tech
February 27, 2026
Riding the rightwing algorithm to success: is Karl Stefanovic Australia’s Joe Rogan?
Pauline Hanson, Barnaby Joyce and Anthony Albanese have appeared on news host’s breakaway podcast, which has climbed to No 2 in Australian charts
TL;DR
- Karl Stefanovic's new podcast has reached No. 2 in Australian charts, gaining over 50,000 YouTube subscribers in four weeks.
- The podcast features right-wing guests like Pauline Hanson, Barnaby Joyce, and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, attracting large audiences.
- Stefanovic has signaled a move away from mainstream 'beige' journalism towards 'anti-woke' content, mirroring Joe Rogan's successful format.
- Episodes featuring anti-immigration or conspiracy theories have garnered the most views, while interviews with mainstream figures have been less popular.
- Critics and academics suggest the podcast caters to a growing audience for right-wing perspectives, presented through conversational interviews.
- The podcast has faced controversy due to antisemitic and pro-neo-Nazi comments from third-party commenters in live streams, which were later deleted.
- Stefanovic's employer, Nine, reportedly approved the podcast in exchange for a reduction in his salary.
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