NEW REPORT: MAGA Media Is Dominating—We Need All Hands On Deck To Push Back

A new study shows right wing extremist content dominating corporate and social media and destroying our republic — here's how we must respond

The below three charts are devastating.

Devastating for those who want factually accurate information from our media. We already knew that the LA Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, NY Post, Fox News, Meta, Twitter— and more — are owned by pro Trump billionaires. But unfortunately, this is just the tip of the ice berg. Right wing content creators dominate social media as well, and it has transformed our nation into a right wing regime that mimics Russia, China, and other anti-democratic States. We must collectively activate to stop this right wing spiral, or we will cross a point of no return. Let’s Address This.

Right Wing Media Dominates

Earlier this month, a watchdog organization called Media Matters for America released a devastating report on the state of online media. As the below graphic illustrates, right wing voices, conspiracy theorists, and MAGA extremists dominate the social media landscape—far dwarfing left leaning creators and voices.

This is particularly concerning because studies show that young people are on social media more than any other demographic, and more than half receive their news from social media. It is no wonder, therefore, that from the 2020 election the 2024 election, we saw a shocking 11 point shift to the right for young people 18-29, and a 23 point increase among the same demographic in Trump’s approval rating. The MAGA marketing strategy went full speed to reach the youth, and it paid off immensely.

Sadly, the left has not yet caught on, and is still not making the necessary investments to recapture the narrative or market on young people. This is where you, the reader, can have the biggest influence. Subscribe to left leaning content creators who are committed to justice and human rights. Every dollar we spend is a reflection of the future we want to create for ourselves and for our next generation. Right now, right wing MAGA content heavily dominates that future—and sadly, it’s getting worse.

Right Wing Media Enables Right Wing Politics

It’s getting worse because it isn’t just media. The right wing media shift has also enabled a massive right wing shift of the United States into a far right regime. Consider the below two charges by Financial Times and their analysis of the World Values Survey.

The first chart demonstrates that the USA right now is closer to Russia than it is to the west on many of its values. It is as illiberal as Russia or Turkey, and nearly as isolationist as China, Russia, and Turkey.

None of this is healthy or sustainable for our republic.

The next Financial Times chart shows how under the Trump regime, the United States has completely broken away from liberal democratic republics. It now instead mimicks the authoritarian regime of Russia. We must recognize that the aforementioned right wing narratives and these right wing politics are intimately connected.

That is, right wing legacy and social media normalizes fascist ideology, the man in the White House enacts that ideology, and right wing legacy and social media then further popularizes and normalizes it. This is major reason why—despite the majority of Americans supporting healthcare as a human right—we face a for profit exploitative health insurance system, and the real possibility of a gutted Medicaid and Medicare. It’s why—despite the majority of Americans supporting abortion access, climate justice, a living wage, taxing the wealthy, and diversity in the public sphere—the Trump regime is successfully dismantling or repealing each of them, one by one. It’s why—despite the majority of Americans supporting USPS—the Trump regime is gutting it.

How Do We Combat This?

If we’re serious about pushing back against the domination of right-wing media, then we need to get serious about building and sustaining left-leaning creators who center justice, truth, and human dignity. I write daily on human rights issues corporate media won’t touch—not behind a paywall, but accessible to all. You can subscribe for free, or for $6/month if you're able. I’m deeply grateful for your trust and support.

To repeat—none of my content is behind a paywall. I don’t believe in requiring readers to pay for access. I ask you to become a paid subscriber if and only if it is in your budget. Please know that I cherish free subscribers all the same because you help grow the platform and share the human rights content I research and publish.

I also urge you to explore and invest in the dozens of other thought leaders and activists I recommend—each one fighting to ensure truth has a voice. Remember: the far-right didn’t build its media empire overnight. It took years of strategy, funding, and community-building. We likewise cannot flip that overnight, but we can start now—and do it the right way. Our ideas win when people hear them. But to make that happen, we must build the infrastructure so they can hear them. Subscribe today. If you're already subscribed, share this content or gift a subscription to someone you love.

Hope is not lost. We can overcome this—with truth, with justice, and with each other.

Let’s get to work.