Joe Rogan has never hidden his distaste for the traditional legacy media. For years, the podcasting giant has criticized the editorial bias and deteriorating trustworthiness of traditional media publications, accusing them of altering narratives to suit political or business interests. In an era when trust in the media is at an all-time low, the JRE host has positioned his immensely popular program as a response to what he perceives to be a broken system—unfiltered, open-ended, and fiercely distrustful of centralized authority. And in episode #2308, joined by Jordan Peterson, that distrust reached a new level of intensity.
Peterson, talking about Rogan’s enormous influence, emphasized that his platform thrives not on clickbait or scripted interviews, but on organic, meaningful conversation. However, he also made a cautionary point: with great power comes great responsibility. The clinical psychologist questioned how someone like the UFC commentator ensured his platform does not unintentionally encourage poisonous subcultures or mistaken views. “Once you gain reach and authority, then how do you know—how do you take great care—that the people you’re talking to aren’t, what would you say, eliciting or feeding a subculture that hasn’t got the proper aims?”
Rogan answered with his characteristic bluntness. According to him, the $570 billion media industry (according to Statista.com) has entirely failed at what it previously prided itself on: being a reliable gatekeeper of truth. “It’s fascinating when you lose faith in a New York Times piece,” Rogan said, claiming that what was previously regarded as objective journalism has devolved into meticulously crafted editorialism. He underlined that the public is becoming more aware of the manipulation and turning to platforms like his for unadulterated truth, even if it is messy, uncomfortable, or inconvenient.
The conversation ultimately revealed a larger cultural shift. As trust in traditional institutions decreases, there is an increased demand for authenticity, and platforms like The Joe Rogan Experience are filling that void. If we compare it purely on the basis of numbers, then the results are interesting. Rogan’s online presence skyrocketed in October 2024, with his audience numbers hitting new heights on both Facebook and YouTube. According to Tubular Labs’ monthly audience ratings, not only did the UFC commentator attract significantly more viewers, but those viewers stuck around for longer periods — a major win in the digital content world.
Rogan ranked as the No. 34 media creator in the U.S. across YouTube and Facebook, with 21.9 million unique viewers — a staggering 173% increase from the previous month and his highest total in over a year. Even more impressive were his watch-time stats. Fueled by viral, long-form interviews with Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, Rogan logged 1.2 billion minutes of U.S. watch-time in October, a 145% month-over-month jump. That placed him at No. 3 among all domestic media creators, just behind Disney Junior and Meidas Touch (both with 1.3 billion minutes), and ahead of established media giants like Fox News and MSNBC.
MMA: UFC 165-Jones vs Gustafsson Sep 21, 2013 Toronto, Ontario, CAN UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the Jon Jones not pictured fight against Alexander Gustafsson not pictured during their Light Heavyweight Championship bout at UFC 165 at the Air Canada Centre. Toronto Ontario CAN, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTomxSzczerbowskix 7485195
Peterson and Rogan’s exchange was more than just a critique of a $570 billion industry; it was also a call to reconsider how power is handled in the current era. But the JRE host doesn’t always need a guest to help him go against modern media, as he recently called out the broadcasters for being ‘evil.’
Joe Rogan calls out modern media for ‘evil’ downplaying of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rescue
Joe Rogan’s dissatisfaction with the media did not end with philosophical reflections with Jordan Peterson. It had been simmering for weeks before their conversation even aired. About three weeks before the Peterson episode, the UFC commentator criticized what he called the “evil” erasing of a huge scientific milestone: SpaceX’s rescue of two NASA astronauts stranded in orbit. In his world, where authenticity and honesty should be central to the story, the media’s silence was not only disappointing; it was deliberate, calculated, and deeply revealing.
Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore returned to Earth on March 18, following an unexpected nine-month stay on the International Space Station. Originally planned as a fast eight-day test of Boeing’s Starliner, technical glitches significantly delayed their stay. The solution came from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, not government contractors or international coalitions. The JRE host was outraged that this was not recognized as a national event. “You didn’t hear a peep about Elon rescuing those astronauts. That should’ve been livestreamed on all of the news all day long,” he stated.
For Rogan, this was more than simply media disinterest; it was media manipulation. He accused them of deliberately downplaying Elon Musk’s accomplishments merely because he does not match the narrative they want to portray. “We had to rely on his company, and you don’t hear s— about it. It’s crazy!” he exclaimed.
This type of omission, he believes, is poisonous rather than passive. And it highlighted the same basic point that he and Peterson would later discuss: in today’s chaotic environment, the true threat isn’t just misinformation, but what’s being left out entirely. What do you think? Do you agree with Rogan’s criticisms of modern-day media? Let us know in the comments.
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