBC’s flagship show Morning Joe, ratings have fallen 15% overall, with a staggering 41% drop in the coveted 25-54 age demographic, according to Variety.
This decline isn’t confined to television. Rogan argued that left-leaning YouTube commentators are also “hemorrhaging subscribers.” He attributed this to growing dissatisfaction among Americans with what he described as biased and inaccurate reporting.
“People are speaking with their subscriptions and their wallets,” Rogan said, referencing decreased purchases of publications like the New York Times and Washington Post.
Fact-Checking or Fact-Twisting? Rogan Targets NYT
Rogan singled out a recent New York Times fact-check article on claims made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The piece scrutinized RFK Jr.’s assertion that harmful chemicals present in American versions of Froot Loops are absent from Canadian versions.
While the Times ultimately acknowledged differences in ingredients, its phrasing left Rogan incredulous. “They fact-checked it, while saying he was accurate,” he said. “It’s the most insane way of debunking.”
Rogan’s critique extended beyond the article’s content to its underlying motivations. He suggested political biases may drive such reporting, especially when it comes to figures like RFK Jr., who face rejection from the liberal establishment for perceived ties to conservative ideologies.
The Fallout: Losing Credibility Across the Board
The trust crisis extends to high-profile moments of perceived hypocrisy. Rogan highlighted MSNBC’s Morning Joe, where hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough faced backlash after visiting Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The meeting—following years of feuding and criticism of Trump—sparked outrage among liberal viewers and staff alike, further fueling dissatisfaction.
Rogan didn’t mince words when discussing the broader implications of the media’s struggles. “Are you trying to kill all your leftover credibility? What is your endgame here?” he asked, accusing outlets of chasing profit and political agendas at the expense of public trust.
A Changing Media Landscape
The crisis highlighted by both Bezos and Rogan reflects a larger shift in how Americans consume news. With the rise of independent platforms like podcasts and YouTube, traditional outlets face fierce competition from creators unbound by corporate or political pressures.
As trust in legacy media continues to erode, Rogan’s critique underscores a stark reality for major outlets: without a serious reckoning, they risk losing their relevance—and their audiences—for good.