NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani launches Twitch show like FDR fireside chats
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks alongside New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch (L) during a press conference at Gracie Mansion in New York City on March 9, 2026.
Leonardo Muñoz | AFP | Getty Images
Fireside chat is on the rise live broadcast reboot.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose meteoric rise to City Hall was fueled largely by his passion for social media, has launched a recurring campaign. Twitch Thursday series “Talk to People,” will answer New Yorkers’ questions in real time on a platform better known for gaming than government.
The mayor’s office said the show will also be simulcast on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X and many other social media platforms.
“With the launch of ‘Talk to the People,’ we are bringing City Hall directly to the platforms where New Yorkers already spend time,” Mamdani said in a statement. he said.
During his run for mayor, Mamdani leaned heavily on social media videos, online statements and publications outside of traditional political media to reach young voters and discuss issues such as affordability, housing and public transportation in a more conversational style.
“By hosting the nation’s first recurring cross-platform broadcast led by an elected official, where New Yorkers can ask questions live on Twitch, we are opening up a new dialogue between government and the people it serves, especially younger generations who are often overlooked,” Mamdani said in a statement. he said.
Mamdani promoted the launch “Talk to the public” On
“26.5.21.16:10. Live,” Mamdani wrote.
The format also reflects an earlier era when politicians spoke directly to the public. While Roosevelt used fireside chats to address Americans over the radio, former New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia later hosted his own weekly radio program, “Talk to the People,” from 1942 to 1945. According to the US Library of Congress.
Twitch first gained popularity as a live-streaming platform for video gamers, but has since become a key part of a broader shift in the way younger audiences consume political information, often through streamers, podcasts and social media personalities rather than traditional broadcast outlets.
In recent years, Twitch has become the Democratic counterweight to the right-wing podcast ecosystem.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., became among the first major elected officials to embrace the platform in 2020 when she participated in “Among Us” livestreams aimed at encouraging young people to vote. Former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign has also turned to Twitch as part of a broader effort to reach younger, hard-to-reach voters online.
More recently, political creators like Hasan Piker have helped transform Twitch into a venue for live political commentary, often attracting larger and more engaged audiences than those who watch politicians.
