Karl Stefanovic has left the traditional news desk for the podcast studio, embracing a world where algorithms and engagement, not editors and advertisers, dictate success. In his defection lies a stark lesson about the differences between these media ecosystems, writes political commentator Ed Coper.
Stefanovic, once a host of Channel Nine's Today show, now runs The Karl Stefanovic Show, where he recently fawned over a far-right extremist, saying 'God I love ya'. This contrasts sharply with his earlier mainstream persona, governed by TV incentives and socially acceptable commentary.
The creator economy boom
The business of disseminating information is booming, but quality journalism is struggling. People are forging lucrative careers by simply picking up a microphone and camera and calling it news. Coper notes that journalism students face layoffs, AI replacement, or worse, while the creator economy offers unburdened, standards-free success.
Stefanovic read the tea leaves and abandoned the suit and tie for the T-shirt and thongs of the podcast studio. He saw the road ahead and headed for golden pastures where algorithms reign.
Algorithm-driven extremism
On social media, being extreme is necessary to be heard. The more contrarian, the more visible; the more outrageous, the more interesting. To build a social media news empire, Stefanovic must win the algorithm by replicating templates of fringe opinions wrapped in culture war attacks on political correctness, even if he doesn't hold those views.
This path is well trodden. Megyn Kelly, once a Fox News darling, now has over 4 million YouTube subscribers on The Megyn Kelly Show. Candace Owens, a conspiracy theorist, regularly outpaces Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC combined in YouTube viewership. Joe Rogan platforms fringe ideas under the guise of 'just asking questions'; his 2024 Spotify deal was reportedly worth about $250 million.
Restoring quality information
'The rise of creator media has been a boon for those who peddle bullshit, as bias and bullshit are core features of what wins our attention on social media,' Coper writes. Migrating news media onto platforms that map onto emotional wiring inadvertently builds Stefanovic's podcast. Anger, outrage, and controversy rule, and negative attention counts as much as positive engagement.
What can be done? Coper urges support for quality news outlets and regulatory reforms to make platforms more suitable as town squares. 'Perhaps if they had rewards for consensus, facts and balance, we would be instead discussing Karl, Australia’s latest sage-baiter.'
Ed Coper is a political commentator and author of Angertainment: How Social Media Outrage Ruined Everything.
