Meghan McCain merges YouTube show with podcast as low viewership plagues program
Just three months after Mark Halperin made the splashy announcement that Meghan McCain would be joining his media startup to host a twice-weekly show, McCain revealed that she is 'merging' that program with her other podcast and moving it to a new YouTube channel.
The rebrand comes as McCain's Happy Hour podcast for Halperin's 2way network has experienced soft viewership numbers since its February launch. The last broadcast of the show before the merger was announced, which featured an interview with Fox News media critic Joe Concha, has only managed a little over 4,300 views on YouTube.
Going forward, according to McCain's announcement, the show – which had previously aired live at 5 p.m. ET on Mondays and Wednesdays – will now carry the name Citizen McCain, the podcast she first launched in 2023 and had been on hiatus throughout April. The program will continue to air live on YouTube twice a week, but move from late afternoon to noon ET, and the audio version will be broadcast on Apple and Spotify.
'Our podcast is going to be our live show on 2way like we have been doing - just now with our original Citizen McCain name because quite frankly all of you like it and the brand is already on our TikTok, socials, etc,' McCain wrote on Substack earlier this month.
'We will also be moving our time of recording to noon eastern on Mondays and Wednesdays so you can join live on YouTube, join our live zoom chat and ask questions, or just watch later on YouTube or download later on our podcast channels,' she added. 'All you have to type in anywhere is 'Citizen McCain' to find our content.'
McCain added that she knew that 'this journey with Citizen McCain has been a rocky one with different partnerships,' but that she and her co-host Miranda Wilkins are 'very confident that our partnership with 2way.' She also stated that it has 'been so fun doing a live taped show with video and believe this is the right path for us to merge the two things together,' insisting that 'NOTHING about the content is changing.'
After the original Citizen McCain podcast went dark following its March 27 episode, McCain dropped a short announcement on the audio channels about the merger on May 1, letting listeners know that the show was returning in a new form.
'Meghan and Miranda have some big news! Thank you to everyone for patiently waiting out this limbo period because we're happy to announce that Citizen McCain has officially partnered with 2WAY,' McCain noted. 'This means that the podcast will be back, twice a week and if you want - you can watch the full show live on YouTube Mondays and Wednesdays at noon Eastern.'
During the first broadcast of the reboot on May 5, McCain declared that 'Happy Hour is no more' before noting that both shows were combined 'under one roof' at 2way. Since the rebrand, however, the response has continued to be tepid.
None of the full episodes of the new Citizen McCain has topped 5,000 views on YouTube. The show's dedicated YouTube channel has only 2,650 subscribers as of Thursday afternoon.
Representatives for McCain and Halperin did not respond to requests for comment.
On top of that, since her show's facelift and merger with the old podcast, which her Citizen Cain production company had previously produced, the new episodes and clips are only being posted and shared on the Citizen McCain channel and not 2way's.
While the network's YouTube channel includes a link to her channel along with a subscribe button, noting that it is 'part of the 2way network,' the last time a segment or episode from McCain was posted to the main 2way channel was the April 30 live episode of Happy Hour with Concha.
Overall, the most views any McCain video has attracted during her 2way partnership appears to be for a two-minute clip from a February episode of Happy Hour, which featured the headline: Joe Biden's Staff 'All Hated Kamala Harris ... She Was the Joy Reid of the White House.' That video has pulled in nearly 81,000 views in nearly three months.
In general, though, most of the full Happy Hour broadcasts averaged around 10,000 views, and outside of the Kamala Harris segment and a handful of others, the vast majority of the clips from these shows drew less than 5,000 views – with many failing to even top a thousand.
At the same time, 2way itself hasn't lit the world on fire despite bringing McCain, journalist Michael Moynihan and others 'to join its growing roster of ongoing bipartisan conversations curated by the veteran journalist Mark Halperin,' as Semafor reported in February.
According to social media analysis site Social Blade, 2way has been tallying about 83,000 views a day for its programming on YouTube, with the channel publishing an average of eight videos a day. The channel has a total of 78,400 subscribers as of Thursday afternoon, placing it in 2,428th place. Across 2,211 videos, it has pulled in a total of 22.8 million views.
McCain's partnership with Halperin has raised some eyebrows, notably because she was extremely critical of the longtime political journalist after he was accused of sexually harassing and assaulting more than a dozen women in 2017, which led to him losing his plush gigs with MSNBC and Showtime.
Despite her past revulsion over some of the accusations against Halperin, which he has denied, McCain told The Independent back in February that she now sees things differently.
'With age comes wisdom and different perspectives on people. I am now a 40 year old mother of two. I have grown and evolved like everyone else, particularly in the past five years — Mark has also grown and evolved,' she said. 'Like Mark, at this point in my life I believe in giving people the presumption of grace and forgiveness as I would like it in return. I have had the fortune and misfortune of having every single thing I've ever done since I was 22 well documented on the internet and thrown back in my face by people like you.'
