Episode 91: ‘Citizen Journalists’

Stories of independent, self-declared “journalists” have been all over the news lately. The Trump administration went wild over Nick Shirley, who made a video involving Somali immigrants in Minnesota, daycares, and allegations of fraud. Big Media responded with hypocritical attacks, performative stunts, and accusations of Islamophobia.

Then, Don Lemon — a former mainstream media figure-turned independent “journalist” — joined protesters who barged into a church during a service, causing mayhem. He got basics wrong about the Constitution, the First Amendment, the Civil Right Movement, and more. And it’s quite possible that he violated the law.

Today, Josh talks you through these incidents. He explains why they were not acts of journalism, and what the responsibilities of a true “citizen journalist” are. He discusses brave Iranians attempting to do citizen journalism now, amid the government’s latest brutal, deadly crackdown on protesters. And he shows how the media is contradicting itself.

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