The Democratic Party’s new web show, “The Daily Blueprint,” has gotten off to a dismal start, posting staggeringly low viewership numbers despite being hosted on the party’s official YouTube channel.
Announced on June 8, the show was launched as part of an effort to challenge conservative dominance in digital media. Several prominent Democratic consultants and pundits have highlighted President Trump’s huge success in the podcast arena as a critical factor in his political rise, an area where Democrats continue to struggle significantly.
Several wealthy Democratic donors recently convened to address the issue and reportedly left with a plan to invest tens of millions of dollars in developing a “liberal Joe Rogan,” according to a report from the New York Times.
On the DNC side, the party recently launched “The Daily Blueprint,” a 10- to 15-minute daily livestream that presents party talking points and covers the news from a progressive perspective.
“Every single morning at 10am, we’re going live on the DNC’s YouTube channel to talk directly to people like you. It’s called the Daily Blueprint, and you can think of it as our version of a daily press briefing, but without the hyperbole, tasteless insults, and lies,” DNC Deputy Communications Director Hannah Muldavin, who hosts the show, said in its first installment on June 9.
“We’re going on offense, and so far, it’s working. We were featured on none other than Fox News on our very first day, and we’re not letting up on Republicans anytime soon. So if you want to see Democrats continue innovating the ways we get our message out, then I hope you’ll chip in today and support our work,” she said.
Muldavin’s claims of massive success are not supported by the evidence, as the web show has consistently posted dismal viewership numbers during its early run. Its first episode remains the most popular, with just over 9,000 views. Comments are overwhelmingly negative, with many viewers criticizing the show’s “inauthenticity.”
“Blink twice if you need us to call 911,” wrote one YouTuber, while another said the episode “feels so inauthentic I cringed into myself till I cease to exist.” View counts for follow-up episodes have been remarkably low, with the daily web show consistently failing to attract more than 1,000 viewers per episode.