Despite breaking numerous big stories in this administration, I haven’t gone on TV to talk about a single one of them. I don’t need that validation, but it does make me wonder why.
Comments
Log in with your Bluesky account to leave a comment
As a indie journalist who has worked on front cover stories for nation, rolling stone etc booking people are lazy fucks. Unless you have an agent who is hounding them you’ll never get on, and even then they won’t do anything risky.
You don't know a real wheeler, a dealer, who definitely knows all the power players in town, baby. You gotta get in when the gettin's good, understand? Strike when the irons is hot, babe. And agents, bud, they know the ins and outs. They are the guys that make you a star. It's the industry, baby.
Agree with this, have to aggressively work contacts and remind them. From what I have seen, They mostly bring the same people over and over because it's easy. Also some of those appearing, have long term contracts for shots.
TV news is TV first, news second (or third, or fourth). It relies on production value 100% of the time first, then newsworthiness secondarily. Most hardhitting journalism today does not happen on TV. It used to, but not for the last 20 or 30 years. The internet has really flipped that script.
It’s because large news organizations are run by oligarchs and they can’t possibly trust to be able to control a good, independent journalist like yourself. For everyone involved, especially us on Bluesky, it’s better this way. You are already noticed so I think money will eventually follow.
Perhaps consider starting a YouTube channel or joining other independent journalist who have started their own. I would say the fastest growing population of us receiving news today are tapping into less mainstream media & more independent sources, so there is great potential there. Best of luck. ✊🏾
@joshtpm.bsky.social started TPM on his own. He had a little bit of professional journalism under his belt. But I still didn’t see him on TV until he had quite a large following. And sometimes it’s who you know. He’s super awesome if you ever need advice (or just info)
I appreciate all the kind words, but I was really just venting about a thing that’s been nagging at me. I know this is a good thing that’s going really well. I feel remarkably fortunate—and maybe I need to recalibrate my markers of success.
Is your goal to be an excellent journalist or to be recognized by, "other agencies"? People like me are following you because you are already better than those agencies. Continue to be your best. That is all one can ever hope for or achieve.
Fwiw, I think your markers of success are appropriately placed for what we've known or whole lives, and that "mainstream media" is absolutely bullshit for not including your reporting (for the reasons Brooke mentions).
I'm sorry it sucks, but you are amazing. Please continue doing excellent work.
The last part. Random people know who you are. More than who know a name on bylines of big papers. Your actual "I read that" reach is likely bigger than many columns in widely distributed papers.
That is a good point. I’d recognize her name instantly whereas for msm journalists if i recognize their name it’s likely because they were a top sane washer during the election.
This exactly. I also don’t think people who watch television news programs are really your target audience. They are fine with hearing about events 24-48 hours after they happen. You are right where your audience is - terminally online.
Fuck no. Your markers of success should be whatever you want them to be. If it's a regular gig on CNN, go for it. If it's something other than that, go for that. You don't have to be on TV to be a success, but you don't have to change your markers of success if you still want to achieve those goals.
At a certain point, a lot of successful folks seem to realize they’re better off building their own success instead of success that someone else owns. This does not mean that established players are happy to see new competition succeeding.
From what I’ve observed, once someone is tapped to be interviewed by a network, and if they work well with the on-air personalities, that person is more likely to be asked back, by multiple shows, like it’s a club and now they’re just “in”.
I wonder if agents are involved? You could probably start by making inquiries with other journalists who do this, or if you’re acquainted with any of the lawyers or politicians that are tapped for punditry, they might have a kernel of wisdom to share, or have someone’s ear?
I have one friend in the finance industry who is now a regular contributor on CNBC. We’ve lost touch in the last 20 years, but I guarantee my overachiever old friend decided she wanted to do that and then pursued it and made it happen for herself.
I say this from outside your industry, with zero experience there, but full respect for what you’re doing. Maybe you just need to find the right connections for your network. People are still people. Make your interest more known.
Don’t over think it. The truth is the there a lot of incompetent people in the new biz plus a great number of “decision makers” prioritize things other than breaking actual news.
I know you're just venting but as a former Indie freelancer who suffered from the same issue for at least a decade if not more I can say that it's real and it's a thing, it's misogyny and classism, and it's also a sign in my experience that the majors are stealing your shit as fast as they can
yeah unfortunately the system rewards stealing shit from people who work harder than you so the lack of due respect is the msm being scared someone's eating their lunch
Also you are a wonderful journalist and I have extremely high regard for you and your work and will always support and elevate it any way I can (I just wanted to say that because I don't say it enough)
Your account on here is very relevant almost 200K users. Maybe it is time to create your ‘own’ online tv show. Like the Meidastouch network. There are great journalists out there with the same issues like @jennycohn.bsky.social and more.
MSM are not reporting what people need to know.
I would absolutely watch this! I think the problems are of course what’s already been mentioned, about people generally being shit to women… but also way too many people are complicit and cowardly. Going out on one’s own is the best way, I think.
what you would have every right to feel is invalidating, as a fan of your work i honestly find it further validating of exactly how good at what you do you are.
as brooke said, they're busy ganking & gaffling your scoops, it's never been a meritocracy.
A thing I had to learn in the working world is that often when a woman speaks and has a great idea, the ensuing crickets aren't bc others disagree, it's bc they are trying to decide how long they have to wait before they can steal the idea she said. It seems to work similarly with reporting.
the idea quickly becomes dissociated from its origin, and spoken about in the passive voice; "the idea we were just talking about". I guess it's more difficult when you have to get your own sources too.
This in particular is because you need to pitch and be on top of producers. You likely can't do that due to lack of capacity and a media rep, which costs a considerable amount of money. Again, not you at all, but how the system works. If you do have time to connect w/some producers, that might help.
treat it like a badge of honor - they're scared because you're competing against them, winning, and proving institutional journalism has nothing additional to offer beyond the name on the masthead
I may be completely wrong, but the first thought is that the reporting you do typically covers the appalling actions of Donald and his appointees, and that news organizations in general are self-censoring such content, from fear of retaliation.
Do you know what happened to the story about Noem’s stollen handbag? It said she was in the bar for 3 hours hitting on guys. I saw it and then it disappeared. It was like the original story of her being at dinner with family was bogus.
Who needs'em?! I bet part of why your sources trust you so much is probably because you aren't part of the machine. You're doing an amazing service to this country, and whatever else happens is just noise.
Comments
Keep going! 💪
is that *anyone who has been consistently correct about the Republican party's trajectory is never invited to discuss it* on TV
only those who obfuscate, dissemble, & most importantly, *who have been consistently wrong* are allowed
Wonder what they got in return?
In any case, the big channels should be hosting you. Your reporting deserves it.
It means you're doing everything right. Keep doing it. ❤️
There's no longer an established anything, really.
There's just people who break stories.
And people who don't.
I'm sorry it sucks, but you are amazing. Please continue doing excellent work.
I remember days of years gone by when I called things into our news desk and even they didn't believe what was I telling them.
(king of the hill voice) #that’snotyourstory!
MSM are not reporting what people need to know.
as brooke said, they're busy ganking & gaffling your scoops, it's never been a meritocracy.
thank you for doing it all anyway!
you’re punching way above your weight class, and you *should* be getting taken more seriously than you are.
you do really, truly incredible work.