Conservative dominance of digital platforms is driven by billionaire backing that the left hasn’t matched
A new Media Matters report confirms what many of us have suspected for years: the right absolutely dominates online media. And it’s not even close.
According to their analysis, nine of the top ten online shows are right-leaning, with a total following of more than 197 million subscribers and viewers across platforms. The only left-leaning show to crack the top ten? Trevor Noah’s “What Now?” with 21.1 million followers.
Overall, right-leaning online shows have amassed nearly 481 million followers across platforms — almost five times more than the 104 million followers for left-leaning shows. On YouTube alone, right-wing channels have racked up 65 billion views compared to 31.5 billion for left-leaning content.
These numbers are staggering, but they’re not an accident. They’re the result of a deliberate, well-funded strategy to colonize the digital media landscape with conservative voices. While left-leaning creators struggle to cobble together sustainable business models through Patreon donations and merchandise sales, right-wing personalities are frequently backed by billionaire money that allows them to build sophisticated media operations with professional production values and massive marketing budgets.
This isn’t just about politics — it’s about money, power, and the future of our information ecosystem.
The Kochs, the Mercers, the Thiels, the Murdochs, the Uihleins — these aren’t just wealthy families; they’re kingmakers who understand that investing in media is investing in political power.
Take The Daily Wire, co-founded by Ben Shapiro (whose online platforms boast a combined following of 25 million according to the Media Matters study). What began as a modest conservative website has expanded into a multimedia empire producing movies, children’s content, and multiple top-performing podcasts. This growth didn’t happen organically — it was bankrolled by Texas fracking billionaires Dan and Farris Wilks, who reportedly invested $4.7 million to get the company off the ground.
Then there’s Rumble, the “free speech” alternative to YouTube that’s become a haven for right-wing content creators. Peter Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist and prominent Trump supporter, is among its key investors. And now, right-wing online shows have used the platform to add billions more views to their already enormous reach, according to Media Matters.
https://www.readtpa.com/p/media-matters-report-on-conservative
The link to the article to the Media Matters report referred to in the OP article is provided here for your convenience: