June 1, 2026
New focus-group research suggests many Black men are turning to podcasters, YouTube, and independent creators for news
A new focus group study suggests that a growing number of Black men are becoming increasingly frustrated with traditional news media and are instead choosing to get their information from podcasts, YouTube personalities, and independent content creators.
The findings come from recent focus groups conducted by Navigator Research, which surveyed Black voters who either supported President Joe Biden in 2020 before voting for President Donald Trump in 2024 or who identify as Democrats who feel disengaged from the political process.
Many participants expressed growing economic concerns, citing rising prices for groceries, housing, healthcare, and gas as major sources of stress.
The study also found that more Black men don’t trust mainstream media. According to HuffPost, participants described traditional television news outlets as increasingly biased or disconnected from their lives. As a result, many rely on social media, YouTube, podcasts, and independent commentators to stay informed. Several respondents mentioned personalities such as Joe Rogan and Roland Martin as trusted sources for news and analysis.
“I used to watch a lot of mainstream news, but they’ve been bought out,” a 45-year-old Black man from Decatur, Georgia, told HuffPost. “I go on YouTube, watch a lot of podcasters, independent — Joe Rogan, Meidas Touch. I watch everything.”
A 55-year-old Black man from Atlanta echoed that sentiment, arguing that legacy media outlets “seems more controlled now. The big news outlets seem more controlled in what they can release to the public.”
Another participant from Detroit mentioned that even though he primarily gets his news from YouTube and podcasters like Joe Rogan, he trusts his local FOX station. “I don’t believe half the stuff that CNN puts out,” he said.
Many participants placed responsibility for the nation’s current challenges on President Trump, citing what they described as ineffective leadership and a lack of focus on the needs of everyday Americans.
“I didn’t agree with Obama on everything, but he is an example of a good leader,” said one participant from Atlanta. Referencing Trump’s new $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” he added, “As a leader, you don’t put your self-interests first. You put your constituents’ best interests first.”
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