As a journalism major, I care deeply about the state of the industry. New discourse about the field has emerged after TikToker and podcaster Jake Shane faced backlash for interviewing celebrities on the Oscars red carpet for Vanity Fair. Shane made a joke that didn’t sit right with actors Julia Fox and Damson Idris, making the interviews seem uncomfortable. This situation brought back the debate over whether influencers deserve to hold journalistic roles. I personally have never engaged with Shane’s work, but I don’t think he deserves the hate he is receiving. He took an opportunity that I don’t think many people would have passed up, yet the situation represents a bigger issue. Journalism is an underappreciated and dying craft, but are influencers really at fault for that?
The influencer takeover
Getting hired as a journalist and becoming known for your work is already hard. Now imagine unqualified people starting to get chosen over you simply because they are famous. I completely understand why journalists are upset with influencers for taking from already limited opportunities. Yet the Oscars backlash should not have been directed at Shane but at Vanity Fair. Media is all about numbers, and Shane was there among other influencers because they get more views than an unknown journalist, even if the journalist might do the job better. I do believe that red carpet interviewers should be people who studied to do that job, or at the very least know about the subjects they are discussing. Journalists research their interviewees beforehand, and it is often clear that many influencers do not. This again shows how underappreciated journalism has become. I’ve been asked many times, “How hard can interviewing be?” because many people don’t understand that there is a technique involved, like with most skills. Yes, red carpet interviews are not changing lives, but quality matters.
From my journalism courses, I have learned how important ethics are. We are so often reminded of what we cannot do as journalists. Influencers, however, do not have to follow these same standards, so they are free to act however they want. This liberty has led to many entertaining shows such as Hot Ones. Yet with this freedom, something of the traditional craft of journalism can be lost. Podcasts like Call Her Daddy are often criticized for the decline of the industry. I do understand the critique: hosts of podcasts like these are not trained in journalism, and they are not taught to ask follow-up questions that dig deeper — which can lead to interviews feeling shallow and overly conversational. Yet, hosts like Alex Cooper are not attempting to be journalists, and therefore should not be held accountable for this issue.
A Slow Decline
The decline of journalism is not something new, and influencers are not the ones at fault. Much of it is largely due to companies prioritizing profit. A prime example of this is how ESPN has changed over the years. ESPN originally worked because it served as a hub for all things sports before the internet. Yet it has gradually changed into a more consumer-driven media product, and like most things nowadays, it has lost its humanity. Big media companies like ESPN focus on attracting audiences to generate profit, instead of valuing the depth that journalism can bring.
Even if influencers play some role in this decline, they are simply part of a larger problem. Ultimately, I think that both types of interviews can be enjoyed, but journalism should be respected.