Same for Trump on abortion policy over the years, and his shifting stance on the convicted sedition on January 6 and ask why he changed. A clear question can set a factual foundation for listeners, and sometimes draw out a politician. (And sometimes not.)
3. How have you evolved your YouTube strategy and figured out the kinds of clips that play well on the platform?
First, I’ll say, MSNBC has a dominating presence in the social space, including on YouTube and TikTok. And, The Beat is now one of the most watched TV news shows on YouTube, with over 200 annual million views and 1.6 billion in our 7 years on air.
We think of our audience as both live TV viewers (on cable) and the global online audience (free, everywhere). Breaking news matters for live TV, but it ain’t “breaking” when people see the clip online a week later. So, we often focus on segments with a longer shelf life—like reported breakdowns, or interviews with staying power—when we think about what will resonate with audiences online.
Our 2018 interview with 50 Cent has over 4,000,000 views, for example, and most came years after it posted! Same for Bill Gates and Robert De Niro. For videos, the Internet likes quality, length and “big” people or topics. We have several people who think about this daily, discussing which parts of the show we post to our YouTube playlist, at msnbc.com/ari. And when we share shorter clips on social media, we often direct people to that playlist, not to appointment TV viewing.
4. What are the traits that make an ideal Beat guest?
Genuine, honest, credible in their field—and maybe even able to laugh at the absurdity of news and life.
5. You’re on a desert island with only a 5-song playlist for company. What tracks are you blasting?