The new town hall: Washington embraces New Media
Jun 25, 2025 – [[read-time]] minute read
New media has become a core part of how Members of Congress, and administration officials, engage with constituents. From direct-to-camera short-form videos about key legislation, to hours-long sitdown interviews with some of YouTube’s most successful podcasters, the leaders in Washington are all in.
As we saw through the launch of the Congressional Creators Caucus earlier this month, more and more policymakers are teaming up with creators. To encourage these partnerships, we're launching the series, YouTube in Session. This week, we brought together Senator Chuck Grassley and Emily Jashinsky, YouTube creator and newly announced host of a new video podcast, for a sit down conversation in front of a live audience.
Whether it is social media platforms, the fax machine, radio programs, or podcasts - as a representative in Congress - these avenues allow for us to have dialogue with our constituents.”
Senator Chuck GrassleyThey talked about the power of journalism, the new ways policymakers are engaging with constituents, and the responsibility Senator Grassley feels to leave the country better for future generations. They spent time discussing the growing power of podcasts, with Jashinsky sharing how “podcasts are reminding a lot of journalists that what people expect from the media is the truth.”
Grassley echoed those statements and said that journalists, across new and traditional media, are the ones who “help reduce the cynicism that people feel toward the government.”
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Next up: Senator Cory Booker will be joining us in July for the next installment of YouTube in Session. Stay tuned for more details.