Not quite the podcasting turn–evolution and political fundamentals in online campaigning during Singapore’s 2025 General Election

Singapore’s 2025 General Election signalled a novel development in political communication, bearing witness to the extensive use of podcasting by all sides of politics. The ruling People’s Action Party, traditionally slow to adopt emerging media technologies, took easily to the emerging format, which helped to present a more charismatic face of a party better known for its technocratic prowess. This new development in Singapore’s media frontier witnessed traditional news conglomerates foray into the podcasting space, while front-running podcasting brands emerge as significant contributors to the political landscape. This paper is based on a transcript from a plenary discussion at the 24th conference of the Malaysia and Singapore Society of Australia, held at Murdoch University, Australia in January 2026. The panel brought together experts in Singapore politics, internet culture, social sciences and digital journalism. It probed the allure of performative politics in Singapore’s digital mediascape, its appeal to a younger generation of voters, and the new status of the podcasters in this evolving space. Panellists critiqued the podcasting turn, questioning if it reflected a passing trend enabled by the relentless development of new technologies, a significant emergence of youth online culture, or a media practice emblematic of a particular political culture.