Halperin, meanwhile, has 'scraped his way back' to media acceptance and prominence since his #MeToo exile. Besides launching 2way and maintaining his political analyst role with the pro-Trump channel Newsmax, he has once again become a regular presence on mainstream cable news channels, including recent appearances on Fox News.
That also includes hosting a separate podcast on the new audio and video network launched by Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News star who was a key figure in Roger Ailes' ouster amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Brooklyn Beckham family feud 'deeper than ever' despite brother Romeo's split from Kim Turnbull as it's revealed there is 'no way back'
The Beckham family feud is reportedly deeper than ever despite Romeo's recent split from his girlfriend Kim Turnbull. Kim, 26, had been at the centre of the rift after Nicola Peltz, 30, claimed that she felt uncomfortable around her, with sources close to the US heiress saying that Kim had dated Brooklyn when they were teenagers. However even with Kim now out the picture The Mirror have revealed it would take a 'small miracle' to fix the fall out and there is 'no going back'. A source told the publication: 'There are no signs of reconciliation, sadly. There is still a lot of hurt to process.' Sources close to Nicola previously insisted that as 'an outsider coming into the Beckham family, she has helped Brooklyn see the emotional abuse and toxic behaviour within'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Kim, 26, had been at the centre of the rift after Nicola Peltz claimed that she felt uncomfortable around her, with sources close to the US heiress saying that Kim had dated Brooklyn when they were teenagers And despite friends of David and Victoria describing these claims as 'patently untrue and ludicrous' there is reportedly no hope for peace talks. The source added: 'It was a low, low can you say such things about your own family. It will be interesting to see if Brooklyn and Nicola make any attempt to heal things now Kim is out of the picture.' MailOnline have contacted Brooklyn and Nicola's representatives as well as those of the Beckhams. It comes as it was also revealed that David is to be awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honour's List after being snubbed for years. The former Manchester United and England star, who recently celebrated his milestone 50th birthday, will be confirmed as a 'Sir' when the list is released next week, according to The Sun. His wife and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham will be known as Lady Beckham. On Wednesday The Mail revealed Romeo and Kim had parted ways. Friends said that things remain 'amicable' between the couple and that their parting is 'nothing to do' with Kim being blamed by Nicola for being the catalyst for the feud that has ripped the Beckham family apart. Kim and Brooklyn were undeniably close for a brief period – as photographs of them together at the time show - but suggestions that they were ever an item are wide of the mark, according to well-informed sources. This prior relationship was the reason Brooklyn and Nicola gave for not attending any of David's celebrations. That Kim has now been 'thrown to the wolves' as the reason behind the family row is 'deeply upsetting' to Brooklyn's parents and brothers. Earlier this week Brooklyn revealed that he's looking forward to starting a family with wife Nicola, as tensions continue to simmer between him and his parents. During a new PDA-packed video released by Glamour Magazine, the eldest son of Victoria and David gushed multiple times that he can see kids in his future, and that Nicola will be an 'amazing' mother. In the loved-up clip the pair couldn't hide their excitement about their future together as Brooklyn gushed: 'I see us when we have our kids,' and Nicola added: 'I see the future father of my kids.' Brooklyn and Nicola also hinted at the ongoing unrest with Brooklyn's family in the interview. The couple opened up about outside interference in their marriage and hinted at worsening relations with the Beckham clan, as they instead focused on the advice they'd received from Nicola's billionaire parents, Nelson and Claudia Peltz. Brooklyn appeared to deliberately omit mentioning his family, as he shared an alternative meaning behind the name of his hot sauce, Cloud23. The aspiring chef's representative told last week how the number 23 was a 'warm nod' to David, who wore number 23 while playing for Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, inspired by NBA legend Michael Jordan, in a touching move that appeared to be an olive branch to his father. However, in the new interview, Brooklyn failed to mention his father, simply stating: 'The 23 stands for our engagement date and my age back then.' Elsewhere in the interview, he and Nicola also seemed to hint at interference in their relationship and the ongoing reports of the family feud. When asked how they 'protect' their relationship in the spotlight, Brooklyn stated: 'Ignore the noise. Keep your head down, work hard, be kind. People are always going to talk. What matters is that we're happy together.' While Brooklyn was present at Victoria's 50th, both he and his wife failed to make an appearance at her 51st. More poignantly the couple did not attend his father David's 50th birthday celebration in May. And while his younger brothers Romeo and Cruz took to social media to pay their birthday tributes to their parents, on both occasions Brooklyn stayed silent. Brooklyn appeared to nail his loyalties to the mast when he posted an image on Instagram of himself and Nicola riding a motorbike, writing: 'My whole world x I will love you forever x I always choose you baby x you're the most amazing person I know xx me and you forever baby.' And amid the continuing fallout from their feuding it is clear that Brooklyn has now cast himself as the 'wife guy', someone who does everything as a tribute to his spouse, and that the Brooklyn/Nicola partnership is his new brand.
