Is Joe Rogan a Journalist?

That was just one of many questions I pondered as I attended Columbia Journalism School's Alumni Weekend. Plus: Take our poll on Joe Rogan.

I recharged my journalism batteries this weekend, taking in alumni events at Columbia Journalism School in New York City.

It was wonderful to be back on a campus, even though the university still has security guards and locked gates in wake of last year’s turmoil.

For me, it was a chance to see old professors, chat with friends, and think about the role of journalism in the creator economy.

Naturally, given Columbia’s existence for more than a century now, I developed lots of questions as I toured the place and spotted pieces of history at the school.

Who was Joseph Pulitzer?

Joseph Pulitzer owned the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and New York World. His wealthy estate helped start the school in 1912. The famed Pulitzer Prize carries his name, as does the journalism building, now called Pulitzer Hall. When I was a student, the place was called - wait for it - Journalism Building.

Why is there a statue of Thomas Jefferson in front of the school?

Columbia University dedicated the Thomas Jefferson statue back in 1914, thanks to funding from the Pulitzer estate. According to Columbia Magazine, Jefferson, an agrarian, was meant to counter a statue of Alexander Hamilton, a commerce-driven federalist, on another part of campus. Oh, and Jefferson played a major role in writing the Declaration of Independence.

Who was Ida B. Wells?

Ida B. Wells was a journalist and a trailblazer for her time. She was an activist in the 1890s, working to stop lynchings in America. She was also known as a civil rights activist, suffragist and feminist. She is the newest statue to join Pulitzer Hall and the school celebrates her trailblazing with a special symposium series. If Ida were around today, she would undoubtedly have a top podcast in the Society & Culture category.

Just who is a journalist these days? Are podcasters journalists? Is Joe Rogan a journalist?

Yes, my thoughts turned to podcasting as I sat in the front row at many panel discussions.

In an age of YouTube, podcasts and TikTok, the lines are blurrier than ever, with people now getting “their news” in a billion places. Imagine looking to the heavens at night and seeing a billion stars. That is our current “news” landscape. Each star represents a different Substack column, podcast, YouTube channel, website, blog, cable news outlet, FAST channel on Roku, newsletter, legacy news organization, and TikTok influencer. Some stars are brighter than others while older stars are starting to burn out and die off.

Joe Rogan is one of those bright stars.

A comedian who used to eat worms on television, he arguably had one of the most important interviews during the 2024 presidential election. His three-hour chat with Donald Trump has generated almost 60 million views on YouTube. And his interview with Kamala Harris generated, um, zero views. For whatever reason, she could not find time to sit for an interview.

Rogan is a major league podcaster and well-paid entertainer. He’s at the center of Spotify’s business plan. According to Edison Research’s just released survey of top 50 podcasts in the first quarter, his show ranked number one.

Still, does he answer to an editor? Does he have a guiding set of principles for covering new developments? Does he gather details and report back to the public in an unbiased and professional manner?

No, he really doesn’t.

I don’t see Joe Rogan as a journalist. To me, he’s a news influencer and entertainer. He’s a modern day Larry King, whose interview show held down the precious 9 p.m. slot on CNN for years.

That’s my opinion.

What do you think? Drop me a note.

I will share your comments in a future column. Please supply your first name and where you’re writing from. Meantime, please take this poll…

John Wordock served as Executive Editor and SVP for Podcasting at Westwood One from 2019 to 2024, helping build Cumulus Podcast Network into a top ten network and top channel on Apple Podcasts. He also served as Executive Producer for Podcasts at The Wall Street Journal until 2019. In podcasting since 2006, he now runs John Wordock Media. You can reach him at John@JohnWordockMedia.com.