Is Kamala Harris running away from the media? Trump doubles down on vice president's public appearances

Since Donald Trump and Kamala Harris became the presidential candidates of their respective parties, the difference in their media appearances has been remarkable. Trump has dominated on virtually every platform, making a total of 59 public appearances, while Harris has made just 26, putting her far behind in terms of number of key media interventions.

Trump's advantage in television and print media

One of the most notable statistics is the number of appearances on traditional television or Legacy TV, where Trump has been interviewed 28 times, compared to only 12 for Harris, according to data from The Wall Street Journal. This imbalance highlights the vice president's lack of exposure in one of the most influential media outlets. Although television remains a powerful platform for reaching a wide audience, Harris has chosen not to expose herself.

The gap is even more pronounced in the print media. Trump has given 10 interviews to print media outlets since becoming the Republican nominee, while Harris has done only two.

Podcasts and radio: another area where Trump wins

A presence on podcasts is particularly important in the age of social media, where more informal and lengthy conversations allow candidates to delve into topics they don't often address in traditional interviews. Trump has been able to leverage this format seven times to reach out to younger audiences and those looking for alternative content. Meanwhile, Harris' sparse participation is limited to just two. Similarly, Trump has outperformed the vice president by making 10 appearances on radio programs, with Harris only  appearing on seven.

The case for visual interviews and X Spaces

While both candidates are tied in terms of video appearances(three each), Trump has shown greater versatility by dabbling in new platforms, such as X Spaces(formerly Twitter) where he made a live appearance. Harris, on the other hand, has not used this tool at all. 

The disparity in media appearances between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is significant, and leaves the vice president at a disadvantage in terms of public visibility.