The Sun
20 minutes ago
- The Sun
Miley Cyrus goes braless and flashes her underwear in see-through dress as she meets fans in record store
MILEY Cyrus looked sensational as she met up with fans for a meet and greet – in a completely seethrough dress. The pop icon and fashionista appeared at Rockefeller Center in New York for a special signing of her new album, Something Beautiful. 5 5 Wearing a sheer black floor-length Ludovic de Saint Sernin gown with a neckline that plunged down to her belly button. The famously risqué star wore black thong underwear and no bra in the statement piece. Sweeping her hair up in a bun on top of her head, Miley completed the figure hugging look in a pair of black aviator-style shades. Posting photos posed against a backstage grate, Miley was also seen on a staircase posing in front of fans as they waited above her to meet her. She wrote alongside the pic: "Posed with the beautiful people who showed up at 30 Rock for @roughtradenyc" Fans were delighted with the flawless look, with one writing: "THIS ONE IS FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS 🛐" "This might be your best yet," wrote a second, while a third wrote: "Everywhere you walk it's a walk of fame." Making sure she served looks for her fans, Miley later changed into a leopard print dress to sign autographs from behind a table with Rough Trade, talking with fans as she did so. In a cheeky swipe to her ex, Liam Hemsworth, Miley signed one autograph "to the best Liam" on one of her fans' vinyls. Something Beautiful, Miley's ninth studio album, was released last week, and is being accompanied by a "visual companion movie" that will debut today at Tribeca Film Festival. Miley Cyrus reveals hospital dash after filming for her music video caused shock illness Supermodel Naomi Campbell is set to make an appearance in the film as well, after appearing in the video for single, Every Girl You've Ever Loved. It's been teased by her record label Colombia as "introspective, sonically adventurous, and emotionally grounded". Miley directed the movie alongside Brendan Walter, Jacob Bixenman, and Panos Cosmatos who helped bring her vision to life. 5 5 5
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Tesla shares take $150bn plunge as Musk vs Trump erupts
Tesla shares fell sharply in US trading on Thursday after the sudden eruption of a public spat between boss Elon Musk and President Donald Trump sparked fears of reprisals for the electric car giant. Trump threatened to terminate 'Elon's governmental subsidies and contracts' on his social messaging service Truth Social after a disagreement over the President's budget bill saw the pair exchange accusations and insults. US subsidies and contracts at Federal and state level are worth billions to Tesla, which also currently benefits from a $7,500 tax credit available for electric vehicle purchases. Trump wrote: 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. 'I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!' Tesla shares fell more than 14 per cent by the end of US trading, wiping $150billion off the carmaker's market capitalisation. Analysts at Wedbush said: 'The quickly deteriorating friendship and now 'major beef' between Musk and Trump is jaw dropping and a shock to the market and putting major fear for Tesla investors on what is ahead. 'This situation between Musk and Trump could start to settle down and the friendship continues but this must start to be calmed down on the Musk and Trump fronts and it's not good for either side. 'This feud does not change our bullish view of Tesla and the autonomous view but clearly does put a fly in the ointment of the Trump regulatory framework going forward.' Musk's relationship with the President has been a major driver of Tesla's fortunes, for better and for worse, over the last two years. Tesla shares rose more than 60 per cent between the start of November when Trump was elected to the end of 2024. But investor pressure over Musk's controversial role in the White House ultimately led to him to stepping down from his unofficial 'DOGE' department, which had sparked protests and vandalism directed at Tesla. The controversy also appears to have weighed on Tesla sales. Tesla shares were on a run more recently, however, after Musk confirmed the group would be testing an autonomous, driverless 'robotaxi' service in Austin, Texas, this month. Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Investing in Tesla isn't for the faint of heart, and Musk's enthusiasm for topics close to heart is both a blessing and, at times, a curse. 'Let's not forget, Tesla has its own battles, with disappointing sales numbers and brand damage weighing on sentiment in the near term. 'For now, markets are willing to look past the weakening auto business with AI and automation the real prizes. But with such a pivotal few months ahead for the autonomous strategy, investors will want to see Musk give his full attention back to Tesla.' Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, added: 'Perhaps more importantly, the latest feud has also heightened unease that the President's seemingly irascible and erratic behaviour is symptomatic of the environment which has been created on a global scale. 'Companies have already been stepping back from providing guidance comments for the next few months, while consumer sentiment is brittle given the wider context of what could be a weakening outlook.'
