Introducing Newsjunkie.net
Who's behind the news?
Newsjunkie.net is a resource guide for journalists. We show who's behind the news, and provide tools to help navigate the modern business of information.
The Team
Gordon J. Whiting
Publisher
Gordon is a Los Angeles-based radio news producer. He cofounded Newsjunkie.net in 2020.
Damon Gitelman
Staff Writer
An experienced journalist and editor, Damon came to Newsjunkie through his work as webmaster for TerrySouthern.com. He earned a PhD in Philosophy from University of Calgary in 1991.
Ben Whiting
System Engineer
Ben is a UC Santa Barbara senior, majoring in Film. He is planning to combine his media skills with urban planning and architecture.
Talla Khattat
Staff Writer
Talla is currently a Communication major and Film minor at UCLA; she intends to combine journalism and entertainment as a full-time career after graduation, in Spring '24.
Member, Society for Professional Journalists
Aaren Stade
Chief Technology Officer
Aaren is a veteran of several Bay Area tech startups. He is a graduate of the Oakland School for the Arts, with a specialty in digital art and design.
Sasha Virk
Contributing Writer
Currently a Political Science major at UC Berkeley, Sasha previously worked in research and investigative journalism at Voice of America and Indian Express News.
Member, Society for Professional Journalists
Curtis Whiting
Staff Editor
Curtis is a writer and editor based in Berkeley, California. A graduate of the College of Marin, Curt is currently working on a comedy of errors set in Elizabethan Lancashire.
Member, Society for Professional Journalists
Aadya Chidanand
Contributing Writer
Ady recently earned her MA at USC Annenberg Graduate School of Journalism.
Who's behind the news?
In our opinion, knowing who controls the press is as important as the news itself. Without an understanding of the character and intentions of ownership, the validity of reporting falls into question.
Most news journals were locally-owned until changes in media law allowed for greater concentration of ownership and less scrutiny. Before the Internet disrupted revenue models, newspapers were already under pressure to deliver big results for corporate owners.
Infotainment became a buzzword in the trade decades ago, along with euphemisms like soft news and news you can use. The profit motive, not necessarily a bad thing, led to a demotion of serious reporting in favor of shallower fare. The next trend was worse, with newspapers and broadcast outlets producing rage-inducing “red-meat” stories to grab audience attention.
Weaponization of the media—we won’t comment on that characterization. In contrast, we can say there are many news organizations that aspire to integrity, transparency, and professionalism. We see rising vitality in investigative reporting, explanatory journalism and conflict reporting, and new energy in college journalism. New funding models are proliferating. The business is changing, not dying.
Newsjunkie.net is a resource for journalists. We will offer information on news organizations, media owners, and advertisers—their focus, organization, and end-game.
This is a grassroots effort; we believe it has to be. You can help us achieve our mission’s essence and scope.
If you are a journalist, we need your inside view on what’s happening in your organization and the broader media market (and if we have made errors in coverage, you will let us know).
If you are a service that sells to media professionals, we invite you to work with us to help build a sustainable business model.
If you are just starting your career in journalism, we could use your help writing, editing, and fact-checking. We will not succeed without the passion and partnership of committed young professionals.
We believe this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Team Newsjunkie