Clout over Credentials: Is The Rise of Influencers in Media a Threat to Traditional Journalism?
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It’s no surprise that the media industry is ever-evolving, but lately, changes have come at the expense of journalism instead of complementing it. Journalism, once a passion-driven career built on research, credibility and storytelling, is now being handed over to social media influencers whose main qualifications are clout and charisma. While seasoned journalists are experiencing layoffs in extreme numbers, social media personalities are being handed opportunities and mics based on social media shares and follows.
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One of the most recent examples happened during the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Megan Thee Stallion, Grammy award-winning rapper, walked the red carpet in a striking green gown. Despite the hype and conversation around her look, what triggered the most social media reactions was her interview with social media influencers and Giggly Squad podcast hosts Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo. The two were given access to cover one of Hollywood's biggest nights despite having no formal journalism training. The interview demonstrated the lack of depth, research and real understanding of Megan Thee Stallion’s music and cultural significance.
Image credit: Vanity Fair
Berner and DeSorbo constantly interrupted Megan, and at one point, Berner told Megan, “when I wanna fight someone, I listen to your music.” This left Megan and her fans confused, given Megan's history of empowering women through her music, surviving domestic violence and mentioning specifically that she doesn’t fight in past interviews, stating, “fighting is so ugly” in an interview with Genius.
While influencers rise, traditional journalism is in crisis. Major media outlets faced extreme layoffs in 2024 alone:
Los Angeles Times: in January 2024, the LA Times laid off 115 employees—over 20% of its newsroom staff—in one of its largest staff reductions in history.
Vice Media: once a digital media powerhouse, Vice Media announced mass layoffs in early 2024, shutting down Vice.com and cutting several hundred jobs after filing for bankruptcy.
BuzzFeed: struggling with financial losses, BuzzFeed laid off 16% of its workforce in 2024 and sold Complex Networks for significantly less than its purchase price.
At the same time, influencer-driven media is thriving. A Reuters Institute study found that:
57% of TikTok and Snapchat users get their news from influencers rather than traditional media organizations.
53% of Instagram users rely on influencers for news, compared to only 33-42% who follow mainstream journalists.
Additionally, major institutions are increasingly legitimizing influencers as news sources:
During the 2024 Democratic National Convention, around 200 content creators were given press credentials to cover the event.
The White House under Trump hosted special briefings for conservative influencers, bypassing traditional media.
The rise of influencers in media has its advantages and challenges. Influencers can reach younger audiences that traditional media struggles to engage, but can also contribute to the spread of misinformation. It's questionable whether the evolution of the media landscape is for the better or worse.
Three days after her interview with Megan Thee Stallion, Berner issued an apology for her controversial comments. She referred to comments as a “careless choice of words” in an Instagram Story. However, Berner’s response is being labeled as damage control rather than her taking genuine accountability. Fans aren't impressed and are expressing their discontent on social media. Some argue that the apology should have been a permanent post or discussed on her podcast; some even question whether Berner fully understands the gravity of her words or what she is truly apologizing for.
I’m all for influencers having a voice and seeing them at high-profile events. The world loves influencers because of their raw and unfiltered presence, and there should be space for these kinds of interactions and interviews. Seeing our favorite influencers grow as they get these types of opportunities is exciting. However, what we need is for influencers to show more respect and regard for the talent they are working with, as well as the craft of journalism. Some spaces allow for awkward and unhinged interactions, while others may require grace and professionalism.
Influencers have the platform but lack an understanding of the importance of highlighting the stories and narratives around talent. Seeing more research, depth and understanding in their interviews would be refreshing.
The media industry continues to be competitive, making it difficult for many aspiring journalists to stand out. There is more pressure on professional journalists to perform well, while it seems influencers can underdeliver and simply return to their platforms. Given the recent backlash from Berner and Megan Thee Stallion’s interview, I’m interested to see what the influencer-journalism relationship will look like in the future.