Jake_Hanrahan

Often. The industry is in a huge, huge mess. Currency in journalism now seems to be outrage porn or terrible, terrible hot takes formed into Op-Eds. It's a worry. I've a friend who currently has access to MS-13 and can't even get someone to commission him. Imagine that.

I'm watching it's downfall everyday. There is a lot of great journalism being made still, however all the shit stuff seems to have risen to the top. The good stuff (which is still very, very good) doesn't get the notice it should. Commissioners are less interested in why children are still dying at war and why young men frequently rush to the frontlines to face death, than they are interested in how they can mock Donald Trump or get clicks through social outrage.

There's also a huge issue with nepotism creeping back in rapidly. Journalism is becoming less accessible for the working class and that's a huge problem. You should see the state of some (and it is some, there are many incredible ones) of the people working as commissioners and editors--jumped up posh folk a lot of them, who only got their job because they knew someone who knew someone. It's a disgrace. The biggest joke is when you get some snotty middle class TV exec telling you what "normal people" want to see, or saying something is too niche etc. People like good shit, and that's all there is to it. Make it good, make it truthful, stop swinging your TV exec dick about.

Rich kids are also messing it up for a lot of us too. I've nothing against rich kids, but it becomes a problem when they can galavant about the world making films on Mummy and Daddy's money till something sticks. It creates terrible expectations from commissioners. It makes them say idiotic things like "can you go do it then we'll look at it afterwards and see if we want it?" Like, oh yeah, sure, I'll go spend tens of thousands of pounds on this doc in the hope you buy it off me. It's madness.

Also, one of the worst things, is these corporate psychopath types taking over key positions in news and making once original "new media" outlets turn stale and elitist. It's destroying originality.

Many in the industry will probably disagree with me that journalism is in a huge mess, but I don't care. I've seen it first hand.

Some links emphasising the downfall:

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/pulitzer-honoree-is-latest-to-win-after-leaving-journalism/2018/04/21/80c7f0d8-4564-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5cab927609d9

• https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/29/buzzfeed-layoffs-restructuring.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/business/dealbook/los-angeles-times-sale.html

• http://uk.businessinsider.com/vice-medias-canadian-cable-channel-going-off-air-after-low-ratings-2018-1

• https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/feb/24/privately-educated-elite-continues-to-take-top-jobs-finds-survey

• https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/07/business/dealbook/los-angeles-times-sale.html

• https://cpj.org/data/imprisoned/2017/

Fucking hell that's a dark first question lol. The answer is I don't really know. Also, how do you count "near death"? I would count near death as getting shot (never been shot, which is very good), but some might count near death as a bullet zipping over your head. I dunno. Heard plenty of bullets zip past me head but not sure how close they actually were. One time in southeast Turkey I wondered briefly if we might die actually... Like I looked around at the group we were with (PKK youth fighters) and considered for a second who was firing at us (Turkish military) and thought "oh fuck, what on earth am I up to here?", but just kept on moving I guess.

I still like a lot of legacy outlets myself, for example I think the New York Times is overall very good still. I like The Times newspaper in the UK. Bellingcat.com is excellent. I tend to get most of my important stuff from books though at the moment. Less mobile phone, more books. That is a good mantra I think lol.

Oh and also check out my podcast ;). There's only one episode so far but I'll be launching it properly in the coming weeks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/popular-front/id1364539980?mt=2

https://www.patreon.com/popularfront

Good question. There are loads.

• So-called "normal people" definitely DO care about important current affairs and niche conflicts even though commissioners and editors tell you they don't.

• The most resilient and kindest people can be found in the toughest conditions.

• Never fall into a circle jerk of any kind. Ever.

• Journalism can change the world, but if it just changes someone's perspective that's definitely as important.

• Don't piss off Turkish policemen.

• Concrete is good cover. Metal isn't.