The Chuck ToddCast

The Chuck Toddcast - How To Cover Trump As An Independent Journalist With Tara Palmeri

Apr 9, 2025

Tara Palmeri, an independent journalist formerly with Puck and Politico, discusses the evolving media landscape and her journey into independent journalism. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity over polish in digital news. The conversation touches on bias in reporting, the necessity of rebuilding local news, and the impact of the Trump administration's adversarial stance towards the media. Tara also shares insights on her relatives' perspectives on the Ukraine war and the unsettling embrace of Russia by the American right.

01:16:44

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Tara Palmeri

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Quick takeaways

The rise of independent journalism offers a liberating alternative to traditional media, allowing for unfiltered reporting amidst political pressures.

Attempts by the Trump administration to exclude media outlets like the Associated Press highlight serious constitutional concerns about press freedom and access.

The decline of local news fosters distrust in national media, emphasizing the need to revive community-centered journalism for better public understanding.

Deep dives

The Shift Towards Independent Journalism

Independent journalism is increasingly viewed as a liberating alternative to traditional media, especially amid the challenges posed by political pressures and corporate interests. Journalists are finding that operating outside established institutions allows them greater freedom to report unfiltered news. For example, the recent trend where many journalists are declaring their independence from major networks highlights a collective move towards prioritizing integrity and authenticity. This shift is in response to the struggles of traditional media in addressing the evolving political landscape without being hampered by corporate restrictions.

Intro

2min

Challenges and Evolution of Media Integrity

21min

Navigating the Future of Journalism

7min

Rebuilding Trust in Journalism

21min

Pursuing Investigative Journalism Amid Financial Pressures

2min

Finding Balance in the Hustle: The Importance of a Personal Sabbath

2min

Navigating News in a Digital Age

17min

Navigating Journalism Under Political Pressure

2min

Navigating the Landscape of Independent Journalism

3min

On this episode of The Chuck ToddCast, Chuck dives into the new waters he’s swimming in—the world of independent media and journalism.

He shares his concerns about attacks on the free press by the Donald Trump administration and the lack of a unified pushback from the media. He explains how the erosion of local news sowed the seeds of public distrust, and he expresses his goal to help rebuild media from the ground up.

Later, he’s joined by independent journalist Tara Palmeri to dissect the new media landscape.

Tara describes her journey into independent media and why authenticity resonates more than polish with digital news consumers. They discuss bias in journalism, why the WHCA made a mistake in selecting comedian Amber Ruffin to host the Correspondents’ Dinner, and why the Trump administration’s adversarial stance toward the media is a façade.

Finally, Chuck explains his theories behind the “SignalGate” scandal, asks Tara how her relatives in Poland are processing the threat of the Ukraine war on their border, and discusses why both of them find the American right's embrace of Russia deeply disturbing.

Timeline:

0:00 Introduction

1:45 Kicking AP out of press briefings is unconstitutional

4:00 Traditional media has capitulated, lost trust

7:00 Appeal of independent media

11:00 OJ trial + Craigslist changed everything

12:00 Loss of local news broke trust

16:15 Local media was a character reference for national media

19:00 Need to rebuild local media

21:57 Tara Palmeri joins the show

22:57 Going independent as a journalist

27:56 Lack of trust in mainstream media

30:52 Authenticity resonates on social media

34:32 All journalism is affected by bias

37:17 Is mainstream media pulling punches?

41:36 Mistake picking Amber Ruffin for WH correspondents dinner

45:26 Trump administration officials court the media

50:07 Anchors were drinking before reporting Bin Laden was killed

52:15 Where Tara gets her news

57:11 Is there more to “SignalGate”

59:25 Trump DOESN’T like to fire people

1:02:41 Tara’s Polish citizenship/How are Poles feeling about the Ukraine war?

1:08:30 American right’s embrace of Russia

1:10:47 Where to find Tara’s work

1:13:16 Chuck’s closing thoughts

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