About this episode

This episode explores the growing influence of social media personalities in politics and how they affect public trust in news.

In this episode of UnSpun, I look at the growing power of influencers in politics and public life. From streamers and commentators to legacy journalists turned creators, the media landscape has changed fast. Who gets trusted? Who gets heard? And what does it mean when more people get their news from personalities instead of institutions? I explore how influencers shape political knowledge, why they are so effective, how platform incentives affect what gets said, and what YOU can do to evaluate information more carefully. Topics include: Trump’s appearances on influencer platforms Pew Research on news influencers Parasocial relationships and authenticity Why legacy media trust keeps slipping How to make your feed more reliable Stay sharp, truth seekers. Here's the episode on Uses and Gratifications . Find Dr. Sturg on Substack Find Dr. Sturg on BlueSky Be smarter with Dr. Sturg's book that teaches you how to detect fake news. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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