Whatever happen to old school Journalists being scrappy, anti-elite, stick-on-their-nose-where-they-shouldn't-be meddling truth-seekers? Sure, they may be obnoxious sometimes (maybe most of time), but that is the POINT of actualism journalism!
I think many of them still function like that. In fact, I’d say the leading independent journalists follow this very model, which is why they are independent and highly respected. But at the same time, we can want better for the institutions that have failed us for so long. No serious independent journalist is twiddling his/her thumb waiting for White House press access to do their job. But we must zoom out and understand the implications of what becomes of independent journalism as a practice if Trump’s idea takes hold.
I think Obisanya has flagged some valid concerns here. Yet I also think he underestimates how degraded the regime media has become. Joe Rogan ain’t sitting in the press galley. That’s not his schtick. And although he’s not a credible journalist in the traditional sense, neither is anyone at the Wapo. A more realistic option would be the Daily Wore. You might say they’re partisan hacks, but so is virtually every single journalist sitting that room.
The thing that excites me about this proposal is the precise reason I support Trump - he’s bringing a hammer to the institutions and smashing their privileged pedestals. Giving access to the Free Press, Racket News and similar independent journalists is the best option IMO, but smashing the current system is a good enough start for me.
I don’t disagree with anything you’ve mentioned. Nor do I believe Rogan would subject himself to that. That’s not his bag. But knowing Trump and the current trend of leaning on political influencers, an Adin Ross (streamer) would be tapped first before an Aaron Mate (independent journalist at The Gray Zone) is. Just the reality. But we’ll see.
Doing away with corporate media IS a good first step. The next step is also crucial.
(We talked about this before you published the piece.)
You're right if they're just going to replace traditional media with the "alternative" voices who support them. The problem is, the "establishment" is just a closed boys' and Mean Girls' club now. So you can't ask them to start from scratch, because they'll just reproduce what's already there. We need an actual revolution.
Maybe the answer is to get a few independent "genuine journalists" to pick the members, with strict instructions to go on merit. You named a few.
I would love to see this! I'm not even asking for an overhaul. Change takes time. Plugging in literally 1-3 journalist that contribute to the platforms I mentioned is enough to drag journalism out of the mud it's currently in. Asking questions that in and of itself instantly unravels the propagandistic narratives coming out of the White House. That alone can do wonders.
The government and the legacy press have a symbiotic relationship where both gain in prestige through their interplay. That's why I think it would diminish Trump's White House if it fielded far fewer questions from the Times, the WaPo, and the networks.
I'd rather Trump have a serious spokesperson who can push back and call out journalists when they are advocating for their political and moral preferences, and who can articulate what the administration is doing, what they believe in, and why. And I think they should do the opposite of what it seems like they want to do, which is alienate them further.
Reporters have a cushy relationship with Democrats, and the Trump admin should aim for something similar. Bring them into their confidence, change the dynamic from antagonistic to adversarial in a journalistic sense. It will be harder to caricaturize the admin if the press sees them as people doing what they believe in.
Without a doubt you will see Rogan. Hopefully Chris Plante. Serious, honest journalists. Fox. I would guess the major networks. Why do we need an MSNBC that headlines about Laken Riley's killer, "He Never Had A Chance." I hope he throws out every lying journalist on strike one. It can only help the rest of you.
It would be so great to have Taibi & Racket, Walter Kirn, Free Press, Glenn Greenwald, Daily Wire…many more good ones who would ask real questions and want real answers.
It's worth noting the worst possible case, sure, but the doom and gloom here don't seem warranted by the actual quotes given. The legacy press has vacillated between softball setups for Presidents they like and disingenuous gotcha attempts for Presidents they don't like, so it's not like serious independent journalism is in the Briefing Room right now. There literally nowhere to go from here but up. In that light, rotating through other outlets offers an entry point for genuinely nonpartisan independent journalism like The Free Press to potentially get in the room.
The rotation, if honestly based on metrics like viewership, also offers the possibility of more accountability since viewers may increase or decrease based on the perceived quality of each outlet's performance in the Briefing Room. You seem to be assuming that podcasters and such won't ask hard questions because they aren't traditional journalists, but that doesn't match what I've heard when actually listening to some of these podcast interviews. It seems far more likely to me that such people are likely to poll their viewers beforehand regarding what questions THEY want answered by the White House, do a little research themselves so they'll be prepared for any attempts to dodge or deflect, and that having such a direct channel between the citizens and the government would be a fantastic improvement.
I think the time has come to introduce Britain's "Twenty Questions for the Prime Minister." Fill the room up with other politicians, hecklers, comedians, YouTubers, sprinkle in a few real journalists and then make the whole weekly event a comedy roast.
