Algorithms, Politics, & Fickle Audiences: The Documentary Dilemma

October 13, 2026

Joining host Michael Azevedo on this episode is journalist Addie Morfoot.
 
Addie covers media, entertainment and film for various publications. We reached out to ask her to chat after reading a recent article of her’s in The Ankler titled “2 Million Viewers or Bust: Inside Documentary’s Darwinian Collapse”.
 
According to Addie’s reporting, the Darwinian collapse referenced in that attention-grabbing headline started with algorithms and finished with the White House. 
 
As listeners to this podcast already know, getting a documentary film out in the world and in front of audiences involves many interdepend steps: Funding production to get it made, finding a distributor who can deliver it to audiences, and most importantly…the audience itself.
 
That fragile ecosystem has always been fraught with challenges at every step. But recent economic and political forces have made it even more so.
 
Addie’s article and our conversation supplied some real insight into this dynamic. 
 

Making Media Now—which is available on all podcast platforms including YouTube–is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.
 
About the host: http://www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/

 
Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead