Are independent journalists doing a better job?

Newsrooms are shrinking and experienced reporters are getting pushed onto Substack or into freelance work.

Does it change the news you receive when journalism moves from institutions to individuals?

In this episode of UnSpun, DrSturg looks at the complicated trade-offs that come with at the rise of freelance and independent journalism. From Washington Post layoffs to Substack newsletters, and from Don Lemon’s arrest to Nick Shirley's video about Minnesota daycares, we she considers how ethics, accountability, legal protection, and financial pressure change when journalists work alone.

Independence can mean freedom, but it can also mean exposure.

This episode breaks down research from multiple countries on how unstable working conditions shape the type of information produced — and what that means for you, as you get your news. .

If you care about media literacy, press freedom, journalism ethics, misinformation, or the future of news, this conversation matters.

Check out DrSturg's book, Detection Deception: Tools to fight fake news. Link takes you to independent bookstores, but the big guys have it, too. And find her on Bluesky and Instagram.

Episode photo: by Bickanski on Pixnio

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