Whatever happen to old school Journalists being scrappy, anti-elite, stick-on-their-nose-where-they-shouldn't-be meddling truth-seekers? Sure, they may be obnoxious sometimes (maybe most of time), but that is the POINT of actualism journalism!
I think many of them still function like that. In fact, I’d say the leading independent journalists follow this very model, which is why they are independent and highly respected. But at the same time, we can want better for the institutions that have failed us for so long. No serious independent journalist is twiddling his/her thumb waiting for White House press access to do their job. But we must zoom out and understand the implications of what becomes of independent journalism as a practice if Trump’s idea takes hold.
I can't believe I wrote "actualism Journalism", my bad!
What about honesty. Scrappy is good. I am tired of the lies, the lack of research, the lack of respect these journalists show for my intelligence
Honesty too, don't get me wrong...even if it hurts.
I think Obisanya has flagged some valid concerns here. Yet I also think he underestimates how degraded the regime media has become. Joe Rogan ain’t sitting in the press galley. That’s not his schtick. And although he’s not a credible journalist in the traditional sense, neither is anyone at the Wapo. A more realistic option would be the Daily Wore. You might say they’re partisan hacks, but so is virtually every single journalist sitting that room.
The thing that excites me about this proposal is the precise reason I support Trump - he’s bringing a hammer to the institutions and smashing their privileged pedestals. Giving access to the Free Press, Racket News and similar independent journalists is the best option IMO, but smashing the current system is a good enough start for me.
I don’t disagree with anything you’ve mentioned. Nor do I believe Rogan would subject himself to that. That’s not his bag. But knowing Trump and the current trend of leaning on political influencers, an Adin Ross (streamer) would be tapped first before an Aaron Mate (independent journalist at The Gray Zone) is. Just the reality. But we’ll see.
Doing away with corporate media IS a good first step. The next step is also crucial.
(We talked about this before you published the piece.)
You're right if they're just going to replace traditional media with the "alternative" voices who support them. The problem is, the "establishment" is just a closed boys' and Mean Girls' club now. So you can't ask them to start from scratch, because they'll just reproduce what's already there. We need an actual revolution.
Maybe the answer is to get a few independent "genuine journalists" to pick the members, with strict instructions to go on merit. You named a few.
I would love to see this! I'm not even asking for an overhaul. Change takes time. Plugging in literally 1-3 journalist that contribute to the platforms I mentioned is enough to drag journalism out of the mud it's currently in. Asking questions that in and of itself instantly unravels the propagandistic narratives coming out of the White House. That alone can do wonders.
The government and the legacy press have a symbiotic relationship where both gain in prestige through their interplay. That's why I think it would diminish Trump's White House if it fielded far fewer questions from the Times, the WaPo, and the networks.
I'd rather Trump have a serious spokesperson who can push back and call out journalists when they are advocating for their political and moral preferences, and who can articulate what the administration is doing, what they believe in, and why. And I think they should do the opposite of what it seems like they want to do, which is alienate them further.
Reporters have a cushy relationship with Democrats, and the Trump admin should aim for something similar. Bring them into their confidence, change the dynamic from antagonistic to adversarial in a journalistic sense. It will be harder to caricaturize the admin if the press sees them as people doing what they believe in.
Without a doubt you will see Rogan. Hopefully Chris Plante. Serious, honest journalists. Fox. I would guess the major networks. Why do we need an MSNBC that headlines about Laken Riley's killer, "He Never Had A Chance." I hope he throws out every lying journalist on strike one. It can only help the rest of you.
It would be so great to have Taibi & Racket, Walter Kirn, Free Press, Glenn Greenwald, Daily Wire…many more good ones who would ask real questions and want real answers.
It's worth noting the worst possible case, sure, but the doom and gloom here don't seem warranted by the actual quotes given. The legacy press has vacillated between softball setups for Presidents they like and disingenuous gotcha attempts for Presidents they don't like, so it's not like serious independent journalism is in the Briefing Room right now. There literally nowhere to go from here but up. In that light, rotating through other outlets offers an entry point for genuinely nonpartisan independent journalism like The Free Press to potentially get in the room.
The rotation, if honestly based on metrics like viewership, also offers the possibility of more accountability since viewers may increase or decrease based on the perceived quality of each outlet's performance in the Briefing Room. You seem to be assuming that podcasters and such won't ask hard questions because they aren't traditional journalists, but that doesn't match what I've heard when actually listening to some of these podcast interviews. It seems far more likely to me that such people are likely to poll their viewers beforehand regarding what questions THEY want answered by the White House, do a little research themselves so they'll be prepared for any attempts to dodge or deflect, and that having such a direct channel between the citizens and the government would be a fantastic improvement.
I think the time has come to introduce Britain's "Twenty Questions for the Prime Minister." Fill the room up with other politicians, hecklers, comedians, YouTubers, sprinkle in a few real journalists and then make the whole weekly event a comedy roast.