How Independent Journalists Are Breaking the Stories Legacy Media Won't Touch

Tara joins a panel at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy alongside journalist Julia Angwin, Marissa Kabas of The Hand Basket, and Memo Torres of LA Taco for a conversation on resistance journalism in the Trump era. The panel covers how independent journalists are breaking the biggest stories — from federal funding freezes to the Swalwell scandal to ICE raid coverage — while facing daily legal threats, zero institutional support, and shrinking trust in legacy media. They also dig into objectivity vs. honesty, the symbiotic relationship between indie and legacy media, and why reader-supported journalism may be the only model that can't be captured.

#journalism #politics #independent

0:00 – Julia Angwin opens: the climate for US journalism has changed dramatically
2:39 – Capturing the media landscape is a hallmark of authoritarianism
3:32 – Marissa Kabas intro: from one leak to becoming the hub for government whistleblowers
5:46 – Why people trust independent journalists over legacy institutions right now
6:45 – Tara intro: covering the Epstein story solo with daily legal threats
7:28 – "Most days I get a legal threat — I got one yesterday, I'll probably get another today"
8:27 – Victims have told Congress there are other men living free with no consequences
9:19 – Melania's surprise Epstein statement — "we're only at the tip of the iceberg"
9:52 – The Swalwell story was broken by content creators, not legacy media
10:54 – "If that independent journalist hadn't got the story out, he'd be the next governor of California"
12:14 – Memo Torres intro: from covering tacos to covering ICE raids in LA
13:47 – Soccer moms, nurses, and mechanics became grassroots intelligence agents
16:26 – Debunking viral misinformation: the influencer, the old lady, and the eggs
18:44 – Reader-supported journalism: no corporate boss, no advertiser pressure
21:42 – Tara on audience relationship: "my agenda is social justice — is that a bad thing?"
23:08 – The comment section as an investigative community
25:27 – Legacy media's failure: "they started vertical videos and think they're cool now"
28:38 – Memo's Daily Memo: strangers crying on the street because of what he's reported
33:34 – Marissa: "I hold myself to an even higher standard because of the legal burden"
37:34 – Tara on running a 5-person operation and pitching litigious stories to mainstream outlets
40:15 – Memo: LA Taco's ICE death database — past 60 deaths and counting
42:25 – The objectivity debate: Marissa, Tara, and Memo each weigh in
46:40 – Tara: "The muckrakers changed this country with the power of the pen"
47:13 – Memo: "Objectivity is bullshit — honesty is more important"
50:35 – Q&A: How do you keep community connection as your audience scales?

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