Answered from Was populism worth it? · Today, Explained · 2026-11-03
Vox's Eric Levitz argues that media structure is a neglected cause of populism alongside recessions and immigration. Technologies that concentrate attention let elites filter and curate the public conversation, usually in a pro-institutional direction. Open, competitive media let more voices reach the public, which gives anti-establishment movements room to grow. He traces the cycle from radio to three-network TV to cable and social media.
“portray yourself as a source of secret, forbidden knowledge that you can't get anywhere else.” Eric Levitz · at 23:56 — open in the transcript →
Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Today, Explained (2026-11-03). Read the whole episode summary →