NEW YORK - Farah Berent, an educator based in Michigan, once followed political developments through networks including ABC, CBS and CNN. That habit ended when she concluded that reporting on the Gaza conflict showed deep bias.

"I could not tolerate the falsehoods across those channels," she said, noting insufficient focus on Palestinian hardship. "I turned to Instagram for my information."

Berent represents a growing group of progressive Americans who have abandoned established media organizations. They now rely on a growing array of independent podcasts, social media profiles and online news outlets. This emerging network has helped amplify this year's surge of anti-establishment, left-leaning candidates who might otherwise have received limited notice.

While liberals continue to show greater trust in mainstream sources than conservatives do, the fragmentation mirrors an earlier pattern among conservatives who built alternative outlets. The trend has elevated individual commentators whose views shape voter decisions.

Ryan Grim, co-founder of Drop Site News and a longtime participant in online political discussions, noted that progressive candidates now approach his platform to connect with supporters. Unlike past cycles, "they can secure coverage even when major outlets largely overlook them," he said.

One such candidate is Abdul El-Sayed, who is seeking the U.S. Senate seat in Michigan and will face U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the Aug. 4 primary.

"In many respects, traditional media once acted as gatekeepers, but that role is diminishing," El-Sayed said.

The shift appeared clearly this year in New York City, where several progressive congressional hopefuls backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated candidates supported by party leaders.

Sara Hyler, a policy analyst in East Harlem, initially intended to back incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in last month's Democratic primary. She later discovered progressive challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier through YouTube videos and podcasts, including content from MeidasTouch.

"My views sit to the left of most Democrats. I prefer someone who is not moderate," said Hyler, who voted for Avila Chevalier to push Congress toward more progressive policies.

The growth of independent media forms part of a broader digital shift that affects all political sides, as many Americans now obtain news from social platforms and creators. Yet smartphone use alone does not explain the change.

"Trust in institutions of every kind has collapsed," said Mike Nellis, a Democratic consultant who runs a podcast, writes on Substack and shares analysis online. "People now turn to individuals and choose the voice that matches their outlook."

Among conservatives, skepticism toward mainstream media and moderate Republican voices grew earlier, with the Tea Party movement helping launch outlets such as the Daily Caller, Breitbart and The Blaze. Trump later used a range of podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, during his return campaign.

Reece Peck, a media culture professor at the College of Staten Island, observed that the left-wing parallel developed more gradually, starting with Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential bid. At that stage, anti-establishment YouTube channels and podcasts such as The Young Turks and Chapo Trap House attracted attention but did not reach most Democratic voters.

Democrats have since recognized that trust in institutions did not stop Trump's return.

"Conditions now favor an anti-establishment media approach that was less evident among voters in earlier cycles," Peck said. Even older, moderate liberals, he added, have begun seeking other options.

YouTube channels such as Secular Talk and Breaking Points, streamer Hasan Piker and digital outlets such as More Perfect Union and The Lever have all expanded their reach.

Grim reported that Drop Site has gained 800,000 free subscribers and 60,000 paid ones since its launch two years ago, exceeding initial expectations.

Saul Levin, a Michigan progressive organizer who recently launched a podcast on artificial intelligence data centers, linked part of the growth to Trump's actions against existing media.

"Investigations and raids on journalists, along with the placement of aligned billionaires at major news organizations, are deeply concerning," he said. "Creators and new outlets are working to fill the resulting gaps."

The Michigan primary will serve as another measure of this changing media landscape, which El-Sayed, himself a longtime podcaster, has sought to use. Progressive outlets, creators and organizers have promoted his campaign actively.

El-Sayed said independent media allow voters to compare coverage and detect bias, yet he still appears on legacy outlets when invited.

"I appear on Fox News, on podcasts and Twitch streams, and we maintain a YouTube channel," he said.

Stevens, who holds endorsements from outgoing Sen. Gary Peters, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, follows a more conventional strategy. She also receives support from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and its affiliates, which have spent nearly $30 million on the contest.

Stevens' campaign declined to comment.

Reporting from progressive sources has shaped the race. Stevens ended her relationship with a campaign consultant after Drop Site disclosed that the consultant had also worked for Palantir, a firm viewed skeptically by many liberals due to its immigration-related government contracts.

Democratic officials noted that Trump's return has renewed interest in party channels. The Democratic National Committee's digital rapid-response account @FactPostNews has recorded more than 2 billion impressions across Threads, X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky in 2026 alone.

"I wondered whether it might fail to gain traction," said DNC Deputy Chief Mobilization Officer Paulina Mangubat. "It has performed very well."

The mix of new left-leaning voices has occasionally produced public friction.

Grim drew criticism for supporting failed Maine candidate Graham Platner and was accused of questioning the sexual assault allegation that ended Platner's bid. Grim stated that his reporting aimed to provide additional context rather than dismiss the claim.

"When allegations are examined publicly, we cannot selectively share details out of concern for reactions," he said.

In a recent Drop Site interview with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California, a journalist asked whether Hamas was justified in attacking Israeli soldiers on Oct. 7, 2023. Khanna declined to agree.

Grim said such pointed questions are precisely what independent outlets exist to pose and what voters increasingly expect their representatives to address.

"People want to see accountability through direct questions, and disagreement is acceptable," he said. "The more astute politicians are beginning to understand this."