A media counterrevolution

This year has been the advent of a counter revolution reshaping the public square for the better. For decades, mainstream journalism operated as a closed club, with Ivy-leaguers and “trusted” networks holding a tight grip over the narrative. They filtered out anything resembling heterodox ideas or antithetical to their secular presuppositions. Yet since the beginning of 2025 we have seen a dramatic recalibration of the fourth estate. Gatekeepers who did their best to cancel wrong think (especially during the COVID pandemic) are seeing their powers recede.

The collapse of legacy media trust is now undeniable. According to a 2024 Gallup poll only 31% of Americans have “a fair amount” or “a great deal” of trust in the national press—while 36% have zero trust at all, up from just 6% in 1972. The erosion of credibility exposes the reality that many have been shouting about for years: The gatekeepers are no longer trusted to guard the truth.

This counter revolution could not happen at a more important moment. Over the past several years we have seen a real hostility to truth and commitment to political spin. Thankfully, a new breed of writers and influencers is emerging. These voices have leveraged their platforms to reach new audiences through alternative media outlets like podcasts and substacks.

This transformation has been endorsed at the highest levels of the administration. Instead of continuing to prop up established gatekeepers with press passes and preferred interviews, the Trump administration has leaned into alternative voices, treating podcasts and digital creators as the new mainstream. They even created a new media chair in the White House Press Room demonstrating the importance of these voices. We also see administration officials sitting down with Joe Rogan, the All-In crew, TBPN, and Pirate Wires. The result is a platforming of new voices, cutting through stale institutions. Clearly millions Americans would rather hear unfiltered conversation than carefully scripted soundbites. This is further proof that media power now belongs to audiences, not to institutions.

The Skydance acquisition of Paramount provided another breakthrough moment. As with many mergers and acquisitions, there were conditions for federal approval. Yet this time the commitments were made with an eye to restoring trust in the media. Among the commitments, CBS News volunteered to create a position of ombudsman, and they followed through by hiring Kenneth Weinstein, president of the Hudson Institute, to serve in this role. He joins CBS as an independent, internal advocate for journalistic integrity and transparency. It’s not lip service—it’s contractual, enforceable, and another notch in the tally of wins.

CBS doubled down on this new direction, bringing on board independent journalist Bari Weiss to serve in a top role. I’m not here to say I agree with Bari on everything, but over the past several years, her brand of journalism has been a breath of fresh air. It’s a reminder that journalism and media institutions should report truth, ask hard questions, and create real venues for discernment over thorny issues.

Perhaps the most symbolic win came in the form of distribution. After years of being exiled, One America News returned to Google’s YouTube TV basic package. That reversal sent a clear message: The days of deplatforming conservative outlets are fading, and audiences are demanding real choice. What was once unthinkable is now happening—the return of banned voices to mainstream channels.

Beyond the additions there are also subtractions, a cultural collapse of progressive icons. Stephen Colbert’s show was canceled, Joy Reid and others were shown the door, ABC’s Terry Moran flamed out in spectacular fashion, and even longtime liberal media darlings like Lester Holt walked away. Every one of these exits represents a victory for balance, as the monopoly on late-night ridicule and primetime spin finally has cracked under the weight of its own irrelevance.

Changes are not just happening in the political world. Even in sports we are seeing a transformation in coverage that is better for transparency and accountability. YouTuber Pablo S. Torre revealed that the L.A. Clippers may be circumventing the NBA salary cap through shell companies to pay star player Kawhi Leonard. Podcaster Bill Simmons noted for years the mainstream sports media establishment has looked the other way at these questionable arrangements. It took an independent voice to share the truth.

What we see is not just a moment—it’s the herald of a long-term realignment. Or as The Daily Signal’s Rob Bluey said recently, “These past six months haven’t just been remarkable—they’ve been revolutionary. Gone are the days of an adversarial press dictating the narrative to the American people.”

Where once legacy outlets dictated the narrative, now thousands of independent voices are shaping it, free from filter, bias, and corporate captive corridors. Today, a new generation of truth tellers are walking through these gateways with purpose, building a media ecosystem that listens to ordinary Americans—not elites.