When you watch CNN or BBC, or read a report in The New York Times, do you feel the urge to seek 'the truth' elsewhere, or do you still assume them to be authoritative sources of factual information?
Instead of relying on mainstream media for news, people are increasingly sourcing information from the likes of Alex Jones—a conspiracy theorist who uses Infowars, his so-called 'news' platform, to spread outright misinformation. In this recent situation in Venezuela, he shared a video of Venezuelans supposedly celebrating the abduction of Nicolás Maduro. The 'celebration' video has garnered over two million views.
However, the footage was actually from an anti-Maduro protest that took place in 2024 following a disputed election.
However, the footage was actually from an anti-Maduro protest that took place in 2024 following a disputed election.
He isn’t the only one people gravitate toward for news. The likes of Nick Shirley and other content creators masquerading as independent journalists have continued to amass large followings and sway public opinion, as distrust in mainstream media—or traditional news platforms—continues to deepen.
While a course I took last year with the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, Texas, on Digital Content Creators & Journalists offered valuable insights into why the tactics used by these 'independent journalists' are so effective, the growing lack of trust in mainstream media should worry founders and entrepreneurs who rely on them to build authority and credibility.
In December, I ran a small survey among 19 of my tech-savvy friends to understand where they source tech news, and the discovery was frankly shocking. Nearly 70 percent of them get their tech news from X (Twitter), 57.9 percent from LinkedIn, and just 36.8 percent from dedicated tech news platforms.
It makes me wonder: should you, as a founder, be fixated on being featured on these news platforms, or is there another way to build credibility? If trust in media platforms is declining, do they still have the power to confer authority and credibility on a younger founder?
My small survey, sadly, appears to align with what Iyinoluwa Aboyeji said in December about tech press being “dead”—with shallow reporting, excessive PR and sponsored posts, and poor storytelling accounting for nearly 50 percent of what frustrates audiences about African tech media.
As a founder, you simply have to own your story. Relying on platforms whose credibility is increasingly being questioned may not deliver the results you intend.
If you haven’t subscribed to my newsletter, Founder's Branding, do so here ( Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7373217810967232513 )