--- title: The End of Mass description: We’re long past the point when large populations focused on the same thing. image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/shutterstock_631017335.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-end-of-mass#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # The End of Mass October 26th, 2023 1 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![Blurred People View from Above](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_631017335.jpg?width=1500&height=843&name=shutterstock_631017335.jpg) Apparently, the Baseball World Series begins tomorrow. I had to go to the Web to learn which teams are playing this year – it’s the Diamondbacks vs. the Rangers. But wait… Rangers? I thought they were New York’s Hockey team. We’re long past the point when large populations focused on the same thing, like the World Series. In the USA, we used to have three broadcast television networks. According to [Poynter](https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2020/america-is-watching-the-evening-news-again-tv-news-numbers-are-up-way-up/#:~:text=It%20was%20common%20for%2025,would%20watch%20the%20evening%20news.), in 1980 more than 42 million people would watch the evening news, nearly a quarter of the American population. It was common for 25 to 30 million viewers to tune in to watch just one, Walter Cronkite on CBS, the so-called “most trusted man in America.” Advertising on those three networks would reach huge numbers of people. Something like the World Series might be watched by half of Americans. The mass market and marketing programs targeted to the masses are over for good. There aren’t good ways to reach large numbers of average people. Fox News, the [most watched](https://www.statista.com/statistics/373814/cable-news-network-viewership-usa/#:~:text=In%20July%202023%2C%20Fox%20News,MSNBC%20had%20just%20108%20thousand.) cable news network in the United States today, gets about 2 million prime time viewers. That’s less than two percent of the current population. ## Millions of online niche channels While mass has disappeared, people dig in deep to the things they love. They become devoted fans of artists and organizations and companies, associating with like-minded people both online and in-person. While I don’t care about professional sports or watch television news, I do have many things that I love including going to live music shows, surfing, hiking, camping, and the Apollo lunar program. And for each of the things I love to do, there are people, companies, and organizations I follow. There are bloggers, YouTube channels, Facebook groups, and company websites that I focus on to learn and to be part of communities. For nearly every market, there are niche channels on social networks like Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn. That’s how you reach the right people, becoming important to the small number of people who care about what you do. Marketers who understand [fandom](https://www.fanocracy.com) and how to reach niche audiences are way more successful than those who use the mass marketing techniques of the past. [![Buy Fanocracy](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/413105/c06eefe9-1f3b-4649-8b93-b27f07707350.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/413105/c06eefe9-1f3b-4649-8b93-b27f07707350)   [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ New Rules of Marketing and PR ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/new-rules-of-marketing-and-pr) [ Marketing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/marketing) [ Research and Analysis ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/research-and-analysis) [ Advertising ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/advertising) [ Fanocracy ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/fanocracy) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Stefano%20Paciotti.jpg?width=1500&height=1084&name=Stefano%20Paciotti.jpg) ### The Ham Whisperer of Rome: How Stefano’s Honest Videos Won the World’s Heart June 24th, 2025|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-ham-whisperer-of-rome-how-stefanos-honest-videos-won-the-worlds-heart) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/story%20time%20shutterstock_2078659261.jpg?width=1500&height=999&name=story%20time%20shutterstock_2078659261.jpg) ### The Story Customers Tell Themselves May 6th, 2025|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-story-customers-tell-themselves) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Facebook%20Live%20no%20more.jpg?width=1352&height=893&name=Facebook%20Live%20no%20more.jpg) ### Meta Focused On Profit Over Users: Now Deletes Facebook Live Videos After 30 Days April 28th, 2025|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/meta-focused-on-profit-over-users-now-deletes-facebook-live-videos-after-30-days) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2077138888.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=shutterstock_2077138888.jpg) ### What Makes a Great Marketer? 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